Meeting Venue:
Conference Room 4B - Tŷ Hywel
Meeting date: 14 October 2025
Meeting time: 08.58 - 09.24
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Category |
Names |
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Committee Members: |
Elin Jones MS, Llywydd (Chair) Paul Davies MS Heledd Fychan MS Jane Hutt MS |
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Committee Staff: |
Graeme Francis, Clerk Steffan Lewis, Deputy Clerk |
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Others in attendance |
David Rees MS, Deputy Presiding Officer Jane Dodds MS Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive and Clerk Julian Luke, Director of Senedd Business Bethan Davies, Head of Chamber and Committee Service Marc Wyn Jones, Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service Helen Carey, Welsh Government |
The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting.
No apologies were received.
The Minutes of the previous meeting were
agreed for publication.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Business Committee agreed the following change:
The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government Business:
Tuesday 4 November 2025
Business Managers agreed the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:
Wednesday 12 November 2025 –
The Business Committee noted the letter and
agreed to consider removing the provision set out in Standing
Order 18A.2(i) as part of any miscellaneous review of Standing
Orders carried out prior to the end of this Senedd term.
The Business Committee considered an update from the Trefnydd and agreed to:
The Business Committee considered further
matters concerning the establishment of a Member Accountability
Bill Committee to scrutinise the Senedd Cymru (Member
Accountability and Elections) Bill.
The Business Committee had agreed, in
principle, for the Committee to be constituted with four members (2
Labour, 1 Conservative, 1 Plaid Cymru) and the Deputy Presiding
Officer as a non-voting Chair. The Committee’s membership
– in terms of the composition and the identity of the members
– were noted to be dependent on whether or not it was
intended that the Bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole
Senedd at Stage 2. Subject to that point being resolved, and
political groups being able to provide the names of Members to be
nominated as members of the Committee following the meeting,
Business Committee agreed for a motion to establish the Committee
to be proposed in Plenary on 15 October, through a suspension of
Standing Orders.
The Trefnydd indicated that the Welsh Government’s preference is for Stage 2 proceedings to be referred to the Member Accountability Bill Committee, as opposed to by a Committee of the Whole Senedd. The Llywydd stated that previous precedent is that Bills of a constitutional nature have been referred to a Committee of the Whole Senedd for Stage 2. Paul Davies, Heledd Fychan and Jane Dodds all indicated that it was their preference for Stage 2 to be conducted by to a Committee of the Whole Senedd.
Business Managers agreed to discuss this
matter further with their groups, with a view to seeking agreement
to enable the Committee to be established on Wednesday 15
October.
The Business Committee considered and
indicated its satisfaction with proposed changes to the
Llywydd’s Guidance on virtual and hybrid proceedings
relating to the locations from which Members are permitted to cast
their votes in Plenary proceedings. The amended Guidance
would be published as soon as possible.
The Business Committee noted that it will return to consider further amendments to aspects of the Guidance relating to committee proceedings, in light of these changes and views received from the Chairs’ Forum, at a subsequent meeting.