Concise Minutes - Business Committee: Procedural Work

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 1, Senedd

Meeting date: Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Meeting time: 08.31 - 09.50
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15548

Private, Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Paul Davies MS Heledd Fychan MS Jane Hutt MS
Committee Staff:	Alun Davidson (Clerk) Steffan Lewis (Deputy Clerk)
Others in attendance:	David Rees MS, Deputy Presiding Officer Bethan Davies, Head of Chamber and Committee Service Graeme Francis, Head of Chamber Secretariat and Clerk to the Business Committee Helen Finlayson, Clerk for Legislative Procedural Review Catrin Davies, Welsh Government Anthony Cooper, Welsh Labour Jennifer Ramsay, Welsh Conservatives Francess Ifans, Plaid Cymru

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies and substitutions

The Deputy Presiding Officer welcomed Members to the meeting. Apologies were received from the Llywydd, Elin Jones MS. The Deputy Presiding Officer, David Rees MS, Chaired the meeting in the Llywydd’s place.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 June 2025

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Additional Deputy Presiding Officer

Members returned to the issues raised at the previous meeting after consulting with their political groups on the proposals. Members agreed that nominations for an additional Deputy Presiding Officer should be tabled by the Presiding Officer, following consultation with the Business Committee.

Members agreed that in the event that the office of Presiding Officer is vacant or if the Presiding Officer is unable to act, Standing Orders should specify that the Presiding Officer’s functions would automatically become exercisable by the first Deputy Presiding Officer.

Whilst one Member expressed a view in favour of using the English titles of 'Speaker' and 'Deputy Speaker', Members agreed that the English titles of ‘Presiding Officer’ and ‘Deputy Presiding Officer’, currently set out in Standing Orders should stay as they are.

Members confirmed their agreement for the reminder of decisions they took in principle at the last meeting.

</AI3>

<AI4>

3.1 Additional Deputy Presiding Officer - additional paper

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.2 Seventh Senedd Standing Orders: Additional Deputy Presiding Officer

</AI5>

<AI6>

4 Review of the legislative scrutiny processes for Public Bills and Member Bills

Members confirmed their agreement of the decisions they took in principle at the last meeting. When considering the issuing of the revised guidance, Members agreed they would return to consider the timing of this being introduced when they consider draft revisions at a future meeting.

</AI6>

<AI7>

4.1 Virtual participation in proceedings, and means of voting in committees

</AI7>

<AI8>

5 Review of the legislative scrutiny processes for Public Bills and Member Bills

Following discussion with their political groups, Business Managers discussed issues relating to Member Bills, with all but one suggested action set out in the paper provided being agreed. The one outstanding item related to ‘Mechanisms for consideration of technical issues’, where it was agreed that there should be further discussions between Senedd Commission and Welsh Government officials.

</AI8>

<AI9>

5.1 Miscellaneous issues arising from the review of the legislative scrutiny processes for Public Bills and Member Bills

</AI9>

<AI10>

6 Review of the legislative scrutiny processes for Public Bills and Member Bills

Members considered the paper and agreed to ask officials to develop the three models identified at the previous meeting for further consideration in the autumn.

</AI10>

<AI11>

6.1 Member Bills (feedback)

</AI11>

<AI12>

7 Organisation of parliamentary business in the Seventh Senedd

Members agreed the approach suggested in the paper.

</AI12>

<AI13>

7.1 Organisation of parliamentary business in the Seventh Senedd

</AI13>

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