Private, Hybrid
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Attendance
|
Category
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Names
|
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Committee Members:
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Elin Jones MS,
Llywydd (Chair)
Paul Davies MS
Heledd Fychan
MS
Jane Hutt MS
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Committee Staff:
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Graeme Francis
(Clerk)
Steffan Lewis
(Deputy Clerk)
|
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Others in attendance
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Jane Dodds
MS
David Rees MS,
Deputy Presiding Officer
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
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<AI1>
1
Introductions, apologies and
substitutions
The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting.
No apologies were received.
</AI1>
<AI2>
2
Minutes of the previous
meeting
The Minutes of the previous meeting were
agreed for publication.
</AI2>
<AI3>
3
Organisation of Business
</AI3>
<AI4>
3.1
This week's business
Tuesday
Business Committee noted the following
changes:
- Motion to suspend Standing Orders to allow
the next item of Business to be considered (5 mins)
- Proposal under Standing Order 12.24 to
debate the following items together but with separate votes (60
mins)
-
- Motion under Standing Order 26.95 that a
Bill to be known as the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales
(Membership) Bill be treated as a Government Emergency
Bill
- Motion under Standing Order 26.98(ii) to
agree a timetable for the Bill to be known as the Mental Health
Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill
- Voting time (5 mins)
- Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for
Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the
Welsh Economy (30 mins)
- The general principles of the Mental
Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill (60mins)
(Subject to the earlier motions being agreed)
- Voting Time will take place as the last item
of business
- Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.15pm.
Wednesday
Business Committee noted the following
changes:
Committee of the Whole Senedd –
13.00 (provisional)
- Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales
(Membership) Bill – Stage 2 proceedings (60 mins)
- Debate: Stage 3 of the Mental Health
Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill (60 mins)
(provisional)
- Debate: Stage 4 of the Mental Health
Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill (15 mins)
(provisional)
- Voting time (5 mins)
(provisional)
- Voting Time will take place as the last item
of business.
- Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.30.
Heledd Fychan requested that the Government
consider bringing forward Oral Statements on: the use of
‘X’ by the Welsh Government; and, on the recent job
losses at ‘Consumer Energy Solutions’.
The Llywydd informed Business Managers that
all Members have been notified of the intention, from today, to
strictly enforce the Guidance on Virtual and Hybrid
Proceedings in respect of prior notification being required in
order for a Member to cast their vote remotely in Plenary
proceedings, with the effect that any Member for whom prior
notification has not been received will not be eligible to vote
from a remote location.
</AI4>
<AI5>
3.2
Three week timetable of Government
Business
The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the
following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government
Business:
Tuesday 20 January
2026
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for
Health and Social Care: NHS Waiting Times (45 mins) –
postponed until 27 January- Statement by the Deputy First Minister and
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip
Safety (30 mins)
- Statement by the Minister for Mental
Health and Wellbeing: Women’s Health Hubs (30 mins)
- Statement by the Minister for Culture,
Skills and Social Partnership: Creative Wales (30 mins)
- Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for
Transport and North Wales: Travel for All (30 mins)
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading
Scheme (Amendment) Order 2026 (10 mins) – postponed
until 3 February
Tuesday 27 January
2026
- Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for
Health and Social Care: NHS Waiting Times (45 mins)
- Debate: The Final Budget 2026-27 (
60
90 mins)
The Trefnydd informed Business Committee that
the Statement on NHS Waiting Times was being postponed by a week as
the latest data is due to be published on 22 January.
The Trefnydd indicated that the Debate on the
Final Budget 2026-27 has been extended following a recommendation
by the Finance Committee.
</AI5>
<AI6>
3.3
Three week timetable of Senedd
Business
Business Managers agreed the following
additions to the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:
Wednesday 04
February 2026 –
- Debate on the Children, Young People and
Education Committee Report: Routes into post-16 education and
training’ (60 mins)
- Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural
Affairs Committee report: Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’
soil health (30 mins)
- Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60
mins)
- Short Debate (30 mins)
</AI6>
<AI7>
3.4
Letter from the Chair of the
Family-Friendly and Inclusive Review Board regarding a debate
slot
The Business Committee considered the request
and agreed to allocate time for the Review Board’s report to
be debated by the Senedd in March 2026, at a date to be
confirmed.
</AI7>
<AI8>
4
Legislation
</AI8>
<AI9>
4.1
The Mental Health Review Tribunal for
Wales (Membership) Bill
The Business Committee considered a paper from
the Welsh Government on the background, purpose and proposed
timetable for the Bill.
Business Managers agreed the proposed
arrangements for Stage 2 and 3 proceedings, as set out in the draft
note provided for Members, including:
- that the Committee of the Whole Senedd would
meet at 1pm on 14 January for Stage 2 proceedings, with Plenary
commencing following the conclusion of those proceedings and a
short break; and
- that Stages 3 and 4 will be taken as the
final items in Plenary on 14 January, following the conclusion of
Senedd business and Voting Time.
The Llywydd noted that the Guidance on Virtual
and Hybrid proceedings, as recently revised, states that Members
must participate in Bill amending stage proceedings in person,
unless exceptional circumstances apply or participating virtually
is a reasonable accommodation of a Member’s specific needs.
The Llywydd requested that Business Managers ensure that she
receives any request for a Member to be permitted to participate
virtually prior to proceedings on 14 January
</AI9>
<AI10>
4.2
Letter from the Economy, Trade, and Rural
Affairs Committee regarding timetables for Bill
scrutiny
The Business Committee noted the letter and
acknowledged the challenges for committees and stakeholders that
have been posed by the timetables for this and other Bills in the
final year of the Welsh Government’s legislative
programme.
Business Managers noted that there will be an
opportunity for the Business Committee to set out its views on Bill
timetabling in the forthcoming report on its Review of the Public
Bill process.
</AI10>
<AI11>
4.3
Letter from the Member Accountability
Bill Committee regarding the Stage 1 scrutiny report
The Business Committee noted the letter and
agreed to consider the relevant conclusions and recommendations
reached by the Member Accountability Bill Committee as part of its
legacy work, in light of the content of the Bill at the conclusion
of its passage through the Senedd.
</AI11>
<AI12>
4.4
Update on LCMs
The Business Committee considered an update
from the Trefnydd and agreed to:
- Refer SLCM (No.3) on the Terminally Ill
Adults Bill to the Health and Social Care Committee and the
Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with
a reporting deadline of 20 January 2026.
- Refer SLCM (No.3) on the Sustainable Aviation
Fuel Bill to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure
Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 20 January 2026.
</AI12>
<AI13>
4.5
Letter from the Legislation, Justice and
Constitution Committee in relation to the Terminally Ill Adults
(End of Life) Bill
The Business Committee considered
correspondence from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution
Committee, including a request for an extension to the reporting
deadline and a corresponding delay to the date of the legislative
consent debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
The Trefnydd agreed to consult with the
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on the request and to
update Business Managers following the meeting.
The Business Committee agreed that it is
important that there is an opportunity for the Senedd to debate the
Bill prior to the end of the Sixth Senedd term.
</AI13>
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