Meeting Venue:
Conference Room 4B - Tŷ Hywel
Meeting date: 20 January 2026
Meeting time: 08.58 - 09.14
------
------
|
Category |
Names |
|
Committee Members: |
Elin Jones MS, Llywydd (Chair) Paul Davies MS Heledd Fychan MS Jane Hutt MS |
|
Committee Staff: |
Graeme Francis (Clerk) Steffan Lewis (Deputy Clerk) |
|
Others in attendance |
Jane Dodds MS David Rees MS, Deputy Presiding Officer Lisa Griffiths Procedures Clerk 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
Business Committee noted the following changes:
Wednesday
The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government Business:
Tuesday 27 January 2026
Tuesday 3 February 2026
Business Managers agreed the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:
Wednesday 04 February 2026
The Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate on 28 January 2026 and agreed to schedule the following Member debate tabled by Cefin Campbell MS:
NNDM9115
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes the provisions of Helen’s Law, formally the Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act 2020, which requires the parole board to consider whether offenders have disclosed the location of a victim’s remains or identified child victims when making parole decisions.
2. Recognises that the Act was introduced following the case of Helen McCourt, whose killer has never disclosed the location of her body, and that non-disclosure continues to cause significant and ongoing distress to victims’ families.
3. Notes calls for the introduction of Helen’s Law Part 2: Stop the Desecration, which seeks to reform burial and sentencing laws, including the creation of a new criminal offence of desecrating a body.
4. Further notes the introduction of similar provisions in Northern Ireland through Charlotte’s Law, including making the concealment of a victim’s remains a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing; providing incentives for cooperation in the recovery of remains, and placing a duty on parole authorities to consider non-disclosure.
5. Recognises that the implementation of these measures in Northern Ireland demonstrates that such reforms are achievable elsewhere within the UK.
6. Calls on the Welsh Government to support the consideration of equivalent legislative reforms, in collaboration with the UK Government, to strengthen justice and provide greater dignity and closure for victims and their families.
The Business Committee considered an update from the Trefnydd and agreed to:
Heledd Fychan noted that Members of the Plaid Cymru group have received significant correspondence in relation to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and questioned whether the scheduled timing of the debate on 3 February should be extended beyond 15 minutes.
The Business Committee considered a paper containing an analysis of recommendations made to the Business Committee by the Standards of Conduct Committee as party of its report of its Inquiry into Registration and Declaration of Interests: Declarations of Interests.
Business Managers agreed to discuss the recommendations with their political groups and return to further consideration at the Business Committee meeting on 29 January.
In relation to recommendation 2 of that report, the Business Committee requested a note providing further information on the implications of what is recommended for motions being tabled by Business Managers on behalf of their political group. The Trefnydd noted that practice varies between Members when orally declaring interests during proceedings and suggested that the requirement should be clarified within guidance.