Minutes - Business Committee

Meeting Venue:

Conference Room 4B - Tŷ Hywel

Meeting date: 24 February 2026

Meeting time: 08.56 - 09.31

Private, Hybrid

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Attendance

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	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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1 Introductions, apologies and substitutions

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting. No apologies were received.

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2 Minutes of the previous meeting

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication. 

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<AI3>

3 Organisation of Business

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<AI4>

3.1 This week's business

Tuesday 

Business Committee noted the following changes:

• Legislative Consent Motion: The Crime and Policing Bill (15 0 mins) - postponed until 10 March

• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.45pm.

Heledd Fychan asked whether the Government intends to bring forward an oral statement on the vision for rail across Wales following the written statement on this subject issued yesterday. The Trefnydd agreed to consider the matter.

Business Committee received an update on discussions that had taken place concerning the legislative consent debate on The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee’s meeting on the previous day.

Wednesday

• Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.  
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7:25pm.

The Business Managers discussed and noted arrangements for Plenary meetings returning to the Senedd from this week.

</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 3 March 2026

• Legislative Consent Motion: The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (30 mins) – Postponed until 17 March

Tuesday 10 March 2026

• The Representation of the People (Removal of the Edited Register) (Wales) Regulations 2026 (10 mins)
• Proposal under Standing Order 12.24 to debate the following items together but with separate votes (15 mins)
• • The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026
  • The Representation of the People Act 1983 (Security Expenses Exclusion) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2026
• The Procurement Act 2023 (Specified International Agreements) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2026 (5 mins)
• Legislative Consent Motion: The Crime and Policing Bill (15 mins)
• Final stage of the Planning (Wales) Bill and Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Bill (15 mins)

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.3 Three week timetable of Senedd Business

Business Managers agreed the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:

Wednesday 18 March 2026 -

• Motion to approve the Guidance for Members of the Senedd on the registration, declaration and recording of financial and other interests (15 mins)
• Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee Report: Teacher Recruitment and Retention (60 mins)
• Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee report: Welsh Government’s International Strategy (60 mins)
• Debate on the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee report: Consideration of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 Report (60 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
• Short Debate: Hannah Blythyn MS (Delyn) (30 mins)

Business Committee considered a request from Mark Isherwood MS to schedule the debate and vote on Stage 4 of the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill earlier in proceedings on 11 March. Business Managers agreed to seek further information from the Member on the reasons behind the request.

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<AI7>

4 Legislation

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<AI8>

4.1 Letter from the Local Government and Housing Committee in relation to SLCM (No.2) Pension Schemes Bill

The Business Committee noted the letter.

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<AI9>

4.2 Update on LCMs

The Business Committee agreed to:

• extend the reporting deadline for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to 16 March 2026;
• extend the revised reporting deadline for the Crime and Policing Bill to 10 March 2026.

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<AI10>

5 Procedural Work

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<AI11>

5.1 Remote voting in Plenary meetings

The Business Committee returned to consider feedback from political groups on options for future changes to arrangements for remote voting during Plenary meetings, following previous consideration at the meeting on 3 February.

Heledd Fychan stated that the Plaid Cymru group supported retaining remote voting and participation in Plenary proceedings. The group is open to requiring Members to choose a single mode of participation per Plenary meeting and/or introducing a limit on the number, or proportion, of Members able to vote remotely, with appropriate safeguards to ensure the specific needs of Members with additional requirements or caring responsibilities could be protected.

The Trefnydd confirmed that the Welsh Labour group also supports retaining remote voting and participation. The Trefnydd indicated that a majority within the group were in favour of retaining the current arrangements, with some support expressed for requiring Members to choose a single mode of participation per Plenary meeting unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Paul Davies reiterated that the Welsh Conservative group favoured ending arrangements for remote participation and voting.

The Business Committee agreed:

• to retain existing procedures for remote voting and participation for the time remaining in the Sixth Senedd; and
• to consider potential guidance which would require Members to choose a single mode of participation per Plenary meeting before taking a decision on the final guidance to be handed over to the Seventh Senedd.

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