Meeting Venue:
Presiding Officer’s office, 4th floor - Tŷ Hywel
Meeting date: 7 May 2019
Meeting time: 08.30 - 09.15
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Category |
Names |
Committee Members: |
Elin Jones AM, Llywydd (Chair) Rebecca Evans AM Darren Millar AM Rhun ap Iorwerth AM Neil Hamilton AM |
Committee Staff: |
Aled Elwyn Jones (Clerk) |
Others in attendance |
Ann Jones AM, Deputy Presiding Officer Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive & Clerk of the Assembly Siwan Davies, Director of Assembly Business Siân Wilkins, Head of Chamber and Committee Service Gwion Evans, Head of the Llywydd's Private Office Elin Roberts, Policy Adviser to the Llywydd Helen Carey, Welsh Government |
The minutes for the meeting were agreed by the Committee for publication.
The Llywydd informed Business Managers that, further to discussions after last week’s meeting, the leader of the UKIP group will be called to ask two leaders’ questions to the First Minister each week, and UKIP may ask 2 spokespeople questions on three OAQ sessions of their choice. They will not be called to ask spokespeople questions to other Ministers. Where they do not have spokespeople questions, the Llywydd will make every effort to call them for supplementary questions where possible. UKIP will notify the Llywydd by the end of the day today on their choice of three OAQ slots; whilst they are free to amend their choices at the start of any term, they will need to notify the Llywydd of any changes.
The Llywydd also informed Business Managers that there will be a review of the Visitor Code of Conduct, particularly in relation to the public gallery, following last week’s climate change debate.
Tuesday
· Voting Time will take place after the debate on ‘the Primary Care Model for Wales’, and before the Llywydd and First Minister’s addresses to mark the twentieth anniversary of devolution.
· Plenary is unlikely to run past 6.05pm.
Wednesday
· Business Managers noted that Plaid Cymru had tabled two 30 minute debates and subsequently withdrawn one, and so their debate will now last 60 minutes.
· All voting will take place before the Short Debate.
· Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.00pm.
Business Managers noted the small number of government debates over the next three weeks.
Business Committee determined the organisation of Assembly business and agreed to schedule the following items of business:
Wednesday 22 May 2019 –
· Debate on the Petitions Committee report: Petition P-05-784 Prescription drug dependence and withdrawal – recognition and support (60 mins)
Wednesday 5 June 2019 –
· Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
· Time allocated to the Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
· Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins)
· Business Managers selected the following motion for debate on 15 May:
NNDM7002
Jenny Rathbone
Dai Lloyd
Joyce Watson
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Believes that healthy, nourishing school meals can make an essential contribution to pupils’ wellbeing, attainment, and positive behaviour.
2. Notes that this month’s Children’s Commissioner’s report A Charter for Change: Protecting Welsh Children from the Impact of Poverty provides worrying evidence that a significant number of pupils are not getting their entitlement set out in the healthy eating in maintained schools guidance.
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) clarify whether the standards of school meals are the responsibility of school governors, local authorities or the Welsh Government and what action is being taken to ensure they are being monitored; and
b) outline what action is being taken to increase the amount of food for schools being procured locally as part of its emphasis on the foundational economy.
A Charter for Change: Protecting Welsh Children from the Impact of Poverty
Healthy eating in maintained schools: Statutory guidance for local authorities and governing bodies
Supported by:
Darren Millar
David J Rowlands
Mike Hedges
Russell George
Vikki Howells
· Business Managers also selected the following motion for debate on 5 June:
NNDM7029
John Griffiths
Dawn Bowden
Mike Hedges
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Calls on the Welsh Government to produce a tackling poverty strategy, with a detailed budget and action plan for implementation.
2. Calls on the First Minister to clarify the areas of responsibility for tackling poverty within each ministerial portfolio.
3. Acknowledges and drives accountability on progress made on the tackling poverty agenda.
Supported by:
Jayne Bryant
Sian Gwenllian
Vikki Howells
Huw Irranca-Davies
Mark Isherwood
Dai Lloyd
Lynne Neagle
Jenny Rathbone
David Rees
David J Rowlands
Business Managers discussed the paper and agreed to return to it next week after consulting with their groups.
Business Managers discussed the paper and agreed to continue discussions outside of the Committee.
Standards Committee – Gareth Bennett
Before Easter, the Assembly endorsed the Standards Committee’s recommendation that Gareth Bennett be removed from being a member of that Committee for the remainder of this Assembly.
The Standards Committee is next expected to meet on 14 May, and so any change would need to be made this week for it to have effect in time. Business Managers agreed to table a motion to remove Gareth Bennett as a member of the Standards of Conduct Committee; to be taken during tomorrow’s Plenary. The Committee will return to the issue of a nomination to fill the resulting vacancy in due course.