Meeting Venue:
Video Conference via Zoom
Meeting date: 15 June 2020
Meeting time: 12.33 - 13.48
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Category |
Names |
Committee Members: |
Elin Jones MS, Llywydd (Chair) Rebecca Evans MS Darren Millar MS Siân Gwenllian MS Caroline Jones MS |
Committee Staff: |
Aled Elwyn Jones (Clerk) |
Others in attendance |
Ann Jones MS, Deputy Presiding Officer Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive & Clerk of the Senedd Siwan Davies, Director of Senedd Business Siân Wilkins, Head of Chamber and Committee Service Julian Luke, Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service, Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service Elin Roberts, Policy Adviser to the Llywydd Gwion Evans, Head of the Llywydd's Private Office Helen Carey, Welsh Government Lowri Hughes, Deputy Clerk Jessica England, Chamber Secretariat |
1 Introductions, apologies and substitutions
2 Minutes of the previous meeting
The Minutes from the previous meeting were agreed for publication.
3 Organisation of Business
3.1 This Week's Business
BSA
Business Committee agreed to continue with the practice of there being no questions on the BSA for this week.
Interventions
The Llywydd reminded Business Managers that before the last speaker responds to the debate she will take one-minute contributions from Members who are responding to something that has been said during the course of the debate. That could include Members who have already spoken.
Joining instructions
Business Committee were informed that, differently to previous weeks and now there are up to 60 Members attending, ICT would focus their resources on ensuring that the First Minister and Party Leaders who are speaking on the First Minister’s statement have joined the meeting before the start time. ICT Account Managers will be on hand as always to assist any other Members to join.
Break
Business Managers agreed that the break should come after Topical Questions, at approximately 12.20. However, in the event that no Topical Questions are selected, the break will be earlier.
3.2 Three Week Timetable of Government Business
Business Managers noted the three week timetable of government business.
3.3 Three Week Timetable of Assembly Business
Business Managers discussed the timetable in conjunction with the requests for debates at items 5.1 and 5.2, and the timetabling issues raised at item 6.1.
Business Committee determined the organisation of Assembly business and agreed to schedule the following items of business:
Wednesday 24 June 2020: -
Wednesday 8 July 2020: -
4 Legislation
4.1 Timetable for the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill
Business Committee agreed to refer the Bill to the Children, Young People, and Education Committee and to consult with the Committee on the proposed timetable.
4.2 Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Agriculture Bill
Business Committee agreed to refer this SLCM to the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for consideration, with a reporting deadline of 9 July.
5 Committees
5.1 Letter from the Chair of the CWLC Committee
Business Committee agreed to schedule the debate for 30 minutes next week.
5.2 Letter from the Chair of the ELGC Committee
Business Committee declined to schedule the debate before the summer recess as it was not directly related to Covid-19, but agreed in principle to schedule the debate in the autumn.
5.3 Letter from the Chair of the LJC Committee
Business Committee noted the letter and noted that the Chair’s Forum will consider the wider issue of remote committee meetings at their meeting later this week.
6 Plenary
6.1 Plenary Business: Remote Voting, Oral Questions, and non-Covid business
Business Committee agreed in principle to the Standing Order changes to provide for remote voting for Members, and to make use of remote voting as soon as the Llywydd determines the system is ready for use. A motion will be added to next week’s Plenary agenda.
Business Committee also decided that the mechanism for alerting Members to an upcoming vote should be an oral or other alert within the virtual or hybrid meeting .
Business Managers agreed that the Llywydd should reintroduce Oral Questions from next week. Oral Questions would:
• consist of questions to the First Minister and to two other Ministers each week, with every session being 45 minutes long;
• questions can be on any issue within the relevant portfolio, and need not be limited to Covid-19 issues;
• time limits will be applied similar to those used for statements.
The Trefnydd informed Business Committee that with the return of First Minister’s Questions, the government is unlikely to continue scheduling a statement by the First Minister every week.
Business Committee agreed that neither opposition debates nor government business should be limited to Covid-19 issues in future if there are other issues that are particularly pertinent, but that the expectation is that business will remain largely focussed on Covid-19 issues.
Business Committee discussed the current limit placed on WQs during this pandemic of 10 per Member per week. The Llywydd stated that they would return to the matter next week and asked the Secretariat for further guidance on practice elsewhere.
Business Committee agreed that the Llywydd should call questions on the BSA for a reduced 15 minute slot, starting next week.. Members’ contributions will be limited to 1 minute and the expectation is that the Minister will also keep her responses brief.
The Llywydd informed Business Managers that she will be bringing proposals on recess and on hybrid Plenary to next week’s meeting and asked that Business Managers discuss this with their groups in the meantime.