Meetings

Business Committee agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Committee agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

The Trefnydd made a revised proposal for amending the Standing Order, which was supported by Sian Gwenllian. Mark Isherwood and Caroline Jones did not support the new proposal and continued to support retaining the existing Standing Order.

A revised draft of the report, including guidance, will be circulated by email, with a view to formal agreement at next week’s meeting.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Committee considered the draft report and Business Managers agreed to consult with their groups before returning to the matter at the next meeting.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Managers agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 24 March.

Business Committee agreed that remote electronic voting should be used to conduct the secret ballots for electing the Llywydd and Deputy at the start of the next Senedd, should  a physical ballot not be practicable either for all or for some Members. The Committee endorsed the proposed method of remote electronic voting set out in the paper as providing the desired levels of anonymity and security.

Business Committee agreed in principle to the proposed changes to Standing Orders.

Business Committee agreed to introduce a provision to allow the Llywydd to use their discretion to recall the Senedd for any matter of urgent public Business Committee agreed to introduce a provision to enable the Llywydd to use their discretion to recall the Senedd to consider a matter of urgent public importance, in consultation with the First Minister and Business Committee.

Business Managers had an initial discussion, and agreed to consult with their groups and return for a full discussion and decisions on the paper at their meeting of 22 February.

Business Managers agreed in principle that remote electronic voting should be made available to Members at the start of the new Senedd, including for the election of the Presiding Officer and deputy, and asked the Secretariat to bring forward more details on possible options.

Business Managers had an initial discussion, and agreed to consult with their groups and return for a full discussion and decisions on the paper at their meeting of 22 February.

The Members agreed in principle that exemptions to sub judice should be removed from the Standing Order and put in guidance.

Business Managers had an initial discussion, and agreed to consult with their groups and return for a full discussion and decisions on the paper at their meeting of 22 February.

Business Managers agreed in principle that the temporary Standing Orders should be extended into the next Senedd to allow for their continued operation and a full review by the new Business Committee.

The Committee agreed to the proposals set out in the paper.

The Committee agreed in principle to the proposed changes and noted the additional change required as a result of the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020.

Committee considered the paper and asked for a further paper with more detail based on the options set out in the paper.

The Committee considered the issues set out in the paper and asked the Secretariat to bring forward a paper with more detailed options for revising Standing Order 1.3

The Committee agreed to the proposed response to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, and agreed in principle to the draft new Standing Order 26C and the draft Llywydd’s Guidance.

The Committee agreed to review the current Standing Order provisions relating to sub judice, and agreed to come back to the question of whether exemptions should be included in Standing Orders or in guidance.

The Committee agreed to seek further views from their groups on these topics and report back during the first additional meeting of the Business Committee in the new year.

Business Committee agreed to discuss the paper with their groups and come back to next week’s meeting with any initial views.

The Llywydd encouraged Business Managers to feedback views from their groups  on this and the following paper as they arise rather than wait for the next meeting.

Business Committee agreed to discuss the paper with their groups and come back to next week’s meeting with any initial views.

Business Managers considered the proposals and agreed to discuss the issues raised with their groups before returning to the issue at the meeting of 15 December.

Procedural Work Programme

Business Committee agreed the work programme noted and also agreed to review the procedures for recalling the Senedd under Standing Orders 12, as well as under the review of Standing Order 34

Changes to Standing Orders: Suspension of proceedings before remote electronic votes

Business Committee agreed the draft report and to table a motion to revise Standing Orders for debate in Plenary on Wednesday 4 November.

The Business Committee agreed the draft report, with revised procedures to come into effect once the relevant statutory provisions have come into force. The Committee also agreed that the report be laid by Wednesday 16 September 2020 in order to be considered in Plenary on 23 September 2020.

Business Committee agreed the report, and noted that a motion would be tabled for consideration on 15 July.

Business Managers agreed to the Llywydd’s proposal that Standing Orders should allow for either the Llywydd or Deputy Presiding Officer to chair the committee so that, were the Chair of the Finance Committee and the Llywydd are of the same political group, the DPO could be appointed chair. This would enable the chair of the Finance Committee to be an ex officio member, representing only the committee, and additional to the one representative from each political group.

The Committee agreed to table a motion to amend Standing Orders for consideration next week.

Business Committee agreed to propose the recommended change to Standing Order 18.10.

Business Managers agreed the draft report on amending Standing Orders. They also agreed to suspend Standing Orders to allow for a motion to agree the Standing Order changes tomorrow, with the changes coming into effect on Wednesday 6 May 2020.

Business Managers considered the paper and agreed the draft Standing Order and accompanying guidance. They also agreed that a proxy vote could not be cast on in votes that require Members representing two-thirds of Assembly seats to vote in favour of the motion.

The Secretariat will bring a draft report on Standing Order changes to the Business Committee the week after half term.

Business Managers agreed to discuss the paper with their groups and return to the matter at the first meeting after the half term recess.

Business Managers noted the letter.

SoC(5)-14-19 Paper 2 – Paper on proposed revisions to Standing Order 3

Business Managers confirmed their decision to reduce the number of OAQs that appear on the Plenary agenda from 15 to 12, and to update the Guidance on the Proper Conduct of Assembly business accordingly.

They also agreed to propose the change to Standing Order 12.63 to make permanent the reduction in the number of times a Member may enter the ballot for Ministerial OAQs from twice to once, and to lay a report to this effect.

Business Managers are content for Members to continue to be able to table two OAQs to the Counsel General in his law officer role.

They also agreed to reduce the number of Members selected in the initial ballot from 20 to 16, and to update the Guidance on the Proper Conduct of Assembly business accordingly.

Business Managers noted the letter setting out the Committee’s comments on the proposed Consolidation Bills Standing Order.

Business Managers noted the letters, and agreed to propose the changes to Standing Orders, and the changes to the Finance Committee and the Committee for Equalities, Local Government and Communities’ remits, and to lay a report to this effect.

Any otherBusiness Managers noted the paper and agreed the areas of Standing Orders for review. They agreed to discuss any further areas for review with their groups and return to the matter at the next meeting if necessary.

Business Managers agreed to consult their groups on the proposals, and to write to ELGC and Finance Committees to seek their views on the possible changes to their remits. They agreed to return to the matter in September.

Business Managers considered the draft Standing Order and agreed to return to it in the autumn, after discussion with their groups. They also agreed to write to Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee to consult them on the proposals.

Business Managers considered the report and asked for some amendments to be made. Officials will make the amendments and recirculate to Business Managers for agreement, before laying this week.

Business Managers considered the legal advice on the proposal to amend Standing Order 1.3. They asked officials to draft a report setting out why they have decided not to take forward the change at this point, but to review the relevant Standing Orders in time for the sixth Assembly.

Business Managers noted the paper and agreed to consult with the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee once Business Committee has agreed a draft Standing Order for Consolidation Bills.

Business Managers noted the letter and invited officials to bring forward a paper on the impact of Brexit on Standing Orders after Easter recess.

Amending Standing Orders: Consolidation Bills

Business Managers agreed the proposed outline procedure and asked the Secretariat to bring forward draft Standing Orders for consideration. On the one area of disagreement between Welsh Government and Assembly Officials (triggering Detailed Assembly Consideration), Business Managers asked the Secretariat to draft for both options and explore any third options that may be available.

Business Managers noted the Law Commissions letter.

Standing Orders

Proposals to amend Standing Orders: SO12 - Questions to the Counsel General and Deputy Minister and Chief Whip

Business Managers agreed the proposed procedure for questions to the Counsel General and Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, and agreed in principle to the proposed Standing Order changes. A report will be circulated to Business Managers outside of Committee this afternoon and if agreed, a motion to amend Standing Order 12 will be added to tomorrow’s Plenary agenda, preceded by a motion to suspend Standing Orders in order to allow the motion to be debated.

Business Managers agreed with the Trefnydd’s proposal to review the changes in a few months’ time.