Minutes

Apologies were received from Paul Davies. Andrew RT Davies substituted.

The minutes were noted by the Committee for publication.

The Minister for Finance and Government Business updated the Committee on changes to Government Business on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Voting Time would be after the final item of business, except for any vote necessary on the motion to suspend Standing Orders. On Wednesday, the Business Committee agreed that Voting Time would take place before the Short Debate.

Andrew R T Davies asked the Minister for Government Business if the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food was intending to bring forward an item in plenary on the Basic Payment Scheme 400m Moorland line. The Minister informed the committee that the Deputy Minister issued a Written Statement on the issue on 12 January 2015 and there will be an exercise to develop new options undertaken in conjunction with industry stakeholder bodies, followed by public consultation, before the Welsh Government considers how to proceed. There are no immediate plans to schedule an item on this in plenary.

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

Business Committee determined the organisation of business and agreed to schedule the following items of business:

Wednesday 4 February 2015

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (120 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

Business Committee considered a paper from the government regarding a revised Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 2) in relation to the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill.

The Minister for Government Business informed the Committee that the Bill is at a late stage in its progress through Parliament and the substantive provision relating to home business tenancies has already been scrutinised. Business Managers agreed to note the revised Memorandum, and that it should not be referred to an Assembly committee for scrutiny. Business Managers noted that the Legislative Consent Motion in relation to these provisions was scheduled for that afternoon’s Plenary.

Business Committee considered a paper from the government regarding a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) in relation to the Medical Innovation Bill.

Business Managers agreed to refer the LCM to the Health and Social Care Committee for scrutiny which had already consulted on the provisions. The Business Committee also agreed that the Committee should report on the LCM by Thursday 29 January 2015 to allow the Legislative Consent Motion to be debated in Plenary on Tuesday 3 February 2015.

The Minister asked Business Managers if they would be content for the Counsel General’s OAQs scheduled for 4 March to be moved back a week to 11 March, due to a conflicting appointment. Business Managers agreed to this request.

The Minister for Government Business made Business Managers aware that over coming weeks the Government may need to lay LCMs where there will be little or no time for scrutiny due to the late amendments being tabled to UK Bills. The Minister noted that she will keep the Committee as informed as possible.

Elin Jones asked for an update on Darren Millar’s Holiday Caravan Park (Wales) Bill. The Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service informed the committee that Darren Millar is still considering recommendations put forward by the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee (CELG) and the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee (CLA). There is no formal deadline under Standing Orders for the Stage 1 debate, but in practice a motion to agree the general principles of the Bill will need to be tabled by early autumn 2015 for the Bill to have enough time to complete the legislative process before the end of the fourth Assembly.