Minutes

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.

 

Business Managers noted that voting on all items of business other than Stage 3 would take place before Stage 3 proceedings begin on Tuesday, and that all votes in relation to the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill would take place during Stage 3 proceedings.

 

The Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that she intended to suspend proceeding for a ten minute break before Stage 3 proceedings begin.

 

On Wednesday, Business Committee agreed that Voting Time would take place before the Short Debate.

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 22 April 2015

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Liberal Democrats (60 mins)

 

Business Committee selected 2 motions for debate.

 

Wednesday 18 March 2015

NNDM5712

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises that online technology together with intense advertising has fuelled the growth of gambling in Wales and notes that:

 

a) gambling is available to the entire population of Wales 24/7;

 

b) gambling can become a socially damaging addiction, contributing to poverty, health and social problems;

 

c) early identification and support is essential if addiction is to be avoided;

 

d) the growth in online gambling and fixed-odds betting machines has turned gambling in the UK into a multi-billion pound industry; and

 

e) the regulatory environment in which gambling takes place is relatively light-touch.

 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

a) develop and implement a strategy to tackle the social and health consequences of gambling;

 

b) engage with the UK Government to discuss the devolution of greater powers over the licensing of gaming machines; and

 

c) engage with the gambling industry and the Responsible Gambling Trust  to ensure that an appropriate proportion of funding is spent in Wales to tackle issues around gambling addiction.

Date to be determined

NNDM5713

Aled Roberts (North Wales)
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the economic contribution of the Welsh steel industry and the thousands of jobs it supports.

 

2. Regrets that overseas imports flooding the market have created an un-even playing field.

 

3. Calls for the Welsh Government to adopt the Charter for British Sustainable Steel, which will see all Government procurement of carbon steel rebar meeting the BES 6001 responsible sourcing standard.

 

The Charter for Sustainable British Steel is available here:

http://www2.eef.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/04940D4A-E15E-43A5-8C41-51CD7EE4E13F/24323/TheCharterforBritishSustainableSteel1.pdf

Business Committee agreed that the individual Member debate for the next half term should be on Wednesday 13 May 2015.

Business Committee considered a paper from the government regarding a Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 4) 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. Due to the time constraints, Business Managers agreed to note the SLCM, and that it should not be referred to an Assembly committee for scrutiny.

Business Managers agreed to write to the Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) and send a copy to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee (CLA) to inform them that the LCM had been laid but not referred for committee scrutiny.

 

Business Managers noted that the Legislative Consent Motion in relation to this provision is scheduled for debate in Plenary on 17 March 2015.

Business Committee considered a paper from the Secretariat regarding changes to Standing Orders as recommended by the Standards of Conduct Committee on the recommendations in its report on the Registration and Declaration of Members’ Interests and changes to the rules on the committee’s membership.

 

Business Managers agreed in principle to the proposed amendments to Standing Orders and to write to the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee to consult the Committee on the proposed amendments

Business Managers agreed to return to the matter at a future meeting, once the Committee has responded.

 

Business Managers considered provisional recess dates up until the end of the Fourth Assembly. Given the timing of Easter in 2016, and the proximity of this to the Assembly’s dissolution, the Committee considered various options in respect of that recess.

 

Business Managers agreed to wait for further information from the Minister on the government’s legislative programme before consulting with their groups on their preferred option.