Minutes

The minutes were noted by the Committee for publication.

The Government postponed the Stage 3 Debate on the Qualifications Wales Bill to the following week (Tuesday 16 June). The Government proposed to hold Stage 4 immediately after the conclusion of the Stage 3 debate. The Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that she would decide whether to give her consent for that to happen, once Stage 3 has concluded.

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

On Tuesday, there would be no Voting Time. On Wednesday, Business Committee agreed that Voting Time would take place before the Short Debate.

Business Managers noted that, in light of the postponement of the Stage 3 debate on the Qualifications Wales Bill, the 3 week timetable of Government business had changed significantly.

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

Wednesday 1 July 2015 –

·         Debate on the Public Accounts Committee Annual Report (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

At last week’s meeting, Business Managers had noted the Health and Social Care Committee’s concerns about the proposed timetable of the Public Health (Wales) Bill and considered a request to extend the deadline to complete Stage 1 proceedings by 2 weeks. At the request of the Minister, the Committee agreed to defer the decision for a week to allow discussions to take place regarding the practicalities of an extended deadline.

Following discussions between Commission and Welsh Government officials, Business Managers considered a paper setting out how tabling for Stage 2 amendments to the Bill could be open for two days during the Christmas recess, on 14 and 15 December 2015 in the event of the Stage 1 deadline being extended.

Business Managers agreed to extend the deadline for the Committee to report on its Stage 1 scrutiny by two weeks from the Government’s initial proposal, from 13 to 27 November 2015, and agreed that tabling for amendments would remain open on 14 and 15 December 2015.

Business Managers agreed the deadline for the completion of Stage 2 Committee proceedings as 5 February 2016.

Business Managers agreed a request from the Petitions Committee to visit the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday 23 June 2015.

In light of the number of withdrawn oral questions the previous week due to Members attending a Committee visit, the Presiding Officer reminded Business Managers to ensure that Members who will be absent from the Assembly remove their names from the relevant ballots to avoid a similar situation arising again.