Agenda and minutes

The minutes for the meeting were agreed by the Committee for publication.

On Tuesday, Voting Time would be after the final item of business. 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 Assembly business and agreed to schedule the following items of business:

Wednesday 25 January 2017 –

• Debate by Individual Members under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins)
• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
• Time allocated to the United Kingdom Independence Party (60 mins)

Business Managers confirmed their in principle decision of 6 December to refer the Trade Union (Wales) Bill to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee for Stage 1 consideration, and agreed the deadline for the Stage 1 Committee to report by as 7 April 2017 and the deadline for the completion of Stage 2 Committee proceedings as 16 June 2017.

The Business Committee noted a paper providing an update on the progression of all UK Bills, announced in the Queen’s Speech, for the second Parliamentary session.

Business Managers noted a paper from the government requesting that the Business Committee’s discussion of the paper on Budget Scrutiny be deferred until early in the New Year in light of the Chancellor’s announcement that there would be changes to the UK budget timetable. This would allow time for the impact of the announcement to be more fully reviewed by all parties.

Urgent Questions

The Llywydd reminded Business Managers that Members are expected to be prepared to ask their Urgent Questions in Plenary, as having an Urgent Question accepted is a privilege which should be respected.

Spokespeople’s Questions

The Llywydd reminded Business Managers that Spokespeople are expected to indicate if they intend to question the Minister rather than the Cabinet Secretary during Spokespeople Questions prior to Plenary.

Business Managers agreed that the practice should continue in line with the guidance agreed in 2014, which the Clerk would re-circulate. It was also agreed that once a Cabinet Secretary/Minister had started answering questions, they should not hand over to the other, however the questioning progressed.