Minutes

Simon Thomas was present as a substitute for Rhun ap Iorwerth, and Gareth Bennett as a substitute for David Rowlands.

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

Tuesday

·         Plenary would start at 12.30 with statements by the Llywydd and First Minister on the Manchester attack and a minute’s silence, followed by tributes to Rhodri Morgan and a second minute’s silence.  There would be a short break after these first items of business, before re-convening for the remainder of the day’s business.

·         Jane Hutt informed the Committee that two government statements would be moved to Wednesday; a statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education on Assessment for Learning – a distinct Welsh approach; and a statement by the Counsel General on Consultation on the Welsh Government Prosecution Code, and reduced the time allocated to both statements from 45 to 30 minutes.

·         Jane Hutt informed the committee that the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children: Plant yn Gyntaf / Children First would be postponed.

·         Business Managers agreed that Voting Time would take place as the last item of business.

Wednesday

·         Business Managers agreed to postpone the Individual Member Debate (tabled by Julie Morgan and four other Members) on Hepatitis C until 14 June.

·         The two government statements postponed from Tuesday were scheduled for after 90 Second Statements.

·         Business Managers agreed that Voting Time would take place before the Short Debate.

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

·         As the Individual Member Debate for Wednesday had been postponed, Business Managers agreed to move the debate to the next scheduled Individual Member Debate slot on 14 June, and to move the Individual Member Debate motion (on Energy Efficiency) that had been previously scheduled for 14 June on to the next available slot on 28 June.

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

Wednesday 21 June 2017 –

·         Debate by the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee on their report on Future of Agricultural and Rural Development Policies in Wales (60 mins)

·         Debate on the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee Report on their inquiry into refugees and asylum seekers in Wales (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to United Kingdom Independence Party (60 mins)

·         Business Managers agreed a request by the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee for Members of the Committee to be excused from Plenary on Wednesday 14 June 2017 after 16:45 to travel to Glasgow as part of the Inquiry into City Deals and the Regional Economies of Wales, and for the Finance Committee to make similar arrangements.

·         Business Managers discussed a paper setting out proposals, to reform the current budget processes in line with recommendations made by the previous Finance Committee’s Best Practice Budget Process inquiry, and the Finance Committee’s response to the Business Committee’s consultation on the draft.

·         The Committee considered a draft protocol provisionally agreed between the Finance Committee and the Welsh Government, and agreed:

·         That the debate on the draft budget should continue to happen on a government motion to note the draft budget as currently happens.

·         That the information to be provided alongside the outline budget proposals is included in the protocol, rather than in the Standing Orders, but that the protocol is specifically referred to in the Standing Orders.

·         To remove the reference to ‘sitting weeks’ from the draft Standing Order, and replacing it with a provision in the protocol to ensure that the required information will be made available before autumn half term.