Minutes

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

Tuesday

·         The Government added a new statement to Tuesday’s Plenary agenda: Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance: JMC (EU Negotiations) Meeting, 22 February 2018 (45 mins), and postponed the Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services: Update on the UK Inquiry on Infected Blood to 13 March.

·         Voting Time will take place after the last item of business.

Wednesday

·         The Short Debate was postponed until 14 March. Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.

The Government circulated a revised three week timetable to Business Managers.  The following additions were reflected on the Business Statement and announcement as usual:

Tuesday 6^th March 2018

·         Proposal to debate the following items together but with separate votes (60 mins):

-     Motion under Standing Order 26.95 that a Bill to be known as the Law Derived from the European Union (Wales) Bill be treated as a Government Emergency Bill;

-     Motion under Standing Order 26.98(ii) to agree a timetable for the Bill to be known as the Law Derived from the European Union (Wales)  Bill

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

Wednesday 7 March 2018 –

·         Statement by the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee: Dignity and Respect in the Assembly (30 mins)

·         Debate on the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee Report on the Scrutiny of regulations made under the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins) – postponed to 14 March

Wednesday 14 March 2018 –

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the United Kingdom Independence Party (60 mins) – postponed to 21 March

·         Short Debate – Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley) (30 mins) – postponed from 28 February

Wednesday 21 March 2018 –

·         Debate: The General Principles of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill (60 mins)

·         Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins)

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

·         Business Managers selected a motion for debate on 7 March:

NNDM6666

Mark Isherwood

Adam Price

Dai Lloyd

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that community transport services play a vital role in our communities, providing transport for people who face barriers to accessing public and private transport, supporting people to live independently and access vital services, while also mitigating issues around loneliness and isolation.

2. Notes the concern about the current Department for Transport consultation on community transport permits (Section 19/22) and the potential impact of this on services in Wales.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work in partnership with the community transport sector and public bodies to ensure the sector can continue in its unique role providing bespoke transport options for vulnerable people, to ensure access to services while the consultation process is underway;

b) develop contingency plans to mitigate any impact on transport provision through minibus services delivered through Section 19 and 22 permits;

c) publish a clear strategy which recognises the cross-cutting aspect of community transport provision across Welsh Government departments in delivering the Welsh Government’s strategic aims;

d) provide much needed stability for the sector by moving toward three year funding agreements to allow organisations to develop and take forward plans, to ensure greater sustainability and a more strategic approach to service provision; and

e) ensure engagement with relevant partners and stakeholders across Wales to inform the Welsh Government’s own response to the consultation, and ensure understanding in the sector of the Welsh Government’s position.

Department for Transport consultation on community transport permits

·         Business Managers agreed to schedule the next Member Debate on 21 March, and selected the following motion:

NNDM6665

Jenny Rathbone

Jane Hutt

Bethan Jenkins

Dai Lloyd

David Melding

Julie Morgan

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets that:

a) criminal justice policies for England and Wales have failed to halt the rise of the number of people incarcerated;

b) the conditions in which too many Welsh prisoners are held, highlighted by the recent Inspection reports of HMP Swansea and HMP Liverpool, are not conducive to rehabilitation;

c) 47 per cent of prisoners re-offend within one year;

d) most of the 2007 Corston Report recommendations on the treatment of women offenders have not been implemented, ignoring the evidence that the imprisonment of women for relatively minor offences causes major, costly and unjustifiable disruption to their children’s lives.

2. Calls on the Welsh and UK Governments to:

a) trial alternative models of punishment of non-violent Welsh offenders in Wales in order to prevent the disruption of family, housing and employment links which are essential ingredients of successful rehabilitation;

b) promote better joined up working between health, housing and criminal justice services to combat the escalation of homelessness and mental illness amongst people leaving prison;

c) develop a distinct Welsh penal policy based on the evidence of what works;

3. Calls for the eventual devolution of criminal justice, along with the resources to deliver a preventative, restorative rehabilitation of offenders that puts an end to the revolving door between prison and re-offending.

Home Office - The Corston Report

Women in Prison - The Corston Report 10 Years On

Business Managers agreed to extend the reporting deadline from 27 February to 16 March.

Business Managers discussed the paper and agreed to write to Finance and Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committees on the proposed options, making clear that they are seeking their views on the procedure for devolving taxes, and not the taxes themselves.  The Leader of the House stated that the Government would be happy with option B or C, but do not think that option A is workable in practice.

Business Managers noted the paper.

Business Managers noted the paper.