Minutes

The Leader of the House sent her apologies, due to illness.

The minutes for the previous two meetings were agreed by the Committee for publication.

This Week’s Business

The Government will confirm as soon as possible who will be fulfilling the Leader of the House’s Plenary duties.

Tuesday

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

Wednesday

·         Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

Business Managers asked for information regarding the proportion of committee reports that are scheduled for debate in Plenary, and agreed that at least one opposition debate should be scheduled each week from now on.

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

Wednesday 28 November 2018 –

·         Debate on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee report: Selling Wales to the World (60 mins)

·         Debate on the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee report: Building Resilience, Inquiry into Non-Public Funding of the Arts  (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

Business Managers agreed to look to reschedule some Assembly business from Wednesday 5 December to Tuesday 27 November to accommodate the government’s intention to schedule the Stage 3 debate, and asked the government to explain why the M4 debate could not be brought forward from 4 December to make room for the Stage 3.

Darren Millar stated that the Welsh Conservatives would not accept the proposal for the Chair of the Petitions Committee to be re-allocated to the Welsh Conservatives, unless other matters were resolved first. Both Rhun ap Iorwerth and Darren Millar confirmed that the meeting between the two leaders had not resulted in any new agreement. On that basis, Business Managers decided not to schedule a motion to re-allocate the Chair of Petitions Committee, and the current allocation of Chairs to party groups will remain as it is for the time being.

Business Managers agreed to return to the issue of the CCERA vacancy next week.

Committee Memberships

Business Managers agreed that a motion to elect Llyr Gruffydd as a Member of the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister be added to tomorrow’s Plenary agenda.

Standards of Conduct committee motion

The Llywydd informed Business Managers that a motion tabled by the Standards of Conduct Committee to appoint Douglas Bain as Acting Commissioner for Standards will be added to today’s Plenary agenda.

Member Bills

The Llywydd reminded Business Managers that the ballot for Member Bills will be held next Wednesday with a deadline for entering of this Thursday, and asked that they remind their members of the opportunity to enter the ballot and to remove any proposals that may be obsolete from it.