Agenda and minutes

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the Committee. Jane Dodds and David Rees sent apologies.

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication

Tuesday

The Trefnydd drew Business Committee’s attention to the following changes to Tuesday’s business:

• LCM on the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill Withdrawn
• Motion to suspend Standing Orders (5 mins)
• LCM on the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill (15 mins)

The Trefnydd explained that the Welsh Government had laid a Supplementary LCM (No. 2) on the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill on 3 March, after the original motion for the debate had been tabled. Therefore, to ensure clarity for the Senedd, the motion was withdrawn and replaced on 7 March and a motion to suspend Standing Orders is required to enable the replacement motion to be debated.

• Voting time will take place as the last item of business.
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.00pm.    

Wednesday 

• Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.10pm. 

The Trefnydd drew Business Committee’s attention to the following changes:

Tuesday 15 March 2022 –

·         Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Development of a Net Zero Consistent UK Emissions Trading Scheme (45 mins)

Tuesday 22 March 2022 –

·         Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Housing with Care Fund (45 mins)

·         Proposal under Standing Order 12.24 to debate the following items together but with separate votes (15 mins):

• The Corporate Joint Committees (General) (Wales) Regulations 2022
• The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (Additional Authority) (Wales) Order 2022

·         The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022 (30 mins)

·         LCM on the Building Safety Bill (30 15 mins)

In light of several late finishes forecast for Tuesday plenary meetings, Darren Millar proposed that there may be merit in reverting to routinely scheduling government statements for 30 minutes other than where there is significant interest from Members.  Business Committee discussed the implications of this for the number of Members who would be able to be called and agreed that the Government should consider this in its scheduling of business.

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following items of business:

Wednesday 30 March 2022 –

·         Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: Minding the future: The childcare barrier facing working parents (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

·         Short Debate – Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (30 mins)

Business Committee received an update on current LCMs and agreed:

• not to refer the Supplementary LCM (Memorandum No 2) on the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Bill to a committee for scrutiny in light of the debate being held today.
• to note that the Supplementary LCM (Memorandum No 2) on the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill has been withdrawn and replaced; and agreed to keep the existing reporting deadline of 31 March, until further information regarding the timetable for the passage of the Bill at Westminster is known.

Committee timetable review

Business Managers provided feedback from their discussions with groups and agreed the proposals for a revised committee timetable to be implemented after the Easter recess, incorporating one change to the original proposal (relating to the timetabling of the meeting slot for the PAPA Committee) following consultation with the Chairs’ Forum.

The revised timetable will provide the majority of committees with a fortnightly meeting slot but with identified reserve slots to accommodate additional meetings where required. It no longer contains protected weeks. 

The Business Committee will produce a report detailing the review process and the outcome.