Agenda and minutes

Venue: Tŷ Hywel

Contact: Graeme Francis 

Items
No. Item

1.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting. Apologies were received from Jane Dodds.

2.

Minutes of the previous meeting

Minutes:

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

3.

Organisation of Business

3.1

This week's business

Minutes:

Tuesday

 

The Trefnydd drew Business Managers’ attention to the following change:

 

  • The Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) (Wales) Regulations 2022 (15 mins) re-ordered to item 5

 

  • Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.
  • Plenary is unlikely to run past 5.45pm.

 

Business Managers noted a letter sent by the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, and the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing on 12 December, and which had been copied to the Business Committee, concerning two sets of Regulations due for debate in Plenary this afternoon: The Trade in Animals and Related Products (Amendment and Legislative Functions) and Animal Health (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022; and, The Food and Feed (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022.

The Trefnydd acknowledged the concerns that have been expressed about the number of reporting points that had been raised on the two sets of Regulations. She would be meeting the Chair of the LJC Committee ahead of Plenary to discuss this matter further and will provide an update to the Business Committee following that meeting.

 

The Llywydd reminded Business Managers that today’s statement on the draft budget has been allocated 90 minutes and will take the form of a debate, in line with practice since 2017. There will not be a vote.

 

Wednesday 

 

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

 

 

3.2

Three week timetable of Government Business

Minutes:

The Trefnydd drew Business Managers’ attention to the following additions:

 

Tuesday 10 January 2023

 

·       Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: NHS Winter Pressures (30 mins)

·       Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Cost of Living (30 mins)

·       Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Diversity in Democracy – Survey Results (30 mins)

·       Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Biodiversity (30 mins)

 

Tuesday 17 January 2023

 

·       Statement by the Minister for Economy: Economic Priorities and UK Government Relations (30 mins)

·       Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Update on Ukraine (30 mins)

·       Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Sustainable Communities for Learning (30 mins)

·       The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (15 mins)

·       LCM on the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill (45 mins)

·       Initial Consideration debate on the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill (45 mins)

 

 

3.3

Three week timetable of Senedd Business

Minutes:

Business Committee agreed to the following additions to the timetable:

 

Wednesday 11 January 2023

 

  • Motion under Standing Order 10.5 to appoint the Chair of the Wales Audit Office Board (5 mins)

 

Wednesday 25 January 2023

 

  • Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins)
  • Debate on Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee report: Increasing costs – impact on culture and sport (60 min)
  • Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

 

4.

Legislation

4.1

Correspondence from the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee regarding the Food (Wales) Bill timetable

Minutes:

Business Committee agreed the proposed timetable for scrutiny of the Food (Wales) Bill. 

4.2

Update on LCMs

Minutes:

Business considered an update from the Trefnydd and agreed to:

 

  • refer the supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No 3) on the Procurement Bill, laid on 6 December, to the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 16 February 2023, and noted that a further SLCM is expected to be laid prior to Christmas;
  • refer the supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No 4) on the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill, laid on 6 December, to the Local Government and Housing Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 13 January 2023; and
  • refer the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill, laid on the 8 December, to the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 16 January 2023. The Committee also agreed to write to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to express concern over the late laying of the LCM on this Bill, which has resulted in an extremely limited period of time being available to committees for scrutiny of the relevant provisions in the Bill.

 

4.3

Correspondence from the Local Government and Housing Committee regarding legislative consent memoranda

Minutes:

Business Committee considered the letter and agreed to respond to the Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee, noting the concerns raised about the volume of Legislative Consent Memoranda and the impact upon the work of committees.

 

 

5.

Senedd Reform

5.1

Costings and Assumptions on Senedd Reform: Revised information

Minutes:

Business Committee discussed a paper on a number of assumptions that will underpin the information required from the Senedd Commission to inform the Welsh Government’s development of the Regulatory Impact Assessment for a Senedd Reform Bill. Following discussion over the assumptions relating to the anticipated range of additional committees likely to be established by a future Senedd and the number of sitting weeks, Business Committee agreed to note the assumptions relating to Senedd business.

The Committee also agreed to consider a paper mapping out the high-level timescales for its own work relating to Senedd Reform over the remainder of this Senedd term at a future meeting. 

 

6.

Any other business

Minutes:

30-minute debates

 

The Llywydd raised the recent experience of opposition groups tabling two motions for debate during opposition time in Plenary, which can restrict the number and length of contributions from Members on significant subjects. The Llywydd indicated that Business Committee will be asked to consider a paper in the New Year on the timings for 30-minute debates, in the context of the wider scheduling of business.