Agenda and minutes

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

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

Tuesday

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

• Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Students as Citizens An update on Higher Education (30 mins) 

• There will be no Voting Time.
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 5.15pm.

Wednesday

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

The Llywydd informed Business Managers that there will be BSL interpretation on Senedd TV for the debate on the Health and Social Care Committee report - Connecting the dots: tackling mental health inequalities in Wales on Wednesday.

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

Tuesday 9 May 2023

·       Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Update on Wales: a Nation of Sanctuary Ukraine (30 mins)

Tuesday 16 May 2023

·       The Education Workforce Council (Additional Categories of Registration) (Wales) Order 2023 (10 mins)

The Trefnydd informed Business Managers that the Welsh Government is considering tabling amendments at Stage 3 of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill, which would require King’s Consent. If the Senedd agrees the amendments, King’s Consent will need to be received before Stage 4 takes place. It may therefore be necessary for Stage 4 to be deferred from Tuesday 23 May.

The following additions were agreed to the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:  

Wednesday 24 May 2023 –

• Debate on the General Principles of the Food (Wales) Bill (60 mins)
• Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: Women’s experiences in the criminal justice system (60 mins)
• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
• Short Debate: Tom Giffard (South Wales West) (30 mins)

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 10 May: 

NNDM8252 

Jenny Rathbone 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that:  

a) incontinence remains a taboo subject for both women and men despite being a significant public health issue; 

b) there is over 90% incidence of perineal trauma among first-time mothers during childbirth which can lead to incontinence issues; 

c) 75% of women do not seek medical help for their incontinence despite it affecting their quality of life irrespective of severity; 

d) men suffer from incontinence too particularly in later life but it is a largely hidden problem. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to develop a strategy for tackling the causes and consequences of incontinence and to raise awareness of the issue among the public. 

Darren Millar proposed that Business Committee should give further consideration to the organisation of committee and plenary business in light of Rhys ab Owen MS’s ongoing suspension from the Plaid Cymru Group. The Llywydd agreed that advice would be provided for Business Committee’s consideration at a subsequent meeting.