Agenda and minutes

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication

Tuesday

There are no changes to this week’s business.

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

·       Plenary is unlikely to run past 5.50pm.

Wednesday

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

The Trefnydd informed Business Committee that, with the agreement of the Llywydd, both the Minister for Education and Welsh Language and the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing will respond to the debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s report on Mental Health support in Higher Education on Wednesday 14 June, following a request made by the Committee.

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

Tuesday 27 June 2023

·         The Animal By-Products, Pet Passport and Animal Health (Fees) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (5 mins) – postponed until 4 July

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

Wednesday 21 June 2023 –

·         Joint item with the Welsh Youth Parliament (45 mins)

Wednesday 5 July 2023 -

• Motion to note the annual report on the Senedd Commission's Official Languages Scheme for 2022 – 23 (30 mins)
• Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) – Luke Fletcher (60 mins)
• Debate on Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee report: The legislative framework that supports Welsh-medium education provision (60 min)
• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
• Short Debate: Samuel Kurtz (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (30 mins)

Business Committee considered the proposed motions and agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 21 June:

Adam Price

NNDM8293 

To propose that the Senedd:  

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the introduction of a civic duty to vote. 

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to: 

a) to seek to emulate the success of other democracies that have introduced a civic duty to vote in increasing levels of voter turnout at elections and thereby improving the level of engagement and representativeness across all ages, classes and communities; 

b) to introduce a civic duty for all those eligible to vote to participate in Senedd and county council elections; 

c) to allow those wishing to indicate their dissatisfaction with a candidate, party or politics more broadly to so by means of a positive abstention option on the ballot paper; 

d) to allow for the introduction of an appropriate sanction for non-compliance with the civic obligation to vote or positively abstain, with legitimate exemptions; and 

e) to provide for the introduction of a pilot phase for the introduction of the duty on an age-specific basis. 

Business Committee considered and agreed the proposed arrangements for a joint session with the Welsh Youth Parliament to be held on 21 June 2023. As part of this, Business Committee:

• noted that the Llywydd, under Standing Order 13.3, intends to invite Welsh Youth Parliament Members to participate in Plenary for the purpose of the joint session;
• agreed to deviate from the usual practice under Standing Order 12.6 and allow for the item to commence at 12.45 and to be taken in advance of Government business;
• noted that the Llywydd will suspend the meeting after the item to enable the Chamber to be cleared before the resumption of standard business; and
• noted that detail of final arrangements for the practical running of the session will be provided at the following week’s meeting.

Business Committee discussed further the Senedd’s nominations for representatives on the Congress of the Council of Europe and agreed to nominate:

• Laura Anne Jones MS (full member) and Buffy Williams MS (substitute member) as the Senedd’s representatives on the Congress of the Council of Europe; and
• a Plaid Cymru representative to replace Laura Anne Jones MS on the Regions Contact Group, with Alun Davies MS also remaining a member of the Contact Group.

The Llywydd raised the matter of Topical Questions following recent increases in the number of questions submitted and informed Business Committee that she intended to give further consideration as to whether any changes should be made to guidance in order to further clarify the criteria. Business Committee also discussed whether Topical Question submissions could be published in the same way as Emergency Questions and agreed to also consider both matters further, with a view to implementing any changes from early in the autumn term.