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 informed Business Managers of the following change:

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel (45 mins)

·         Voting Time will take place before Stage 3 proceedings.

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.05pm

The Llywydd informed Business Managers that a 15 minute break will be taken between Voting Time and Stage 3 proceedings. There are 53 amendments to be disposed of in 15 groups and therefore the expectation is that the Stage 3 will take between 2 and 3 hours.

The Llywydd also informed Business Managers that she has agreed for Julie James to have a proxy vote with effect from this week until 13 August. The vote will be held by Jane Hutt. The Llywydd also noted that Jack Sargeant’s proxy voting arrangement has now come to an end.

Wednesday

·         Voting Time will take place after the short debate.  

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.25pm

The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government Business:

Wednesday 10 July 2024

·         Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning (45 mins) – to be answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Cabinet Office

Tuesday 16 July 2024

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transport update (45 mins)

·         Proposal under Standing Order 12.24 to debate the following items together but with separate votes (5 mins)

o   The Digital Government (Welsh Bodies) Regulations 2024

o   The Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024

Heledd Fychan requested clarity on the subject-matter of the Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transport update, due to be held on 16 July. The Trefnydd agreed to provide further information to Business Managers outside of the meeting.

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

Wednesday 18 September 2024 –

• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
• Short Debate (30 mins)

Business Committee noted the letter.

The Business Committee considered its approach to work on committee chair job sharing and agreed terms of reference and a phased timeline for the work.

That timeline would consist of a limited and targeted evidence-gathering exercise with the Chairs’ Forum and relevant external stakeholders on the principles and practicalities of committee chair job sharing as a first phase of the work. The second phase would involve consulting Members, political groups, the Independent Remuneration Board, the Senedd Commission and Chairs’ Forum on specific proposals in the autumn term.

Business Committee considered issues and options relating to the scope of its planned procedural review in response to Senedd reform. Business Committee agreed to conduct a broad review to include discretionary areas, in addition to essential requirements and commitments it has previously given, and to return to consider a detailed plan and timeline for the review in the autumn term.

Heledd Fychan asked that the gender balance of committee membership be considered as part of the work and the Llywydd noted that work would also need to be done on voting arrangements relating to a potential additional Deputy Presiding Officer.