Agenda and minutes

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting. Apologies were received from Heledd Fychan. Llyr Gruffydd attended in her place.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication

Tuesday 

Business Managers requested an urgent Oral Statement by the Welsh Government on the collision between two trains in mid Wales on Monday evening. The Trefnydd indicated that a Written Statement was being prepared and that consideration would be given to an Oral Statement in today’s Plenary meeting.

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

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 6.50pm

Wednesday

·         Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.  

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.10pm

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

Tuesday 5 November 2024

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education: Improving educational standards in Wales (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language: The UK Budget (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: The Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Wales organisations – escalation update (45 mins)

Tuesday 12 November 2024

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

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education: Anti-bullying week: The mental health and well-being of learners (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Diversity and inclusion for political parties (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Housing: Building safety (45 mins)

·         Debate: The Welsh Language Commissioner’s Annual Report 2023-24 (60 mins)

Llyr Gruffydd requested an Oral Statement on winter pressures in the NHS. The Trefnydd noted that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care had made a statement on winter preparedness in the NHS on 24 September.

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

Wednesday 6 November 2024 –

• Debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee report: Seventeenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9 (15 mins)
• Debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee report: Eighteenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9 (15 mins)

Wednesday 20 November 2024 –

• Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins)
• Motion to approve the Senedd Commission’s Budget for 2025-26 (30 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
• Short Debate: Gareth Davies (Vale of Clwyd) (30 mins)

The Business Committee agreed a deadline for committees to report on the general principles of the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill of 14 February 2025, and a deadline for the completion of Stage 2 proceedings of 4 April 2025.

Business Committee agreed for the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to commence its meeting on 4 November at 11am, outside its usual slot.

Business Committee considered options around the scheduling, nature and structure of a potential trial of an occasional longer-form debate to be held in Senedd Business time during 2025.

Business Committee agreed to consult with the Members of the Senedd behind the original proposal and party groups on a proposed approach to the trial, on the following basis:

• to schedule three debates on a termly basis during 2025, commencing in the spring term;
• schedule the debates for 120 minutes, primarily in place of one Member debate and one Short Debate opportunity on the Senedd business timetable, with some flexibility around committee debates if appropriate;
• debates should proceed on the basis of topics, not motions, and that therefore there would be no amendments nor a vote;
• Members would be invited to propose potential topics for selection by the Business Committee;
• Members to be facilitated to contribute on more than one occasion, with interventions also to be encouraged;
• the Member(s) who had originally proposed the motion making the opening and closing contribution, with no further stipulations on order of speakers;
• Members of the Government being able to contribute, though not in the form of a reply.