Agenda and minutes

The Deputy Presiding Officer welcomed Members to the meeting and chaired items 1 to 5.1, the Llywydd chaired items 5.2 and 5.3. There were no apologies.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

Tuesday 

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

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.45pm.

The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that the Llywydd intends to pay tribute to former Member Alison Halford and offer condolences on behalf of the Senedd at the start of Plenary today.

Wednesday

·         Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.  

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.10pm.

The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that live BSL interpretation has been arranged for Mark Isherwood’s Member Debate on Wednesday.

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

Tuesday 11 March 2025

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: Escalation and intervention arrangements in NHS Wales (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: International Women’s Day (45 mins)

·         Debate: International Women’s Day – accelerating action (60 mins)

Tuesday 18 March 2025

·         Statement by the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership: Employability support programmes in Wales (45 mins) postponed

Heledd Fychan asked when debates on the Crown Estate and the Learner Travel Measure would take place, following previous commitments made by the Government. The Trefnydd confirmed that both debates will be scheduled on Tuesday 1 April.

The following items were agreed to be scheduled on the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:

Wednesday 26 March 2025 –

·         Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins) Rescheduled from 12 March

·         Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee report - A decade of cuts: Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Short Debate: Heledd Fychan MS (South Wales Central) (30 mins)

The Deputy Presiding Officer asked Business Managers to remind Members of their groups that the deadline for tabling the first proposals for Open Debate topics is this Thursday, 6 March.

Business Committee considered two recommendations for it to consider undertaking procedural reviews made by the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee in its report on the General Principles of the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill.

The Business Committee agreed to respond to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to indicate that it will give further consideration to the proposals when considering the prioritisation of its procedural work programme for the remainder of the Sixth Senedd early in the Summer term.

Business Committee noted further correspondence from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery concerning the timescales for proposed Bills to consolidate planning law, in advance of its own discussion with the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery taking place later in the same meeting.

Business Committee considered an update on Legislative Consent Memoranda and:

• noted the update in relation to the Great British Energy Bill and that it has already decided not to set a reporting deadline for committees on SLCM (No.3), but that committees remain able to report to the Senedd should they wish to do so;
• noted the latest position in relation to the Water (Special Measures) Bill and that committees would be able to report to the Senedd on Supplementary LCM (No.7) should they choose to do so, but agreed not to set a reporting deadline in light of the Bill having received Royal Assent;
• noted that the Welsh Government had declined to table a motion for a further legislative consent debate on the Water (Special Measures) Bill prior to half-term recess. The Trefyndd indicated that the timetable for the Bill at Westminster had meant that it was not possible for the Senedd to provide a further view on consent at that point in time.

The Trefnydd recognised again the unwelcome position this places the Senedd in and that the Government will continue to raise the importance of the legislative consent process as a factor for UK Government to be aware of in timetabling their legislation.

·       Julie James MS, Counsel General and Minister for Delivery

·       Charlie Thomas, Deputy Director, Legislation Division, Welsh Government

Business Committee received a briefing from the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery on a Government proposal to modify the pre-introduction process for Bills. The Counsel General outlined that the aim of the change would be to assist Senedd committees in their considerations and help the Business Committee decide on timetables for Government Bills introduced in the final year of the legislative programme.

Business Managers questioned the Counsel General about the proposed approach and noted that further briefing on potential implications would be provided in a future meeting.