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.

This Week’s Business

Tuesday 

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

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 6.45pm.

Wednesday

The Llywydd informed Business Managers of the following change:

·         Motion to suspend Standing Orders (5 mins)

·         Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.  

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 6.45pm.

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

Tuesday 25 March 2025

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Digital Inclusion (45 mins) - rescheduled from 1 April

·         Debate: Learner Travel (60 mins) - reordered

Tuesday 1 April 2025

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Update on digital inclusion – next phase (45 mins) - rescheduled to 25 March

·         The Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (15 5 mins)

·         The Children Act 2004 (Children Missing Education Database) (Pilot) (Wales) Regulations 2025 (15 mins)

·         Legislative Consent Motion: The Data (Use and Access) Bill (15 mins) postponed

Business Committee returned to the matter of the scheduling of Stage 3 proceedings following the Easter recess. The Trefnydd confirmed that it is now the Government’s intention to schedule Stage 3 proceedings on the Welsh Language and Education Bill on Tuesday 6 May and Stage 3 of the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill on Tuesday 13 May.

Heledd Fychan enquired if an oral statement on the ten-year anniversary of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 will be brought forward. The Trefnydd indicated that she would consider the matter.

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

Wednesday 30 April 2025 –

·         Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins)

·         Debate on the Health and Social Care Committee report: Supporting people with chronic conditions (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Short Debate (30 mins)

Business Committee considered the motions and agreed to schedule the following motions:

26 March - Mick Antoniw

NNDM8799 

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on tackling littering and fly-tipping in Wales. 

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

a) strengthen and reform the law on fly-tipping in Wales in respect of: 

i) financial and non-financial penalties (such as driving licence or vehicle confiscation); 

ii) the cap on fixed penalty notices; 

iii) enforcement activity; and 

iv) standardising local authority data capture and reporting methodologies. 

b) strengthen and reform the law on littering in Wales in respect of: 

i) identifying littering as anti-social behaviour; 

ii) financial and non-financial penalties (such as the provision of 'litter awareness courses' for offenders); and 

iii) the litter reduction responsibilities of retailers and other suppliers. 

c) to introduce processes that make it easier for households to dispose of waste. 

30 April - Mabon ap Gwynfor

NNDM8806 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the incorporation of minimum safe staffing levels of NHS commissioned dentists into Welsh law. 

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

a) establish a minimum national baseline of dentistry staff across Wales, based on the oral health needs of the population; 

b) introduce a duty for local health boards and trusts in Wales to calculate and take all reasonable steps to maintain dentistry staffing levels and inform patients of the level; 

c) place a duty on Welsh Ministers and public authorities to progressively realise the right of all Welsh citizens to access NHS commissioned dentistry services; 

d) place a duty on Welsh Ministers to develop a workforce plan to support and sustain the NHS dentistry profession in Wales; and 

e) place a duty on Welsh Ministers to publish yearly progress reports on said plan, as well as accompanying statements in the Senedd. 

Business Committee noted the letter and asked officials to provide further advice on the likely implications for the time available for scrutiny of consolidation Bills on planning law arising from the Government’s current intention to formally introduce the Bills following the 2025 summer recess.

·       Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales – 5 March 2025

·       Response from the Llywydd – 14 March 2025

Business Committee noted the letters.

Business Committee considered an update on Legislative Consent Memoranda and agreed to:

• refer the LCM on the Bus Services (No.2) Bill to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 9 May 2025;
• refer the SLCM on the Data (Use and Access) Bill to the Culture, Communication, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee, the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee, the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee, the Equality and Social Justice Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, and extend the reporting deadline for all LCMs on this Bill to 2 May 2025.

·       Further response from the Co-Chairs of the Wales COVID-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee – 10 March 2025

·       Response from the Chair of the Business Committee – 12 February 2025

·       Original letter from the Co-Chairs of the Wales COVID-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee regarding Temporary Standing Order 35 – 27 January 2025

·       Annexes

Business Committee considered further correspondence from the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee concerning potential changes to the Standing Orders relating to that Committee, regarding oaths and affirmations. 

Paul Davies and Heledd Fychan indicated their support for proposing an amendment to Standing Orders to provide a discretionary power for the Wales COVID-19 Special Purpose Committee to ask witnesses to take an oath or affirmation prior to providing oral evidence.  The Trefnydd expressed concern about the potential implications of such a power for witnesses and the Committee’s work, and stated that she did not support such a change to Standing Orders being proposed by the Business Committee.

Therefore, a majority of the Business Committee did not support the development of a proposal to amend the Standing Orders relating to the Wales COVID-19 Special Purpose Committee in order to provide a discretionary power enabling it to require witnesses to take an oath or affirmation.

The Business Committee conducted a visit to Siambr Hywel to discuss practical arrangements for its use as a temporary chamber whilst work is carried out to expand the Senedd Siambr in advance of the 2026 Senedd election.