Agenda and minutes

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting. No apologies were received.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

Tuesday 

The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes:

• Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The Sustainable Farming Scheme (45 mins)
• Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: Maternity Services and Escalation and Intervention Arrangements in NHS Wales (45 mins)
• Motion to suspend Standing Orders (5 mins)
• The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (15 mins)
• Legislative Consent Motion: The Mental Health Bill (15 mins) Postponed until 16 September
• Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill: Signification of His Majesty and The Duke of Cornwall’s Consent (5 mins)

• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.45pm.

Wednesday

The Llywydd informed Business Managers of the following change:

• Short Debate: Cefin Campbell MS (Mid and West Wales) (30 mins) Postponed until 16 September

• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.  
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.30pm.

The Llywydd informed Business Managers that BSL interpretation will be provided for the Statement on the Introduction of The British Sign Language (Wales) Bill.

Business Committee agreed the structure for the Debate on the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee report: Inquiry Module 1:

• The Llywydd will move the motion and update the Senedd on the consideration that has been given by the Business Committee to future committee scrutiny of decisions taken during the Covid-19 pandemic;
• Joyce Watson MS will be called as the first speaker and provided with an extended time allocation to introduce the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee’s Inquiry Module 1 report;
• Business Managers noted that Mark Isherwood MS has also requested to speak as the Chair of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, and that the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery will respond on behalf of the Government.
• No Member will be called to make a closing contribution.

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

Tuesday 16 September 2025

·       Legislative Consent Motion: The Mental Health Bill (15 mins)

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

Wednesday 1 October 2025 –

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

·      Debate on petition: P-06-1489 Legislate to ensure swift bricks are installed in all new buildings in Wales (30 mins)

• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·      Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

• Short Debate (30 mins)

The Business Committee discussed a proposal initiated by the Welsh Government to move Topical Questions, on a trial basis, so that they would be taken as the final item prior to Voting Time on Wednesdays.

The Trefnydd spoke in favour of the proposal, noting that increased time to prepare could result in more detailed responses and that close proximity to Voting Time could result in increased attendance of Members. The Trefnydd also referred to the increase in the Senedd’s membership from the Seventh Senedd and that conducted a trial now would help to inform decisions about organisation of Plenary business. Jane Dodds indicated that she would also be willing to support a trial.

Paul Davies and Heledd Fychan indicated that they were in favour of retaining the current scheduling of Topical Questions as the first item of Senedd business following Oral Questions on Wednesdays, on the basis that this was a prominent position on the agenda and that scheduling it later would impact upon the ability of those proceedings to be reported in the media.

Business Managers agreed to discuss the proposal with their groups prior to taking a decision.

Business Committee considered an update from the Trefnydd and agreed to:

• note that the Employment Rights Bill SLCM (No.4) was pre-emptively referred to committees for scrutiny on 8 July, and the reporting deadline for that SLCM has now passed;
• extend the reporting deadline for the LCM on the Mental Health Bill to the morning of 16 September 2025.

Business Committee considered the timetables for the Bills proposed for introduction by the Welsh Government in Year 5 of the legislative programme, and the potential implications of the timetables for committee scrutiny.

Business Committee considered the implications of the Greyhounds Bill and the Regulation of Visitor Accommodation Bill both falling within the remit of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs (ETRA) Committee and agreed to seek the views of the Committee seeking on the potential for scrutinising two Bills in a short period of time, before reaching a decision on referral. Business Committee also noted the possibility of referring one of the Bills to the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee or standing up an ad hoc committee to undertake scrutiny of one of the Bills.

Business Committee also considered how scrutiny of the Member Accountability Bill should be conducted in light of the involvement of the Standards of Conduct Committee in shaping policy direction for the Bill. Business Committee agreed to seek further advice on the setting up of an ad hoc committee to undertake scrutiny of the Bill at the start of the autumn term, prior to taking a decision on its referral.

Business Committee noted the letter

Business Committee noted a further response from the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee indicating that it will proceed with scrutiny work relating to Covid-19 and the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, ahead of the debate on the Wales COVID-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee’s Module 1 report on 16 July 2025.

Business Committee considered a response from the Finance Committee and agreed the Draft Budget Timetable 2026-27.

Business Committee considered and agreed the draft report Amending Standing Orders: Categories of Member, and for this to be proposed to the Senedd in Spring 2026 alongside other changes to take effect from the start of the Seventh Senedd.

Business Committee considered a draft report on the prioritisation of its procedural work for the remainder of the Sixth Senedd. Business Managers reviewed the categorisation of work on the legislative consent process and agreed to amend the draft report to indicate that this issue will be highlighted for consideration during the Seventh Senedd.

Subject to that amendment, Business Committee agreed for the report to be laid and published in the first week of summer recess.

Business Managers indicated that they were content with the approach taken to the additional meetings for the delivery of its procedural work programme to date. Business Committee agreed the intention that papers for the additional meetings would be sent out four working days in advance of the meetings.