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 

• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.20pm.

Wednesday

• Motion to elect a Member to a committee
• Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate. 
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.05pm.

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

Tuesday 14 October 2025

• Legislative Consent Motion: The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (15 mins) – postponed until 21 October

The Debate on a Statement: The Outline Draft Budget 2026-27 (90 mins) has been moved from the end of the meeting to the first item after the BSA.

Tuesday 21 October 2025

• The Free-Range Poultrymeat Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2025 (5 mins)
• Legislative Consent Motion: The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (15 mins)

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

Wednesday 22 October 2025 –

• Debate on petition: P-06-1538 Protect full stroke services at Bronglais Hospital; prevent downgrade to Treat and Transfer (30 mins)

Wednesday 5 November 2025 –

• Point Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins)
• Debate on the cross-Committee report on the UK-EU implementation review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (60 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
• Short Debate: Joel James MS (South Wales Central) (30 mins)

Business Managers agreed that for the debate on the cross-committee report on the UK-EU implementation review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, that:

• the Chair of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee (CCWLSIR) will open the debate with general remarks on the collective approach and overarching themes;
• Chairs of the other committees (CCEI, ETRA and LJC) will then be called to contribute during the debate on their respective sections of the report (before spokespeople but within regular 5 minute contribution times);
• the Chair of CCWLSIR will close the debate.

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate on 15 October 2025 and agreed to schedule the following Member debate tabled by Adam Price:

NNDM8884

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a chronic and disabling illness at all levels of severity.
2. Notes that of those suffering from ME, 25 per cent are categorised by NICE as 'severe: mainly bed bound or housebound', and 'very severe: fully bedbound', requiring full-time care and, in the severest cases, palliative care and tube feeding.
3. Regrets that it is often those with the greatest severity levels of ME who are provided with the least amount of appropriate care and treatment.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) respond to the concerns raised in the Coroner in England’s Prevention of Future Deaths Report, and explain what practical steps they will take to ensure that no patient in Wales will ever be placed in such tragic circumstances as those described in the report;
b) ensure that the Adferiad-funded ME services are making provision appropriate to the needs of patients with severe and very severe ME;
c) bring together an expert group of health professionals and people with lived experience, at a national level, to develop all-Wales guidance and quality standards on ME, including for the most severely affected;
d) make the appointment of an all-Wales specialist consultant for post-infectious chronic conditions – including ME and long COVID - a priority;
e) improve the training on ME for professionals, firstly in the NHS, but also in social services and schools: in particular, raising awareness of the care needs of adults and children with severe and very severe ME; and
f) ensure that health boards truly co-produce their ME and long COVID Adferiad services, taking into account the lived experiences of those suffering at the severest levels and of those caring for them.

Maeve Boothby O’Neill: Prevention of Future Deaths Report

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

• refer the LCM on Public Office (Accountability) Bill to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee and the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 19 December 2025; and
• note that SLCM (No. 6) on the Mental Health Bill was laid on 30 September 2025 and was pre-emptively referred for scrutiny with a reporting deadline of 7 October at the previous meeting.

The Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Bill will be introduced to the Senedd on Monday 3 November 2025.

Business Committee considered the issue and agreed:

• to propose the establishment of a standalone Bill committee to act as the responsible committee under Standing Order 26.9
• the title and proposed remit for the committee;
• arrangements for the chairing and membership of the committee, to include:

a) that the Deputy Presiding Officer would be appointed as Chair,

b) that it be comprised of four Members (2 Welsh Labour, 1 Welsh Conservative and 1 Plaid Cymru), including the chair; and

c) to disapply Standing Order 17.2A – 17.2S relating to the election of a chair; and

• to provide the committee with flexibility to meet, within the committee timetable.

Business Managers also agreed to consult with their groups

• regarding whether, at the appropriate time, it should be proposed under Standing Order 26.17, that Stage 2 proceedings on the Bill should be conducted in a Committee of the Whole Senedd.

Business Managers agreed to return to Business Committee next week with names of Members for the Committee.

Business Managers agreed to schedule a debate on petition P-06-1538 Protect full stroke services at Bronglais Hospital; prevent downgrade to Treat and Transfer on Wednesday 22 October.

The Llywydd raised the issue of rules and guidance around voting time following recent examples of Members voting from vehicles or whilst travelling.

The Llywydd invited Business Managers to further consider options around clarifying the guidance and indicated that Business Committee will return to this issue again at its next meeting.

Business Managers agreed to change the membership of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, with a place to be allocated to an Independent Member, in place of a Welsh Conservatives Member.

Business Managers agreed to propose that Russell George MS be elected as a member on the Children, Young People and Education Committee (currently held by Joel James MS) and that this will be added to the agenda for Wednesday 8 October.