Agenda and minutes

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

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

Members discussed the issues outlined in the paper, and agreed to return to the issues following consultation with their groups.

Members considered and agreed the draft Standing Order report.

Members discussed the issues outlined in the paper and agreed:

• To seek the views of committees involved in scrutiny of Year 5 Bills about the Welsh Government’s recent practice of publishing draft Bills at the point of pre-introduction.
• To bring to the attention of the Chairs’ Forum issues raised by consultation respondents regarding committee remits, structures and ways of working.
• To return to the outstanding issues raised once Members have consulted with their groups.

The Trefnydd agreed to provide a note for the Committee clarifying the Welsh Government’s position on a number of matters relating to Bill timetabling.

Members noted that there was no likelihood of agreement on a recommendation for formal procedural change. The Business Committee agreed that officials should implement the options outlined in the paper to improve the transparency and operation of the current practice surrounding the admissibility of amendments that are identical to, or differ only in trivial respects that have no legal effect from, amendments that have already been tabled.

At the Committee’s meeting on 18 September, Members agreed to consider proposals for changes to Standing Orders, following recommendations made in the Standards of Conduct report: Inquiry into Registration and Declaration of Interests: Consideration of Standards of Conduct Committee recommendations. At that meeting, Members requested further information in relation to recommendation 11 of the report.

Following receipt of this further information, the Business Committee agreed to the recommendations made in the report.

Business Managers provided feedback from their groups, and agreed to ask officials to draft proposals for further consideration at a future meeting, before taking final decisions.

Business Committee considered and agreed the draft Standing Order report.