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 

Business Committee noted the following changes:

• Motion to suspend Standing Orders to allow the next item of Business to be considered (5 mins)
• Proposal under Standing Order 12.24 to debate the following items together but with separate votes (60 mins)
• Motion under Standing Order 26.95 that a Bill to be known as the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill be treated as a Government Emergency Bill
• Motion under Standing Order 26.98(ii) to agree a timetable for the Bill to be known as the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill
• Voting time (5 mins)
• Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy (30 mins)
• The general principles of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill (60mins) (Subject to the earlier motions being agreed)
  
  
• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.15pm.

Wednesday

Business Committee noted the following changes:

Committee of the Whole Senedd – 13.00 (provisional)

• Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill – Stage 2 proceedings (60 mins)

• Debate: Stage 3 of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill (60 mins) (provisional)
• Debate: Stage 4 of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales (Membership) Bill (15 mins) (provisional)
• Voting time (5 mins) (provisional)

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

• Plenary is unlikely to run past 8.30.

Heledd Fychan requested that the Government consider bringing forward Oral Statements on: the use of ‘X’ by the Welsh Government; and, on the recent job losses at ‘Consumer Energy Solutions’.

The Llywydd informed Business Managers that all Members have been notified of the intention, from today, to strictly enforce the Guidance on Virtual and Hybrid Proceedings in respect of prior notification being required in order for a Member to cast their vote remotely in Plenary proceedings, with the effect that any Member for whom prior notification has not been received will not be eligible to vote from a remote location.

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

Tuesday 20 January 2026

• Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Waiting Times (45 mins) – postponed until 27 January
• Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety (30 mins)
• Statement by the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing: Women’s Health Hubs (30 mins)
• Statement by the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership: Creative Wales (30 mins)
• Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales: Travel for All (30 mins)
• The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2026 (10 mins) – postponed until 3 February

Tuesday 27 January 2026

• Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Waiting Times (45 mins)
• Debate: The Final Budget 2026-27 (60 90 mins)

The Trefnydd informed Business Committee that the Statement on NHS Waiting Times was being postponed by a week as the latest data is due to be published on 22 January.

The Trefnydd indicated that the Debate on the Final Budget 2026-27 has been extended following a recommendation by the Finance Committee.

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

Wednesday 04 February 2026 –

• Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee Report: Routes into post-16 education and training’ (60 mins)
• Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report: Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health (30 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
• Short Debate (30 mins)

The Business Committee considered the request and agreed to allocate time for the Review Board’s report to be debated by the Senedd in March 2026, at a date to be confirmed.

The Business Committee considered a paper from the Welsh Government on the background, purpose and proposed timetable for the Bill.

Business Managers agreed the proposed arrangements for Stage 2 and 3 proceedings, as set out in the draft note provided for Members, including:

• that the Committee of the Whole Senedd would meet at 1pm on 14 January for Stage 2 proceedings, with Plenary commencing following the conclusion of those proceedings and a short break; and
• that Stages 3 and 4 will be taken as the final items in Plenary on 14 January, following the conclusion of Senedd business and Voting Time.

The Llywydd noted that the Guidance on Virtual and Hybrid proceedings, as recently revised, states that Members must participate in Bill amending stage proceedings in person, unless exceptional circumstances apply or participating virtually is a reasonable accommodation of a Member’s specific needs. The Llywydd requested that Business Managers ensure that she receives any request for a Member to be permitted to participate virtually prior to proceedings on 14 January

The Business Committee noted the letter and acknowledged the challenges for committees and stakeholders that have been posed by the timetables for this and other Bills in the final year of the Welsh Government’s legislative programme.

Business Managers noted that there will be an opportunity for the Business Committee to set out its views on Bill timetabling in the forthcoming report on its Review of the Public Bill process.

The Business Committee noted the letter and agreed to consider the relevant conclusions and recommendations reached by the Member Accountability Bill Committee as part of its legacy work, in light of the content of the Bill at the conclusion of its passage through the Senedd.

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

• Refer SLCM (No.3) on the Terminally Ill Adults Bill to the Health and Social Care Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 20 January 2026.
• Refer SLCM (No.3) on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 20 January 2026.

The Business Committee considered correspondence from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, including a request for an extension to the reporting deadline and a corresponding delay to the date of the legislative consent debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

The Trefnydd agreed to consult with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on the request and to update Business Managers following the meeting.

The Business Committee agreed that it is important that there is an opportunity for the Senedd to debate the Bill prior to the end of the Sixth Senedd term.