Agenda and minutes

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting.

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.

The Trefnydd informed Business Managers that she will answer FMQs today in the absence of the First Minister.

The Llywydd informed Business Managers of her intention to express condolences to the First Minister on behalf of the Senedd at the start of this afternoon’s meeting.

Wednesday 

No scheduled business.

The Trefnydd drew Business Managers’ attention to the following additions:

Tuesday 7 February 2023

·         Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: The LGBTQ+ Action Plan (30 mins)

Tuesday 14 February 2023

·         Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: The Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill (60 mins)

·         Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Further Education Digital Learning (30 mins)

·         Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Ukraine Humanitarian Response (30 mins)

·         The Packaging Waste (Data Collection and Reporting) (Wales) Regulations 2023 (15 mins)

·         Debate: The Police Settlement 2023-24 (30 mins)

Business Committee agreed to make the following changes:

Wednesday 8 February 2023 –

• Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins) Moved to 1 March
• Short Debate: Russell George (Montgomeryshire) (30 mins) Moved from 15 February

• Short Debate: Mike Hedges (Swansea East) (30 mins)

Wednesday 15 February 2023 –

• Short Debate: Mike Hedges (Swansea East) (30 mins) Moved from 8 February
• Short Debate: Russell George (Montgomeryshire) (30 mins)

Wednesday 1 March 2023 –

• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)
• Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins) Moved from 8 February

Business Committee agreed to reschedule the Member Debate on 8 February to 1 March in order to achieve a better balance of finish times over the coming weeks.

The Llywydd informed the Committee that Mike Hedges and Russell George have agreed to swap their short debates. Russell George’s debate will now take place on 8 February and Mike Hedges’ on 15 February.

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 15 February:

NNDM8187

Luke Fletcher

Co-submitters: Mike Hedges, Heledd Fychan, Jane Dodds, Adam Price, Carolyn Thomas, Sioned Williams

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that the Welsh Government retained education maintenance allowance, unlike the UK Government in England;

b) that in Wales, the value of education maintenance allowance has not changed since 2004, and the eligibility thresholds have not changed since 2011;

c) that while education maintenance allowance is an important form of financial support for post-16 learners, it has not kept up with cost-of-living pressures.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider an inflation-linked uplift to the value of education maintenance allowance and a review of the thresholds.

And the following motion on 1 March:

NNDM8131

Sarah Murphy

Co-submitter: Jane Dodds

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that the prevalent collection and use of biometric data within schools across Wales is putting children’s personal data and privacy at risk.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to introduce legislation that would:

a) ensure that Article 16 of the UNCRC, a child's right to privacy, is upheld within Wales;

b) ensure that schools and childcare settings are using non-biometric technologies for services, rather than using biometric systems that may compromise the security of children's biometric data;

c) ensure appropriate risk assessments and procurement processes of technology companies within educational settings are put in place;

d) acknowledge the potential harms from the unregulated use of biometric data;  

e) acknowledge the lack of consent by young people and children within current usages of biometric data within schools.  

The Business Committee agreed to refer the Regulations to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee and the Finance Committee and requested that the committees should report by Monday 27 February 2023.  

Business Committee noted the correspondence and annex containing an update on the Welsh Government’s approach to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill and its intention that the Senedd should have the opportunity to scrutinise subordinate legislation which arises as a result of the Bill. The Committee also noted the Government’s intention to contact it once it has sufficient information about the potential implications for the Senedd timetable.

Business Committee considered current practice around the scheduling of debates in opposition time and agreed not to make any revisions at this time. The Llywydd indicated that she and the Deputy Presiding Officer would seek to ensure that a range of voices are able to be heard during all debates through the number of, and order in which, Members are called to speak.