Agenda and minutes

The Deputy Presiding Officer welcomed members to the meeting. Apologies were received from the Llywydd.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

Tuesday

The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes:

·       Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement (30 mins)

·       Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Flood Investment Programme 2024/25 (30 mins) - to be issued as a written statement

·       Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Services: Rebalancing care and support (30 mins) - to be issued as a written statement

·       Motion to Suspend Standing Orders (5 mins)

·       Proposal under Standing Order 12.24 to debate the following items together but with separate votes (5 mins):

o   LCM on the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill – motion 1

o   LCM on the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill – motion 2

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

·       Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.50pm

The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that he intends to call party leaders and a representative of the Labour group to speak during the First Minister’s resignation statement, and that the First Minister will be called to respond once, following those contributions.

Heledd Fychan expressed disappointment on behalf of the Plaid Cymru group that the statement on Rebalancing care and support will now be issued as a written statement.

Wednesday

The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that once notification has been received that the First Minister’s resignation has been accepted by His Majesty, the following item will be added to Wednesday’s agenda as the first item of business: Nomination of the First Minister under Standing Order 8

The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that requests have been approved for various media activity to take place in and around the Siambr over the next two days.

·       Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.

·       Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.10pm

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

Tuesday 16 April 2024

·       LCM on the Victims and Prisoners Bill (30 mins) – postponed until 30 April

Tuesday 23 April 2024

·       The Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (Wales) Regulations 2024 (15 mins)

The Trefnydd highlighted that Stage 3 of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill has been scheduled for 30 April and that minimal other Government business will be scheduled for that day due to the likely length of those proceedings.

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

Wednesday 1 May 2024 –

·      Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins)

·      Debate on the Petitions Committee report: A Warmer Winter P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales (60 mins)

·      Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

·      Short Debate (30 mins)

Business Committee considered a response from the Health and Social Care Committee and agreed their request for the Stage 1 deadline to be set as 26 July 2024. The Committee also agreed the other dates on the proposed timetable for the Bill.

The Trefnydd stated that the Government does not consider this change to set a precedent for other Bill timetables.

Business Committee noted a paper on the tabling deadlines for amendments, which included a focus on the recent experience in regard to the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill. Business Committee agreed that officials should bring forward a further paper containing potential options for extending the gap between the publication of groupings for Stage 2 and Stage 3 and those proceedings, ahead of a review of the scrutiny process for Bills planned for later during this Senedd.

Business Committee agreed to pre-emptively refer the supplementary LCM (Memorandum No. 2) on the Victim and Prisoners Bill to the Equality and Social Justice Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for scrutiny, with a reporting deadline of 29 April 2024.

Business Committee noted the letter from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee and agreed to respond to the Committee to accept Recommendation 3 in its report on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill LCM.

Business Committee considered and agreed to the Committee’s request to meet on Friday 26 April, or an alternative Friday during the next term depending on the availability of the new FM, to scrutinise the new First Minister.

Heledd Fychan noted her disappointment with this week’s meeting being cancelled at short notice given that the timetable for replacing the First Minister has been known for some time.