Agenda and minutes

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.

 

The Trefnydd drew Business Managers’ attention to the following addition to Tuesday’s business:

 

• Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services – Update on Covid-19 (45 mins)

• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.30pm.      

Wednesday 

 

• Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.
• Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.10pm. 

 

Plenary format

 

A majority of Business Committee agreed that Plenary should continue to be held virtually during the week commencing 24 January and return to hybrid meetings from 1 February if, as expected, the requirement to work from home is removed before then.

 

The Trefnydd drew Business Committee’s attention to the following changes:

 

Tuesday 25 January 2022 -

 

·         Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Procurement Update (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Reform of Hospice Funding (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Holocaust Memorial Day (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing: Update on the Substance Misuse Delivery Plan 2019/22 (45 mins)

 

Tuesday 1 February 2022 -

 

·         Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Launch of the new Health and Social Care Regional Integration Fund (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Exploring reform of the school day and year (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month (45 mins)

·         Statement by the Minister for Economy: Wales and Europe – managing a new relationship (45 mins)

·         The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2022  (5 15 mins)

·         The Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods and Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 (5 10 mins)

·         Debate: The Equality and Human Rights Commission Annual Impact Report (60 mins)

 

 

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following items of business:

 

Wednesday 9 February 2022 –

 

• Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins)
• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
• Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

 

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 26 January:

 

NNDM7880 James Evans

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that 101 million bus journeys were undertaken in Wales in 2018/19, compared to 129 million in 2004/05.

2. Further notes that 23 per cent of people in Wales do not have access to a car or van.

3. Recognises that public transport is essential in rural Wales to prevent isolation and loneliness.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) provide sustainable long-term funding for local authorities to enhance rural bus services;

b) ensure rural councils receive a fair share of future investment for public transport and active travel schemes;

c) guarantee the National Bus Strategy for Wales considers the unique challenges of public transport in rural Wales.

d) prioritise investing in zero-emissions public transport vehicles in rural areas.

 

Supporters:

Rhys ab Owen

Mabon ap Gwynfor

Natasha Asghar

Samuel Kurtz

Jack Sargeant

Carolyn Thomas

 

Business Committee also agreed the schedule the following motion for debate on 16 February:

 

NNDM7881

Rhys ab Owen

Jane Dodds

Llyr Gruffydd

 

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the Local Government and Elections Wales Act 2021 extends the voting franchise to 16 and 17 year olds and foreign citizens legally resident in Wales, ensures a duty to encourage local people to participate in local government, and enables councils to scrap the first past the post system to elect councillors;

b) a more proportional system is used in local elections in Scotland, reducing the number of uncontested seats, and ensuring that all votes count.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to work closely with new councils elected in May 2022 to ensure that a more representative method and a uniform national system is used to elect councillors across Wales by 2027.

 

Supporters

Rhun Ap Iorwerth 

Heledd Fychan 

Peredur Owen Griffiths

Mabon ap Gwynfor

Sioned Williams

 

 

Business Committee agreed to refer the Memorandum of Understanding to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee and the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee for consideration and comment.  Officials were asked to liaise with Welsh Government about the timetable for this work.

 

Business Committee noted the paper.

Business Committee agreed an additional meeting for the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday 17 February. Business Committee also agreed two additional meetings for the Finance Committee on Friday 11 March and Friday 28 March.