Minutes

The minutes for the meeting were agreed by the Committee for publication.

Tuesday

The Government added two statements to Tuesday’s Plenary agenda: Statement by the First Minister: Trade Policy – The Issues for Wales (45 mins) and Statement by the Leader of the House - The Centenary of Women’s Suffrage (45mins).

Rhun ap Iorwerth noted that the Government had scheduled 5 statements this week and no debates, including a Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services on The Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2016/17, which had always previously been a debate.

·         There would be no Voting Time.

Wednesday

The Llywydd reminded Business Managers that the format of today’s Assembly Commission Motion: Consultation on Assembly Reform’ would be as following:

·         Llywydd open and close (8 mins total)

·         Other speakers (5 mins)

·         No amendments or Government response

·         Voting Time would take place before the Short Debate.

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

Rhun ap Iorwerth asked about the background to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services: Services Fit for the Future White Paper on 27 February, and whether it could be the subject of a debate instead.  The Leader of the House stated that the Cabinet Secretary had requested a statement.

Julie James informed Business Managers that she would be answering FMQs on 27 February, as the First Minister would be away on St David’s day business.

Business Committee determined the organisation of Assembly business and agreed to schedule the following items of business:

Wednesday 28 February 2018 –

·         Questions to the Assembly Commission (30 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to Plaid Cymru (60 mins)

Business Managers did not agree any areas of reform to tabling. The Llywydd and DPO agreed to adapt their priorities while chairing so that:

·         They would not call as many supplementary questions and therefore calling more tabled questions;

·         There will be a lower priority to calling Party Leaders/Spokespeople on other questions; and

·         There will be an expectation on Party Leaders/Spokespeople and Ministers to be more succinct.

Business Managers had differing views on the level of priority for a wider review of Standing Orders, so the Llywydd asked that the Secretariat bring forward a scoping paper on what a full scale review would look like and the resources involved.