Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Bill

A Welsh Government Bill, introduced by Julie James MS, Counsel General and Minister for Delivery. The Business Committee has remitted the Bill to the Member Accountability Bill Committee.

About the Bill

The Bill includes provision for:

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>>>Enhancing the accountability of Members of the Senedd to the electorate, providing a mechanism to recall an elected Member, removing them from office during their term on the basis of the expressed will of voters in the relevant constituency.

>>>Strengthening the Senedd’s standards process as considered by the Standards of Conduct Committee, including:

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***Establishing a mandatory Standards of Conduct Committee;

***Introducing an element of independence and expertise for that committee through the appointment of lay members; and

***Providing more flexibility to the Commissioner for Standards to proactively consider concerns regarding the conduct of Members of the Senedd.

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>>>Placing a duty upon the Welsh Ministers to make provision prohibiting the making or publishing of false statements of fact. This is in response to the recommendations of the Standards of Conduct Committee's report into deliberate deception.

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Further detail about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum.

Senedd Research, Article - New Bill seeks to strengthen accountability of Members and tackle election misinformation.

Current Stage

BillStage1

The Bill is currently at Stage 1. An explanation of the various stages of Senedd Bills is available in the Guide to the Stages of Public Bills and Acts.

Record of Passage in the Welsh Parliament

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the Senedd.

¬¬¬Financial Resolution

In accordance with Standing Order 26.68 the Presiding Officer has indicated that a financial resolution is required for the Bill. Further information about financial resolutions is available in section 3 of the Guide to the scrutiny stages for Public Bills.

A debate in Plenary on a motion to approve a financial resolution in respect of the Bill is scheduled to take place on 13 January 2026.

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¬¬¬Stage 1 (Current)

A debate in Plenary on a motion to approve the general principles of the Bill is scheduled to take place on 13 January 2026.

The Member Accountability Bill Committee considered its approach to Stage 1 scrutiny on 21 October 2025.

Committee dates

The Member Accountability Bill Committee will consider the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
16 December 2025	Consideration of draft report (Private)	Private	Private
9 December 2025	Consideration of draft report (Private)	Private	Private
3 December 2025	Consideration of key issues (Private)	Private	Private
2 December 2025	Oral evidence session with the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery (Public)	Transcript	View meeting
27 November 2025	Oral evidence session: Alberto Costa, Chair of the House of Commons Committee on Standards and Dr David Stirling, House of Commons Committee on Standards, Lay Member (Public) Oral evidence session: Alexander Greenwood, Criminal Bar Association and Jonathan Elystan Rees KC, Criminal Bar Association (Public)	Transcript	View meeting
25 November 2025	Evidence session with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, House of Commons and the Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards (Public)	Transcript	View meeting
18 November 2025	Evidence session with the Electoral Commission, Electoral Management Board, and Association of Electoral Administrators (Public)	Transcript	View meeting
11 November 2025	Evidence session with the Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee (Public) Evidence session with the Commissioner for Standards (Public)	Transcript	View meeting
4 November 2025	Confirmation of Approach to Stage 1 Scrutiny (Public) Forward work planning (Private)	Transcript	View meeting
21 October 2025	Committee remit (public) Consideration of Approach to Stage 1 Scrutiny (Private) Technical briefing (Private)	Transcript	View meeting

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee will consider the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
17 November 2025	Evidence session with the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery	Transcript	View meeting

The Finance Committee will consider the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
20 November 2025	Evidence session with the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery	Transcript	View meeting