Agenda and minutes

Venue: Presiding Officer’s office, 4th floor - Tŷ Hywel. View directions

Contact: Aled Elwyn Jones 

Items
No. Item

1.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

2.

Minutes of the previous meeting

Minutes:

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

 

 

3.

Organisation of Business

3.1

This Week's Business

Minutes:

Business Managers agreed to reschedule Mick Antoniw’s Short Debate to 15 January 2020.

 

The Trefnydd responded to a previous request from Darren Millar for more information on today’s statement by the Minister for Economy and Transport on Disabled People’s Employment. She explained that the statement marks the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities and one year since the publication of the Welsh Government’s Inclusive Apprenticeships Disability Action Plan. The statement will also include an update on the government’s Employability Plan and programmes, the Communities for Work Plus programme, the “Working Wales” employability advice service and Employer Champions.

 

Tuesday

 

  • There will be no Voting Time. 

 

Wednesday

 

  • Voting Time will take place after the last item of business.

 

 

3.2

Three Week Timetable of Government Business

Minutes:

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

 

 

3.3

Three Week Timetable of Assembly Business

Minutes:

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

 

Wednesday 8 January 2020 –

·         Debate on the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee report: On mental health in police custody (30 mins) – postponed to 22 January 2020

 

Wednesday 15 January 2020 –

 

·         Debate on the Finance Committee report: Inquiry into the Welsh Government’s capital funding sources (60 mins)

·         Debate on the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee report: Teaching Welsh History (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

·         Short Debate – Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd) (30 mins) – postponed from 4 December 2019

 

 

3.4

Member Debates: Selection of Motion for Debate

Minutes:

Business Managers considered the paper and selected the following motion for debate on 11 December:

 

NNDM7215

Helen Mary Jones (Mid and West Wales)

Dai Lloyd (South Wales West)

David Rees (Aberavon)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the Royal College of Nursing Wales's report, Progress and Challenge: the Implementation of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016.

 

2. Notes more nurses leave the NHS than join.

 

3. Calls on Welsh Government to set out how the Welsh NHS will increase the opportunities for flexible working as part of a national nursing retention strategy.

 

Progress and Challenge: the Implementation of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016

 

They also selected the following motion for debate on 22 January:

 

NNDM7211

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen)

Dai Lloyd (South Wales West)

David Melding (South Wales Central)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises that losing someone to suicide is a uniquely devastating loss for families, friends and whole communities.

 

2. Notes the limited support available in Wales to support those bereaved by suicide.

 

3. Notes that losing someone to suicide is a major risk factor for dying by suicide and that support for those bereaved is a vital part of suicide prevention.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to urgently ensure there is support for those bereaved by suicide available across Wales as part of a comprehensive postvention pathway for Wales. In doing so, the Welsh Government must ensure that improvements to services and the new pathway are co-produced by those with lived experience of suicide bereavement.

 

Supported by:

 

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

David Rees (Aberavon)

Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

Jayne Bryant (Newport West)

Joyce Watson (Mid and West Wales)

Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

 

 

 

4.

Plenary

4.1

Proxy Voting

Minutes:

 

Business Managers discussed the paper and agreed that, as well as consulting with their groups on the proposals, the Llywydd would write to all Members inviting comments both on parental leave in the first instance, and also about the question of wider eligibility for proxy voting. Business Managers also asked the Secretariat to contact Clerks in the House of Commons to ascertain the expected timeframes for their review, originally expected at the end of January.

 

Business Managers agreed to return to the matter at their meeting on 15 January, where they would consider the views of their groups alongside any other responses received from Members.

 

5.

Assembly Business

5.1

Recess Dates

Minutes:

Business Managers confirmed the recess dates for Whitsun Half Term and Summer Recess 2020, and agreed the provisional recess dates for October Half Term and Christmas Recess 2020. They noted that the fact of Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on a Friday meant that the recess period would fall later than has recently been the case.