Agenda and minutes
Venue: Presiding Officer’s office, 4th floor - Tŷ Hywel. View directions
Contact: Anna Daniel (Clerk)
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Apologies & announcements Minutes: The Deputy Presiding Officer was substituting for the Presiding Officer, who sent her apologies. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes: The minutes were noted by the Committee for publication. |
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Organisation of Business |
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This Week's Business Minutes: The Business Committee agreed to postpone the following item on Wednesday: · NDM5024 Leanne Wood (South Wales Central): Putting the brakes on traffic to ensure the safety of our school children (30 mins) On Tuesday and Wednesday, Voting Time would be after the
final item of business. |
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Three week timetable of Government Business Minutes: The Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business. |
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Three week timetable of Assembly Business Minutes: The Business Committee agreed to schedule the following
items of business: Wednesday 18 July
2012- ·
Stage 3
Standing Order 26.44 debate on the National Assembly for Wales (Official
Languages) Bill (60 mins) In accordance with Standing
Order 26.36, amendments will be disposed of in the order which the sections and
schedules to which they relate, arise in the Bill. At the conclusion of Stage 3
the Commissioner may propose that the Bill be passed in accordance with
Standing Order 26.47. If the proposition is agreed: Stage 4 Standing Order 26.47
motion to approve the National Assembly for Wales (Official Languages) Bill. ·
Debate
on the Enterprise and Business Committee's report: Influencing the
Modernisation of EU Procurement Policy (60 mins) The Committee determined the organisation of Assembly Business. |
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Individual Member Debate: Selection of Motion for Debate Minutes: The Business Committee considered the no named day motions
tabled by individual Members and selected the following motion for debate on
Wednesday 4 July: NNDM5023 Julie Morgan (Cardiff
North) To propose that the National Assembly for Wales: Supports lowering the voting age to 16 years in all
elections and referendums held in Wales. Supported by: Keith Davies (Llanelli) The Business Committee agreed to schedule the next
Individual Member Debate on Wednesday 17 October 2012. |
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Committees |
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Review of Committee Structure Minutes: The Business Committee considered a paper outlining the
experience of the committee structure during the first year of the fourth
Assembly. Committee Structure The Business Committee agreed that the dual legislative and policy
scrutiny role has yet to be fully tested and concluded that no change to the
structure is necessary at this point. They agreed to keep the system under
review as the volume of legislation increases. The
Business Committee also agreed that European issues should continue to be
mainstreamed across the work of all committees, noting that the approach had
worked well, producing a more thorough scrutiny of European matters as a
result. Business Managers noted the role of Committee Chairs and
agreed to invite feedback from chairs on the existing role description (as
issued by the Business Committee in June 2011). Committee Timetable Business Managers considered changes to the committee
timetable to accommodate a request from the Chair of the Public Accounts
Committee (PAC) for a longer, more regular meeting slot. The Business Committee recognised the
difficulty of timetabling. They agreed that PAC would continue to have a weekly
Tuesday morning slot and could also meet on Monday afternoons when their workload
so demanded, as other meeting slots would lead to significant membership
clashes. The Business Committee also
acknowledged that there might need to be flexibility with political group
meetings on Tuesday mornings to accommodate longer meetings where
necessary. Business Managers noted that Plaid Cymru experience PAC
membership challenges given that many of its Members have held ministerial
positions. Standing Order 18.8 does not allow a Member of PAC to participate in
its consideration of any matters if he/she was a member of the government at
that time. The Business Committee also agreed to schedule a meeting
slot for the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister once a term on a
Thursday (alongside Children and Young People/Communities, Equality and Local
Government/Environment and Sustainability). Business Managers agreed to retain the Monday afternoon
meeting slot for the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, noting
that Monday meetings place restrictions on the potential membership of the
Committee resulting in routine substitutions. |
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Other Business The Deputy Presiding Officer noted that recently there have been a number of questions withdrawn for various reasons. He reminded Business Managers of the need to avoid these occurrences where possible. |