Agenda and minutes
Venue: Video Conference via Zoom
Contact: Aled Elwyn Jones
No. | Item |
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Introductions, apologies and substitutions |
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Minutes of the previous meeting |
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Organisation of Business |
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This Week's Business Minutes: The Llywydd
informed Business Managers of her intention to make a statement on Srebrenica
before the start of Plenary this week. The First Minister and David Melding will
also be called to make short statements. The Llywydd
informed Business Managers that she will introduce Laura Anne Jones as a new
Member of the Fifth Assembly and invite her to make a short speech. Start time and
break Business Managers
agreed that the Plenary start time should be 11am and the break should be at
around 12.45pm, after Questions to the Minister for Education. Business
Managers also agreed to an earlier start time of 10am for next week’s Plenary. Spokespeople’s
questions on Ministerial statements The Llywydd
consulted Business Managers and stated that the arrangements for this week will
remain as they were before virtual Plenary sessions were introduced: 10 minutes
or 1000 words (whichever is greater) for Ministers to make their statement and
up to 5 minutes each for group spokespeople to ask one set of questions. The arrangements
for Oral Questions will also remain the same as they were before virtual
Plenary sessions were introduced: Conservative and Plaid Cymru spokespeople
will be called to ask 3 questions without notice to the Minister. Brexit Party
spokespeople will be called to ask 2 questions without notice to 3 Ministers of
their choice. All these questions will be up to one minute each. Hybrid plenary
guidance The Secretariat
will circulate guidance to Members this afternoon. The Llywydd
reminded Business Managers of:
Independent Members The Llywydd had
received responses from Independent Members to her letter explaining the cap on
attendance due to social distancing in the Siambr and asking that they nominate
between them one Member to attend physically each week. Two Members expressed a
wish to attend both meetings physically, while the other two would attend
virtually. Business Managers
agreed that Table Office should run a ballot for any Independent Members
wishing to attend physically, and create a rotational system allowing the others
to attend later sessions. Any divergence
during the Plenary session from the agreed cap on numbers in line with the
COVID regulations will be treated as a matter of order. Stage 3 The Llywydd
informed Members that due to the rules around remote voting, there would be a 5
minute break after the two debates during Stage 3, before the amendments were
voted on. |
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Three Week Timetable of Government Business Minutes: The Trefnydd drew
Business Managers’ attention to the addition of a set of coronavirus
regulations to the agenda for 15 July: Wednesday 15 July
2020 Proposal to debate the
following items together but with separate votes: (30 mins) ·
The
Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 6)
Regulations 2020 ·
The
Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) (Amendment) (No.7)
Regulations 2020 The Trefnydd also explained that, following a
request at last week’s Business Committee, the government had postponed the
debate on the Agriculture Bill LCM until after the summer. Business Committee
agreed a revised reporting deadline of 24 September for the committees
considering the LCM. |
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Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business Minutes: Business Committee agreed to schedule the
following items of business: Wednesday 15 July 2020:
Wednesday 16 September 2020:
Wednesday 23 September 2020 –
The Business Committee agreed that, with the introduction of
remote voting enabling Members to vote individually again, the Senedd could now
consider Standard Committee reports if that Committee were to make a request. |
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Legislation |
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Revised Timetable for the Renting Homes (Amendment) (Wales) Bill Minutes: The Business Committee agreed to consult ELGC
on the revised timetable before making a decision, and to ask for a response by
next week. |
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Letter from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee - The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill Minutes: The Business Committee noted the letter and
agreed the proposed timetable for the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill
with a reporting deadline for Stage 1 of 4 December 2020 and for Stage 2 of 5
February 2021. |
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Welsh Government Draft Budget 2021-2022 |
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Timetable for the Welsh Government Budget 2021-22 Minutes: Business Managers agreed to consult with the Finance
Committee on the proposed timetable. |
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Committees |
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Committee Timetable Minutes: The Business
Committee agreed the proposed dates for the CYPE, LJC and PAC committees to
meet during recess. |
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Letter from the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee Minutes: Business Managers agreed with the LJC
Committee’s understanding of the timing of regulations likely to be brought
forward following the 3-weekly Welsh Government reviews. The Trefnydd clarified that although LJC’s
letter only refers to the three-week review of restrictions, there are a wider
suite of COVID-19 regulations than those relating to health (e.g. education).
The Trefnydd stated that LJC will need to be prepared to report on those too. |
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Plenary |
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Recess Dates Minutes: The Business
Committee discussed the paper. Darren Millar
raised the fact that school holidays often differ across Local Authorities and
that some schools have scheduled a 2 week half term this October to compensate
for opening during an extra week in July. He asked that Business Committee look
further at the implications of scheduling a 2 week recess in October due to
childcare issues for Members, particularly given that we reduced Easter recess
this year. The Secretariat will bring forward a note on which Local
Authorities have scheduled a two week October recess and clarify any impact on
legislation if recess were extended. |
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Standing Orders |
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Establishment and proposed membership of the Llywydd's Committee Minutes: Business Managers agreed to the Llywydd’s
proposal that Standing Orders should allow for either the Llywydd or Deputy
Presiding Officer to chair the committee so that, were the Chair of the Finance
Committee and the Llywydd are of the same political group, the DPO could be
appointed chair. This would enable the chair of the Finance Committee to be an
ex officio member, representing only the committee, and additional to the one
representative from each political group. The Committee agreed to table a motion to
amend Standing Orders for consideration next week. |
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Public Audit (Wales) Act - Amendment to Standing Orders Minutes: Business Committee agreed the report, and
noted that a motion would be tabled for consideration on 15 July. |
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Paper to note |
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Letter from the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Minutes: Business Managers noted the letter and agreed to look at the issues raised in due course. |
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Any Other Business Minutes: Committee for the Scrutiny of the First
Minister: The Deputy Presiding Officer updated
Business Managers on the committee’s meeting last Friday where they agreed to
establish a sub-committee on ‘COVID-19 recovery’, to report back to the SFM
committee. Their initial discussions have been for a committee of 5 Members,
with fluid membership, but that they would consider party balance and other
factors at a later date. As the sub-committee’s proposed remit
is overarching, the portfolio it scrutinises would predominantly be the Counsel
General and the Minister for European Transition; however as we move out of
recovery, the sub-committee may wish to expand its remit. The Trefnydd stated
that should any committee wish to look specifically at COVID-19 recovery in the
context of a particular portfolio (i.e. health), the Minister with
responsibility for that portfolio would be best placed to undertake any
detailed scrutiny. The Committee Clerk will make a request
for committee slots in the autumn on a 3 weekly basis, in addition to the slots
already allocated to SFM on Fridays before recesses. Questions to the Counsel General and
the Minister for European Transition The Llywydd noted that the Welsh
Government are in discussions with the Table Office regarding his
responsibility as coordinator of COVID-19 recovery. Members will be able to ask
the Counsel General questions on this aspect of his role, but on the
understanding that he will not be able to answer detailed policy questions that
lie within a specific Ministerial portfolio. Members who change their political
party but remain without a political group The Llywydd stated that there have been
several changes over this Assembly on this issue, where she must determine how
to refer to those Members in official publications. Business Managers expressed
their support were the Llywydd to decide that Members can be referred to as
belonging to any particular group or party that they wish, provided that it is
within order. Plenary during the autumn term The Llywydd informed Business Managers
that there will be a paper on next week’s agenda on scheduling Plenary for
autumn term. LCMs The Trefnydd updated Business Managers
on the progress of the Fisheries Bill and the NDR List Bill. The Government are
considering whether to lay LCMs this week. |