Agenda and minutes

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

The Leader of the House informed Business Managers that the First Minister was unable to attend Plenary today due to a personal matter, and so she would be answering First Minister’s Questions in his place.

On Tuesday, Voting Time would be after the final item of business. On Wednesday, Business Committee agreed that Voting Time would take place before the Short Debate.

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

Business Managers agreed to move the debate on a Member’s Legislative Proposal from 29 March to 5 April so that Business Managers can select a motion once the result of the ballot for Members Bills (which will be announced on 28 March), is known.

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

Wednesday 22 March 2017 –

• Debate on the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee report on the implications for Wales of leaving the European Union (60 mins)
• Time allocated to the United Kingdom Independence Party (60 mins) – moved to 29 March

Wednesday 29 March 2017 –

• Debate on a Member’s Legislative Proposal (30 mins) – moved to 5 April
• Time allocated to the United Kingdom Independence Party (60 mins)
• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins) – moved to 5 April  

Wednesday 5 April 2017 –

• Debate on a Member’s Legislative Proposal (30 mins)
• Statement by the Chair of the Finance Committee on Ministerial Appointments: Pre-Appointment Hearings by Assembly Committees (30 mins)
• Debate by Individual Members under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

Business Committee selected 2 motions for debate: the first on 22 March, the second on 5 April.

Wednesday 22 March 2017 –

·         NNDM6259
Jeremy Miles (Neath)
Lee Waters (Llanelli)
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)
Jayne Bryant (Newport West)
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that Wales benefits from a long coast line and the second highest tidal reach in the world.

2. Further notes that economic activity related to the sea is already valued at around £2.1bn in Wales, supporting tens of thousands of jobs.

3. Believes that a strategic commitment to the blue economy will enable Wales to turn our seas into one of our biggest economic assets.

4. Further believes that Wales can be a leader in marine renewable energy, tourism and sport, fishing, food and aquaculture, and marine manufacturing and engineering.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to bring forward an ambitious Marine Plan to support the sustainable development of the blue economy and to make it a central plank of its new economic strategy.

Wednesday 5 April 2017 –

• NNDM6260
  Lee Waters (Llanelli)
  Jeremy Miles (Neath)
  Hefin David (Caerphilly)
  Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley)
  David Melding (South Wales Central)
  
  To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that the commonly-termed 'fourth industrial revolution' presents both challenges and opportunities to Wales' economy.

2. Notes that an estimated 700,000 jobs are at risk in Wales over the next two decades as a result of automation.

3. Believes that Wales has existing expertise that offers competitive advantage in emerging growth industries.

4. Recognises that, to capitalise on these emerging industries, we need to focus on rapid, agile approaches which adapt easily to changed circumstances.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to revisit the Innovation Wales Strategy with a view to ensuring it reflects the scale and scope of the disruption we face, and commits to a strategic review of opportunities in emerging, high-growth sectors, where Wales has the potential to establish early market dominance as part of its work on developing a new economic strategy.

Business Committee considered a paper from the government regarding a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) in relation to the Prisons and Court Bill.

Business Managers agreed to refer the LCM to four committees for scrutiny; the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee; the Children, Young People and Education Committee; the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee and the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee. The Business Committee also agreed that the Committees should report on the LCM by Thursday 4 May to allow the Legislative Consent Motion to be debated in Plenary on Tuesday 9 May 2017.

Business Managers considered revised proposals for introducing Topical Questions and revising the criteria for Urgent Questions.

Business Managers agreed to the proposals in the paper and for the Secretariat to bring forward a draft report for Business Committee to agree and put before the Assembly. It was agreed that no time allocation for Topical Questions would be included in Standing Orders so that Business Managers would have flexibility to change the timing if necessary at a later date.

Business Managers agreed to review the new procedure in the autumn term, including the amount of time allocated and when they were scheduled.

Paul Davies asked for clarification on the position of Neil McEvoy within the Plaid Cymru group and what implications this would have on opposition group sizes, including the allocation of committee places. The Llywydd stated that she would appreciate if the situation could be clarified as soon as possible.