Agenda and minutes

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

This Week’s Business

Tuesday

• Today’s Plenary will begin at 12.45pm with tributes to Steffan Lewis AM. The Llywydd informed Business Managers that she would open the session and then call for a minute’s silence which will be started and ended with the bell; a photograph of Steffan will be displayed on the screens throughout the session.  The Llywydd stated that she would call the Leader of Plaid Cymru, followed by the First Minister, party leaders, and then others. The Llywydd informed Business Managers that she intended to suspend Plenary for up to 10 minutes before resuming normal business. The Llywydd also informed Business Managers that Members of Steffan’s family will be present in the public gallery for the tributes. 
• Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.

Wednesday

• Voting Time will take place before the short debate.

Spokespeople’s questions to the Counsel General

In consultation with Business Managers, the Llywydd decided that there should be a Spokespeople’s Questions slot during OAQs to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister.

Business Managers raised the possibility of having separate OAQ sessions for the respective roles of Counsel General and Brexit Minister, and noted that it would be useful to have a further note from the Welsh Government explaining the Counsel General and Brexit Minister’s roles and status.

Business Managers also raised the issue of how they might ask oral questions to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip.

The Trefnydd noted that a new Ministerial Responsibilities document will be circulated today, but that it would not set out the split of responsibilities between Ministers and their Deputies. Business Managers asked that the Welsh Government give further thought to the distinction of responsibilities between them in OAQ sessions, particularly for spokespeople’s questions. In the meantime, Business Managers noted their assumption that all spokespeople’s questions should be directed towards relevant Ministers in the meantime.

Business Committee noted the 3 Week Timetable of Government Business.

Dates for debates on Members’ Legislative Proposals

Business Managers agreed that the next two debate slots for MLPs will be 30th January and 3rd April, following a Business Committee decision last term to announce both dates for any term early on to give Members the maximum window for tabling.

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

Wednesday 23 January 2019 –

• Short Debate: Darren Millar (Clwyd West) (30 mins) – postponed until 20 February
• Short Debate: Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy) (30 mins) – brought forward from 20 February

Wednesday 6 February 2019 –

• Debate on the Petitions Committee report: P-04-628 To improve Access to Education and Services in British Sign Language (60 mins)
• Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) (60 mins)
• Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

• Business Managers selected the following motion for debate on 23 January:

NNDM6919

Bethan Sayed

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1) Notes that former Allied Steel and Wire workers have still not received the full value of their pensions, despite a compensation deal reached in 2007 with the former UK Government and almost 14 years after a change in UK law.

2) Notes that under a compensation deal reached in 2007 with the former UK Government, workers were promised the same treatment as workers and pension scheme holders under the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme.

3) Notes that under law changes since 2004, workers under the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme are entitled to be paid up to 90 percent of their pension contribution value. However, contributions paid in prior to 1997 are not inflation proofed.

4) Regrets the financial hardship this has caused to former ASW workers in Wales.

5) Calls on the UK Government to honour the spirit of the commitments the previous UK Government gave to ASW workers in Wales.

Supporters:

Andrew RT Davies

Mike Hedges

Helen Mary Jones

Leanne Wood

• Business Managers agreed to schedule the next Member Debate on 6 February.

Business Managers agreed this supplementary memorandum should be referred to the committees already considering the first memorandum for consideration (CCERA, EAAL and CLA), with the same reporting deadline of 12 February.  

The Deputy Presiding Officer Chaired this item, as the Llywydd is the Member in charge of the Bill.

In light of the two responses received from the CLA and CCERA committees, Business Managers agreed in principle to refer the Bill to CLA committee for Stage 1 consideration but agreed to return in due course to the proposed timetable in light of the comments in CLA’s letter on having an extended deadline for Stage 1 scrutiny.

Business Managers agreed to schedule the debate

Ministers’ presence in the Chamber

The Llywydd reminded the Trefnydd of the need for need for Ministers to be in the Chamber on time for their items, following recent instances of Ministers having to be prompted to be in the Chamber for the start of items, and the Minister for Health arriving late for his own debate last week.

Committee membership changes

Business Managers agreed to table motions to elect Members to committees and that they be added to tomorrow’s Plenary agenda, following requests from both the Labour Group and the Welsh Conservatives.

The Welsh Conservative changes include electing a new member onto the ELG Committee, in place of one of the Plaid Cymru Members, as was agreed by Business Committee last term.

Collation of Guidance

The Llywydd informed Business Managers that the ‘Collation of Guidance’ paper will be on the agenda for next week’s meeting, and that Business Managers may wish to discuss this with their groups beforehand.