From time to time the Presiding Officer holds a ballot to determine the name of a Member who may seek agreement to introduce a Member Bill. The ballot must include the names of all Members who have applied to be included and who have tabled the required pre-ballot information. Members who are also Cabinet Secretaries or Welsh Ministers may not enter the ballot. The result of the ballot is published on the Senedd website and announced by the Presiding Officer in Plenary.
Glossary
A glossary of parliamentary terms
A-Z index of glossary terms
Use the letters below to reveal a list of glossary terms.
B
Term
Barnett Formula
A formula used to adjust the amounts of public expenditure on comparable services by departments of the UK Government to the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Last Updated 16/12/2024
Term
Bill
A Bill is a proposed law. If the Senedd approves the proposals then the Bill is ready to become an Act. A Bill can only become an Act of the Senedd once it has been approved by the Monarch, a process called Royal Assent. Acts are often referred to as primary legislation.
Last Updated 16/12/2024
Term
Block grant
The block grant is the sum of money voted by the UK Parliament to be allocated to the Secretary of State for the relevant devolved administration. It constitutes the assigned budget within the departmental expenditure limit, and is calculated from the existing baseline using the Barnett formula.
Last Updated 16/12/2024
Term
Budget process
The annual budget cycle for the Welsh Government can be broken down into distinct stages: Draft Budget, Annual Budget Motion and Supplementary Budget Motion.
Last Updated 16/12/2024
Term
Business (Senedd)
The collective term used to describe the work carried out by Members of the Senedd through Plenary and committee meetings.
Last Updated 16/12/2024
Term
Business Committee
The Business Committee is responsible for the organisation of Senedd Business. Its role is to facilitate the effective organisation of Senedd proceedings.
Last Updated 16/12/2024
Term
By-election
A by-election occurs when a Senedd seat becomes vacant during a term (i.e. between elections) due to a constituency Member death, resignation or becomes ineligible. In the event that a regional Member is unable to sit, they are replaced by the next person on the party list.
Last Updated 16/12/2024