Assembly to elect committee chairs as it votes on proposals for new committee structure

​The National Assembly for Wales will today (28 June) be asked to agree a new way of electing its committee chairs. For the first time, we are likely to see competition between Members for the positions, with all Members deciding the outcome through a secret ballot.

“The Business Committee’s decision to allow a secret ballot to elect Assembly Chairs is in keeping with my pledge as Llywydd to safeguard the interests of all Assembly Members and treat them all equally,” said Llywydd, Elin Jones AM.
“This move will result in an open and transparent process for electing committee chairs which significantly increases their authority and independence. That provides the Assembly with a firm foundation from which the Assembly Commission’s ambition of delivering robust and meaningful scrutiny can be achieved.”

The key features of the new procedures for electing chairs are:

• The Assembly in Plenary will agree which chair positions are allocated to which political party groups.
• A Member may be then nominated, in Plenary, by another Member of his or her group (and has to be seconded by another Member of the group if the group has more than 20 Members) for a chair position allocated to his or her party group.
• If there is more than one nomination for a chair position, or if any Member objects in Plenary to a single nomination, a secret ballot will be held, using a preferential voting system.
• Once the chairs have been elected, the Assembly will agree the remaining memberships of the committees.
• Chairs can only be removed from office by resolution of a majority of committee members voting from more than one party group, subject to a resolution of the Assembly in Plenary.
  

Nominations will be opened in Plenary this afternoon, with a secret ballot to be held tomorrow (29 June) between 12.00-15.00.
The result of any secret ballots will be announced by the Llywydd at the end of business on 29 June.

The committee structure is as follows:

Policy and Legislation Committees

Children, Young People and Education Committee
To examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising its expenditure, administration and policy, encompassing (but not restricted to): the education, health and well-being of the children and young people of Wales, including their social care.

Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee
To examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters encompassing (but not restricted to): climate change; energy; natural resources management; planning; animal welfare and agriculture.

Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee
To examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters encompassing (but not restricted to): culture; the arts; historic environment; Welsh language; communications; broadcasting and the media.

Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee
To examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters encompassing (but not restricted to): economic development; transport; infrastructure; employment; skills; and research and development, including technology and science.

Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee
To examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters encompassing (but not restricted to): local government; housing, community regeneration, cohesion and safety; tackling poverty; equality of opportunity and human rights.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
To examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters encompassing (but not restricted to): the physical, mental and public health and well-being of the people of Wales, including the social care system.

Reserve Policy and Legislation Committee
To consider any matter referred to it by the Business Committee.

Specialist Committees

Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee
To carry out the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Order 21 and to consider any other constitutional, legislative or governmental matter within or relating to the competence of the Assembly or the Welsh Ministers, including the quality of legislation.

Petitions Committee
To carry out the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Order 23.

Scrutiny of the First Minister Committee
To scrutinise the First Minister on any matter relevant to the exercise of the functions of the Welsh Government.

Standards of Conduct Committee
To carry out the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Order 22.

Public Accounts Committee
To carry out the functions set out in Standing Orders 18.2 and 18.3 and consider any other matter that relates to the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which resources are employed in the discharge of public functions in Wales.

Finance Committee
To carry out the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Order 19; the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Orders 18.10 and 18.11; and consider any other matter relating to the Welsh Consolidated Fund.

The Assembly will also be asked to approve a motion that means committee chairs are allocated to party groups as follows: