Committee Chairs elected

Published 29/06/2016   |   Last Updated 05/07/2016

​The National Assembly for Wales has elected the Chairs of its committees.

It is the first time that committee Chairs have been chosen in this way after the Assembly approved Business Committee proposals to adopt a new system of electing Chairs.

"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 the Llywydd, Elin Jones AM.

"I believe the system provides for a more open and transparent committee system that is more accountable to the Assembly as a whole, as all Assembly Members now have a say on who the Chairs should be.

"I am pleased that Members supported the move and I wish all Chairs the very best as they embark on their work in scrutinising legislation and holding the Welsh Government to account."

The following have been elected as committee Chairs, with the membership of committees to be decided in Plenary on 5 July:

Children, Young People and Education Committee

Lynne Neagle AM

Welsh Labour

Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee

Mark Reckless AM

UK Independence Party

Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee

Bethan Jenkins AM

Plaid Cymru

Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee

Russell George AM

Welsh Conservatives

Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

John Griffiths AM

Welsh Labour

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Dr Dai Lloyd AM

Plaid Cymru

Reserve Policy and Legislation Committee

David Rees AM

Welsh Labour

Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee

Huw Irranca-Davies AM

Welsh Labour

Petitions Committee

Mike Hedges AM

Welsh Labour

Scrutiny of the First Minister Committee

Ann Jones AM

Deputy Presiding Officer

Standards of Conduct Committee

Jay​ne Bryant AM

Welsh Labour

Public Accounts Committee

Nick Ramsay AM

Welsh Conservatives

Finance Committee

Simon Thomas AM

Plaid Cymru

 

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 then be 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.