Members of the Senedd have approved the names and remits of 13 committees for the Seventh Senedd – one more than in the last Senedd.
What are committees?
Committees are small groups of Members who look at issues which affect your daily life – from health and education to the economy and environment. They scrutinise Welsh Government spending and policy, look at new laws and hold Ministers to account.
Committees carry out much of the Senedd’s detailed work, bringing together Members from different parties to look at specific topics. They gather evidence, hear from the public and experts, and often visit affected communities.
Members use this work to make recommendations for change, publish reports, and participate in debates on the issues in the Siambr.
Senedd committees
The 13 new committees are:
- Early Years, Children, Young People and Education Committee
(Chair: Sera Evans MS) - Health and Social Care Committee
(Chair: Jayne Bryant MS) - Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
(Chair: James Evans MS) - Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee
(Chair: Zaynab Akbar MS) - Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
(Chair: Elwyn Vaughan MS) - Culture, Communications, Cymraeg and Sport Committee
(Chairs: Mair Rowlands MS and Lis McLean MS) - Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
(Chair: Carmelo Colasanto MS) - Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
(Chair: Carrie Harper MS) - Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
(Chair: Andrew Griffin MS) - Finance Committee
(Chair: Sam Rowlands MS) - Legislation Committee
(Chair: Sarah Cooper-Lesadd MS) - Standards of Conduct Committee
(Chair: Lindsay Whittle MS) - Petitions Committee
(Chair: Jason O'Connell MS)
The eight policy and legislation committees will each have nine members.
Four committees: Finance, Legislation, Public Accounts and Public Administration, and Petitions, will each have seven members. The Standards of Conduct Committee will have five members.
How committees are formed
Committee membership and chairs will be shared between parties based on the size of their party groups in the Senedd.
The party group representation in each of the nine-member Committees will be:
- Plaid Cymru: 4
- Reform: 3
- Labour: 1
- Conservatives: 1
In each of the seven-member Committees it will be:
- Plaid Cymru: 3
- Reform: 2
- Labour: 1
- Conservatives: 1
Where reasonably possible, one committee place must be offered to each of the three Members who are not in a political group.
What happens next
Committee members will be confirmed later in June, with the first committee meetings taking place shortly afterwards.
Some committees – including the Scrutiny of the First Minister Committee, Llywydd’s Committee and Chair’s Forum – will be established after Chairs have been elected.