Some Senedd members leave committee meetings too early

Elin Jones reminds members "of the importance of making time for committee business"

Some Senedd members have been rebuked by senior colleagues for not fully attending committee meetings.

Presiding officer Elin Jones has written to members expressing committee chairs' concerns that a minority of them prioritise other commitments and "routinely" leave meetings too early.

Committees scrutinise Welsh government spending and policies, examine proposed new laws and hold ministers to account.

There are plans to increase the number of Senedd members from 60 to 96.

'Need to be challenged'

Political commentator Gareth Hughes said "if they are not working hard now, they are less likely to do so when there are 96 of them. They need to be challenged more".

In her letter the Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones tells Senedd members of concerns raised at a meeting of the chairs' forum - an informal committee of committee chairs, chaired by herself.

The forum seeks to enable the 15 Senedd committees to "maximise their efficiency and effectiveness".

Gareth Hughes said some members of the Welsh Parliament "need to be challenged more"

The Llywydd says "a minority of committee members are prioritising other commitments over committee business".

She says that "one issue, described by chairs, is that some committee members routinely leave at the end of the public part of a meeting.

"This means they are not present for private agenda items that might be scheduled at the end of a meeting. This is disrupting the work of some committees."

'Expect to be fully engaged'

If members leave before private agenda items, their name will still appear on the attendance list and anyone who had been watching proceedings on senedd.tv would be unaware that the member had not stayed.

The Llywydd also says that "whilst occasional absence from committee meetings is anticipated in our procedures, it is expected that a substitute will be sent in place of an absent member to avoid disruption to committee business."

Ms Jones reminds members that "committee chairs expect members of their committees to be fully engaged with all aspects of a committee's work, and to prioritise committee work over other commitments for the full duration of committee meetings (including any private items scheduled).

"This is essential if committees are to be effective in the delivery of their objectives."

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She acknowledges that there are sometimes "legitimate reasons why a member might not be able to engage fully with the work of a committee".

She says a member should discuss such circumstances with the relevant committee chair, so that the chair "can take account of this, from the perspective of supporting the member, and delivering the committee's objectives."

'Limit turnover'

A report commissioned through the Senedd Research Academic Fellowship Scheme and published in November 2021 - Power, Influence and Impact of Senedd Committees - has been endorsed by the chairs' forum.

To "create the conditions for effective committees", the report's author, Professor Diana Stirbu of London Metropolitan University, recommended that "guidance should be issued to political parties to prioritise committee work and limit turnover in committee membership".

She said "effective committees have members who are fully engaged and interested in their work" and are "prepared, are listening, and supporting each other in committee sessions".

The plans to increase the number of politicians in the Senedd by 36 have been proposed by Labour and Plaid Cymru, while Conservatives are opposed.