Concise Minutes - Finance Committee


Meeting Venue: Hybrid - Committee

room 4 Tŷ Hywel and video conference

via Zoom

Meeting date: Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Meeting time: 09.30 - 12.00
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15383


Hybrid

------

Attendance

Category

Names

Members of the Senedd:

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS (Chair)

Mike Hedges MS

Sam Rowlands MS

Julie Morgan MS (In place of Rhianon Passmore MS)

Witnesses:

Elin Jones MS, Llywydd, Senedd Commission

Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Senedd, Senedd Commission

Ed Williams, Director of Senedd Resources, Senedd Commission

Lisa Bowkett, Chief Finance Officer, Senedd Commission

Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Welsh Government

Tania Nicholson, Deputy Director, Housing Quality, Welsh Government

Audrey Johns, Head of Building Safety Occupation Phase Policy, Welsh Government

Adrian Davies, Bill Manager, Welsh Government

Committee Staff:

Owain Roberts (Clerk)

Sian Giddins (Second Clerk)

Georgina Owen (Second Clerk)

Mike Lewis (Deputy Clerk)

Owen Holzinger (Researcher)

Martin Jennings (Researcher)

Joanne McCarthy (Researcher)

Christian Tipples (Researcher)

 

<AI1>

Registration

</AI1>

<AI2>

Private Pre-meeting

</AI2>

<AI3>

1       Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting of the Finance Committee.

 

1.2 Apologies were received from Rhianon Passmore MS. Julie Morgan MS substituted for Rhianon Passmore MS.

</AI3>

<AI4>

2       Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2026-27: Evidence session

2.1 The Committee took evidence on the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2026-27 from Elin Jones AS, Llywydd, Senedd Commission; Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Senedd, Senedd Commission; Lisa Bowkett, Chief Finance Office, Senedd Commission; and Ed Williams, Director of Resources, Senedd Commission.

</AI4>

<AI5>

Break

</AI5>

<AI6>

3       Financial implications of the Building Safety (Wales) Bill: Evidence session

3.1 The Committee took evidence on the financial implications of the Building Safety (Wales) Bill from Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Welsh Government; Tania Nicholson, Deputy Director, Housing Quality, Welsh Government Audrey Johns, Head of Building Safety Occupation Phase Policy, Welsh Government; and Adrian Davies, Bill Manager, Welsh Government.

 

3.2 The Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government agreed to provide a note on the following:

·         A breakdown of the costs and benefits as stated in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, in relation to the specific policy requirements of the Bill.

·         A breakdown of the £25.51 million in administrative costs for the Welsh Government in relation to specific activities, and where it will incur ongoing costs.

·         Clarification on whether any costs faced by leaseholders or residents in relation to the Bill will be outside of the rent cap.

</AI6>

<AI7>

4       Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting.

4.1 The motion was agreed.

</AI7>

<AI8>

5       Financial implications of the Building Safety (Wales) Bill: Consideration of evidence

5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

</AI8>

<AI9>

6       Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2026-27: Consideration of evidence

6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

</AI9>

<AI10>

7       Financial implications of the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill: Consideration of draft report

7.1 The Committee considered its report and agreed it with no changes.

</AI10>

<AI11>

8       Financial implications of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill: Consideration of draft report

8.1 The Committee considered its report and agreed it with minor changes.

</AI11>

<AI12>

9       Financial implications of the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill

9.1 The Committee considered the cover paper in relation to the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill and agreed to write to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs with specific questions.

</AI12>

<AI13>

10    Chair's Forum - Consultation: Reviewing Committee Effectiveness in the Sixth Senedd: Consideration of draft response

10.1 The Committee considered its draft consultation response and agreed it with minor changes.

</AI13>

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