The Cabinet of the Welsh Government is made up of the First Minister, Cabinet Secretaries, Ministers and the Counsel General to the Welsh Government.

All ​Senedd committees have a Chair, elected by the Senedd and who usually sits at the head of the table during committee meetings. The Chair’s main role is to ensure that there is a fair balance of opportunities for committee members to ask questions and for witnesses to respond. In effect, the Chair has similar responsibilities in committee meetings to the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officer when chairing Plenary meetings.

The Clerk of the Senedd is also the Senedd Commission’s Chief Executive and is the person answerable for the effectiveness of the service. The Clerk is also the Principal Accounting Officer for the Commission. The accounting officer has responsibility for ensuring that tax payers’ money is spent in accordance with the law and with rules designed to ensure that it is spent appropriately and transparently.

See Chief Executive and Clerk of the Senedd.

An arrangement whereby more than one political party agrees to form a government, usually occurring where no party wins more than half the seats.

The Code of Conduct for Members of the Senedd aims to provide guidance for all Members on the standards of conduct expected of them in the discharge of their Senedd and public duties.

Commencement orders specify a date when primary legislation comes into force. They are a type of subordinate legislation that are not usually subject to any formal procedure in the Senedd and do not have to be laid before the Senedd. Commencement Orders can, at times, be Commencement Regulations, but they achieve the same thing.

The corporate body for the Senedd is known as the Senedd Commission, and has responsibility for the provision of property, staff and services to support Members. The Commission is headed by five Commissioners: the Llywydd (Presiding Officer) and four other Members nominated by the main political parties.

Committees are small groups of Members who collectively represent the balance of the political parties in the Senedd. One of the committee's members will have been elected by the Senedd as the committee's Chair. Committees scrutinise proposed legislation (Bills) and Welsh Government policies and make recommendations for improvements. Members who are also Cabinet Secretaries or Welsh Ministers cannot become members of committees.

See Chair.

A political assembly based in Brussels comprised of representatives from local and regional authorities across the European Union that is consulted on European Union policy development and legislation relevant to the local and regional level. Wales has four representatives within the UK delegation of 48 (24 full and 24 alternate Members): two from the Senedd and two from the Welsh Local Government Association.

This is when amendments to a Bill are considered at Stage 2 proceedings by all Members, rather than just by those elected to a particular committee.

See Legislative Consent Motions.

A Consolidation Bill may be introduced by a member of the Government for the purpose of consolidating existing primary legislation, secondary legislation, and common law (Standing Order 26C.2).

Wales is divided into 40 electoral areas, known as constituencies, and each elects a Member (MS) to the Senedd under the first-past-the-post system.

The Senedd is made up of 60 elected Members. 40 are chosen to represent individual constituencies and 20 are chosen to represent the five regions of Wales.

Public consultation means asking members of the public for their views on a particular issue. This can be done by asking people to write to the Senedd setting out what they think about a particular issue. This is called a "Call for evidence". Anyone can respond to a call for evidence, in writing, through videos or in an audio form (giving written and digital information to a committee).

The Chief Legal Adviser to the Welsh Government. The Counsel General is not a Welsh Minister, but is a member of the Welsh Government. The Counsel General does not have to be a Member of the Senedd.

Cross-Party Groups may be set up by Members in respect of any subject area relevant to the Senedd. A group must include Members from three political party groups represented within the Senedd.

This is a space where Members meet before and after debates, close to the committee rooms in the Senedd building.