Committees are created after a Senedd election.
There’s no set number of committees. The Senedd’s rules say that enough committees should exist to cover every area of Welsh Government responsibility.
The law also requires the Senedd to have a committee responsible for audit work.
Membership
Each political group decides which of their members will represent them on each committee. This is then agreed by the whole Senedd. The number of members each political group has on a committee depends on how many seats it has in the Senedd.
Committee members:
- work together to agree the committee’s work programme
- carry out work on issues they select or are asked to examine
- contribute to reports and other work
- agree on recommendations to government and other organisations.
Committee chairs
Every committee is chaired by a Member of the Senedd.
Usually, chairs of committees are elected by the whole Senedd. The number of chairs each political group holds depends on how many seats it has in the Senedd.
A committee chair is responsible for leading their committee’s work, and chairing meetings.
Meetings
Most committees meet every one or two weeks when the Senedd is sitting.
You can find out when Senedd committees are meeting on our calendar.
Committees generally meet on the Senedd estate in Cardiff Bay, but can also decide to meet in other places around Wales.
Whether on the Senedd estate or elsewhere, a committee can choose to hold an in-person meeting, a virtual meeting, or a mixture of both (known as a “hybrid meeting”).
Which meeting format is used is decided by the individual committee. The decision is based on factors such as:
- the preferences of the chair and members
- the availability of committee members
- location and needs of witnesses
- the business under consideration
Committees usually meet in public and their proceedings can be watched on Senedd TV.
Explore the topic
Schedule of committee meetings
How to take part in consultations
Guide to appearing before a Senedd Committee