This page should be able to answer many of the questions media and journalists have regarding Senedd matters, processes and contacts.
Where appropriate, links to specific pages providing more information are included, as are links to external organisations where a query is beyond the Senedd news team’s remit.
Any questions you feel are missing, or which need clarifying, please contact the Senedd news team.
Sections
Filming, Photography and Media facilities
Plenary
I want to know more about what happens in Plenary.
Please visit the Plenary section of the Senedd website where there is information about how Plenary works, when it is, who is allowed to speak and other information.
To find out about what has been said in Plenary meetings, please visit the Record of Proceedings which can be searched by date, member and/or keywords, among other filters.
When is a transcript of Plenary available?
A draft transcript of Plenary is published on a rolling basis in the language spoken and starts to appear about an hour after the start of Plenary. It is updated every quarter of an hour.
The Record of Proceedings itself is published online within 24 hours and includes links to the full voting results, to Members’ biographies and to Senedd TV. There is also functionality to share individual contributions from Members on social media and options to copy as plain text for ease of printing.
The fully bilingual final version, with all contributions given in both languages, is published within three working days. Answers to Oral Questions not reached in Plenary meetings are published within 24 hours.
More information about translation and interpretation can be found here.
How can I find out the result of a vote in Plenary?
Votes usually occur electronically and the result is displayed shortly after votes are cast on screens in the debating chamber and shown on Senedd TV. The result is then noted in the Record of Proceedings.
How can I find out which Member voted which way?
Voting results, including individual member votes, are usually published shortly after the meeting finishes and made available to view on the Record of Proceedings.
How can I find out how a Bill is progressing?
Please visit the Legislation area of the Senedd website to see which stage a Bill is at.
And find out more information about how laws are made here.
What is the voting system in the Senedd?
Voting in Plenary meetings takes place electronically, either via voting buttons in the debating chamber, or via a secure app available to Members attending virtually.
Should the electronic voting system not work, the Llywydd has the option of a show of hands, or calling MSs individually for their vote.
What do members vote for?
Members vote on:
- Laws and amendments to laws
- Regulations
- Motions and amendments to motions
- The Welsh Government budget
- The Senedd Commission budget
- Annual reports
- Changes to the Senedd rules, known as Standing Orders
How can I watch Plenary or committee meetings?
Plenary and committee meetings are streamed live at www.senedd.tv. The site has a pause and rewind feature as well as video on-demand. Agenda items link to the relevant section of the video. All previous meetings are available on Senedd TV as well and are linked to from Plenary and committee meeting agendas and meeting transcripts.
Under Coronavirus restrictions, Plenary is held in a hybrid format with 20 Members of the Senedd allowed in the debating chamber and the remaining 40 joining via video conferencing.
Where a meeting is not on the Senedd estate, live streaming is taken on a case-by-case basis, including considerations such as broadband availability and bandwidth.
Can I record, download or clip Senedd proceedings?
Senedd TV allows viewers to download or embed Senedd proceedings. A guide for how to do that is available on Senedd TV.
Committees
I want to know more about a committee inquiry.
Part of the work of the Senedd’s scrutiny committees is to examine Welsh Government policy in areas such as health, the economy, environment and education.
Committees can conduct inquiries, gathering evidence from the general public, stakeholders, interesting parties and the Welsh Government. An inquiry usually results in the publication of a report, or sometimes a letter with a series of recommendations.
More information on a specific inquiry can be found on the relevant committee pages, including past and future meetings, public consultation responses and correspondence with Welsh Government ministers.
How can I find out what’s going on in a Senedd committee meeting?
Senedd committee’s publish details of meeting agenda’s up to five days beforehand. Meeting agendas can be found on the Senedd calendar, via the committee’s own web pages or its social media channels.
How can I find out when a Senedd committee will publish a report?
Where a Senedd committee is considering a bill (a proposed law), a legislative timetable is set out including a date by which a committee must publish its report.
Policy scrutiny and other inquiries usually do not have fixed timescales or reporting deadlines. You can keep up to date with a committee’s progress by following its social media channels.
When is a transcript of committee meetings available?
Transcripts of committee meetings are made available in draft form within three to five working days, with a final version published within 10 working days.
Committee transcripts include the Welsh to English interpretation broadcast during the meeting, but English contributions are not translated into Welsh.
Members of the Senedd
I want to know more about MS pay, expenses and allowances
Information about Members’ pay, expenses and allowances can be found in the Members of the Senedd section of the website.
Members’ expenses claims are published quarterly.
Who decides on MSs pay, expenses and allowances?
The independent Remuneration Board sets MS pay, expenses and allowances. It’s latest determination and other announcements can be found on the Remuneration Board website.
I have a question about the conduct of Members of the Senedd.
The Senedd code of conduct can be found in the Members area of the Senedd website.
Investigations into the conduct of Members is undertaken by the independent Standards Commissioner for Wales.
The Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee reviews reports from the Standards Commissioner and recommends any possible penalties for breaching the code. Any recommended penalty is then debated and voted on by Members of the Senedd.
The Senedd news team cannot comment on whether or not a Member has broken the code of conduct, or whether a complaint has been submitted to the Standards Commissioner.
I want to speak to a specific Member of the Senedd.
Contact details of Members of the Senedd are available on individual Members’ profile pages.
I want to speak to/interview a Welsh Government minister.
Please contact the Welsh Government media office on 0300 025 8099.
I have a question about Welsh Government policy or an announcement.
Please direct your query to the Welsh Government media office on 0300 025 8099.
I have a question about something a Welsh Government minister said in Plenary or in a statement or interview.
A rough transcript of Plenary proceedings is published on an hour by hour basis as the meeting continues. A translated version is available in 24 hours.
Plenary is also available to view live and on-demand via Senedd TV.
Any queries regarding what a Welsh Government minister said in Plenary, a statement or in an interview should be directed to the Welsh Government media office on 0300 025 8099.
I want a response from a political party or group.
Please contact the relevant political party or group directly.
I want to talk to or interview the Llywydd.
Please contact the Senedd news team unless the query regards a matter in connection with the Member’s constituency or regional work.
I want a response from the Senedd about something a Member or member of the public said.
The Senedd news team may be able to provide further information or a response on a specific enquiry.
Filming, Photography and Media facilities
What facilities are there for media and journalists on the Senedd estate?
The Senedd lobby provides office and studio space for journalists from the BBC, ITV and ITN. The writers’ room provides desk space for Senedd correspondents from national and local newspaper and online media.
Media passholders are able to access some restricted parts of the Senedd estate, including the Cwrt area outside the debating chamber and committee rooms in the Senedd building.
An ISDN point is available for radio stations to book via the Senedd news team.
Wifi is provided across the Senedd estate.
Filming, live broadcasting and recording is allowed on the Senedd estate.
Anyone wishing to do so should first look at the Senedd’s filming and photography request criteria.
How do I apply for a media pass?
Space for media and journalists on the Senedd estate is limited. Please see our section on media passes, including eligibility criteria before applying.
Can I film/record/photograph in viewing galleries?
Filming, recording and photography is allowed on the Senedd viewing galleries on a case-by-case basis. Media wishing to do so should first submit a filming and photography request.
Can I request video footage or photographs?
The Senedd news team has a bank of stock video and photographs available for use by media. Please contact the news team with your request.
Does the Senedd have regional offices I can use?
The Senedd estate includes the Senedd, Ty Hywel and Pierhead building in Cardiff Bay. There is also a contact centre office in Colwyn Bay which is not available to use by media.
The Senedd does not have any other offices.
Can I film, photograph or live broadcast on the Senedd estate?
Filming, live broadcasting and photography is allowed on the Senedd estate.
Please refer to the filming and photography request section of our website for more details on criteria and how to apply.
Who is responsible for Senedd elections and the voting method?
Powers to set the rules around Senedd elections, including the voting method, lie with the Senedd.
Senedd elections, including candidates, vote counts and results are managed by the Electoral Commission.
Welsh language
What is the Senedd’s Welsh language policy?
The Senedd’s Welsh language policy is set out under the National Assembly for Wales (Official Languages) Act 2012. Under the Act, Members of the Senedd, staff and visitors are able to speak either language.
More information about the Senedd’s Welsh language policy can be found here.
Do I have to speak Welsh to be a member of the media lobby?
No. The Senedd is a bilingual institution meaning people are able to speak in the language of their choice.
Welsh is translated into English during live plenary and committee proceedings and all Senedd information and publications are issued bilingually.
Members, staff, visitors and other people working on the Senedd estate are encouraged and supported in the use of Welsh.
For more information, please see our bilingual policy.
Accessibility
How accessible is the Senedd estate?
Hearing loops, braille signs and wheelchair ramps are just some of the facilities available to people who either work on or visit the Senedd estate.
For more information, please see our accessibility policies.
Coronavirus
How is the Senedd operating under Coronavirus?
The Senedd is able to operate under a hybrid format with Plenary meetings held both in the debating chamber and virtually via video conferencing.
More information about the Senedd and Coronavirus can be found here?
Can I still visit the Senedd estate under Coronavirus restrictions?
Access to the Senedd estate is currently limited to essential staff and personal. However, media and journalists are still allowed on a limited basis. Any media passholder wishing to visit the estate should first contact the Senedd news team to confirm.
