Senedd Commission grilled on GB News, £2.7m rent and empty desks
The Senedd Commission faced questions on hybrid working, GB News and the cost of running the Welsh Parliament during its first scrutiny session of the new term on Wednesday 1 July.
The commission, chaired by Llywydd Huw Irranca-Davies, defended its policies after members challenged it on broadcasting rules, home working arrangements and spending at the Senedd estate.
Conservative Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Labour’s Vikki Howells, Reform’s Laura Anne Jones, and Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths also serve on the commission.
The members appointed to the commission act as the “governing board” for the Welsh Parliament, and are responsible for overseeing the delivery of its aims.
As such the Senedd commission takes questions on its work once every four week in the Siambr.
“Dangerous precedent”
Catherine Cullen, Reform MS for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, questioned the commission on access to GB News across the Senedd estate.
Mr Irranca-Davies responded by clarifying that a “wide range” of television channels and radio stations, including GB News, can be accessed using the Senedd IT network on laptops and other Senedd commission-issued devices.
He noted that the main function of the internal TV system on the Senedd estate is to “broadcast feeds of the Siambr and committee rooms, so that staff can follow business proceedings.”
Adding: “Under our existing policy, only those channels which have public service obligations, as set out in the Communications Act 2003, can be accessed, with the one addition of Sky News to ensure plurality of news programmes.”
Declaring an interest as a member of the Free Speech Union, Ms Cullen told the Siambr that the decision to “evict” GB News sets a “dangerous precedent”.
She said: “It’s simply not good enough to say that we can access it using our own personal devices.
“The commission, in my opinion, should allow free and equal access to all major broadcasters across the Senedd estate.
“Freedom of the press and speech is not about agreeing with every opinion that is aired, but is about defending the principle that people should be free to access competing perspectives.”
She called on the commission to consider “a fair and reflective approach to all news channels, for the sake of fairness, free speech and the free expression of the media.”
In response, Mr Irranca-Davies reiterated that competing perspectives can be accessed, by all members, on the devices provided to them.
He said: “The purpose of monitors around the building are not to watch either news or daytime TV or whatever. They’re to follow the business of the chamber and committees.”
Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said it was important to “be clear” about why GB News was banned from the Senedd estate in 2023.
She said: “It was following comments made by presenter Laurence Fox asking what, and I quote, ‘self-respecting man’ would ‘climb into bed’ with journalist Ava Evans.
“And he then went on to say, quote, ‘Who’d want to shag that?’”
Ms Dodds continued: “That went unchallenged. The situation was further worsened when Conservative Member Andrew RT Davies commented live on GB News that former Llywydd, Elin Jones, was too busy doing her hair to appear on the show.”
She told the Siambr that she finds it “perplexing” that members might want to the lift the ban, given it was “not about its political stance, but about misogyny and sexism”.
Mr Irranca-Davies noted that he had “little to add” to Ms Dodds contribution, but noted that GB News was “originally removed from the Senedd Commission’s internal TV network, following a broadcast that was deemed by Ofcom to break broadcasting rules, to protect viewers from offensive content.”
He told his Senedd colleagues that the broadcast was deemed “deliberately offensive to women in public life, in particular, and to dignified public debate more generally.”
“Full transparency”
Reform MS Jason O’Connell followed Ms Cullen’s question by pressing the Senedd Commission on its plans to reduce operating costs and provide “better value for taxpayers”.
Responding, Mr Irranca-Davies noted the commission is “tightly managing costs while protecting the services the Senedd needs”.
Commenting that the Senedd Commission is “not known for its fiscal efficiency”, Mr O’Connell drew attention to its lease on Tŷ Hywel – the red-brick building next to the Senedd which houses MSs and staff
He said: “The lease on the building is due to expire, with planned renovations costing the commission several million pounds to complete. This comes at great cost to the taxpayer, who we all answer to.”
Mr O’Connell called on the commission to reveal what action it is taking to keep costs down, including whether it is negotiating the rent.
Mr Irranca-Davies noted that while the commission does not have “an explicit efficiency target” it does set its budget in accordance with the needs of the Senedd in “full transparency”.
On Tŷ Hywel, he said commissioners are “fully focused” on making sure costs involved in things like renovations and leasing buildings are “fully factored into decisions” that can be debated in “full transparency”.
He added: “We all have an interest in making the most effective use of the money available to us, and you can rest assured that that’s what we’re seeking to do.”
“Relatively empty”
Janet Finch-Saunders, of the Welsh Conservatives, raised concerns about commission staff working from home.
Ms Finch-Saunders asked the commission how many of its staff work five days a week on the Senedd estate.
Noting the commission does not collect information on daily rates of working from home by its staff, Mr Irranca-Davies told the Siambr it does actively manage and review the performance of staff against “strategic goals, service requirements, and individual objectives”.
He added that, with the exception of those who cannot work outside of the estate such as security, porters, and front of house staff, all other roles can work from home when it “supports service delivery and management agreement”.
Ms Finch-Saunders said she has “seen differences […] where a number of staff are working from home”, and claimed staff are “harder to contact”.
She continued: “We’ve now got 96 Members, and £2.7 million is paid by the Senedd Commission on the rent of Tŷ Hywel alone.
“Apart from Tuesdays and Wednesdays, it’s fair to say that this building sometimes seems relatively empty. Often, only a handful of cars are in the car park, especially on a Friday.”
The Conservative MS asked what the commission is doing to encourage staff to return to working on the Senedd estate, adding: “Frankly, we need to see our staff coming back to work.”
In response, Mr Irranca-Davies said: “This place will not only be operating on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It has already started work on Monday and Thursday with the committees. And some poor members are on two committees, so they will be here four days a week. The staff required to service those committees and the work they’re doing will be available.”
He continued: “If members feel that the operational effect is affecting them, let us know.
“But I have to say that the feedback we have consistently is that our ways of working, where staff can work, for example, with hybrid working, or here onsite, but making themselves available to the outcomes that members need, are very effective indeed.”
Ella Groves – ICNN Senedd Reporter
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