Llywydd of the Senedd
Llywydd Senedd Cymru
Incumbent
Elin Jones
since 11 May 2016
Senedd
StyleLlywydd
(within Parliament)
The Right Honourable
(formal)
AppointerSenedd
(elected by)
Term lengthNo limits imposed
Inaugural holderDafydd Elis-Thomas
12 May 1999
Formation1999
Unofficial namesPresiding Officer of the Senedd
Llywydd / Presiding Officer of the Welsh Parliament
Websitehttps://senedd.wales/senedd-business/llywydd/

The Llywydd (Welsh: [ˈɬəu̯.ɪð]), or Presiding Officer in English, is the speaker of the Senedd in Wales, elected by Members of the Senedd to chair their meetings (plenary sessions); to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.

The Llywydd also heads the Corporate Body (known as the Senedd Commission) and as such is viewed as a figurehead for the entire organisation. One Deputy Presiding Officer[1] (Welsh: Dirprwy Lywydd) is also elected to help fulfil the role. The office of the Llywydd is based in Tŷ Hywel and is also responsible for the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay. In their roles, neither the Llywydd nor the Deputy Presiding Officer (Dirprwy Lywydd) are allowed to participate in Senedd votes, except where legislation requires those votes to be passed by two-thirds of Members.[2]

Role of the Llywydd

The main function is to chair plenary sessions of the Senedd, to maintain order and to protect the rights of Members. They are responsible for ensuring that business is handled on the basis of equality and impartiality.

The Llywydd is also responsible for Standing Orders and is the final authority on their interpretation. The Llywydd also acts as Chair of the Senedd Commission, and has special responsibility for promoting democratic engagement, leadership, developing the Senedd's future legislative powers and external relations

Along with the Deputy Presiding Officer (Dirprwy Lywydd), they are politically responsible for all aspects of the Presiding Office to which the Standing Orders relate.

The Llywydd chairs meetings of the Panel of Subject Committee Chairs, where committee procedures and matters affecting Committee business are discussed. In addition to this, the Llywydd acts as the ambassador for the Senedd, attending speakers' conferences and other events in order to publicise and raise the profile of the Senedd.

List of Llywyddion and Deputy Presiding Officers

Current Llywydd and Deputy Presiding Officer

Position Current holder Term started Political party Constituency
Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Elin Jones MS 11 May 2016 Plaid Cymru Ceredigion
Deputy Presiding Officer (Dirprwy Lywydd) David Rees MS 12 May 2021 Labour Aberavon

List of Llywyddion (Presiding Officers)

Name Picture Entered office Left office Political party Notes
The Rt Hon The Lord Elis-Thomas PC AM 12 May 1999 11 May 2011 Plaid Cymru Elected unopposed 1999,[3] re-elected unopposed 2003 and 2007
Dame Rosemary Butler DBE AM 11 May 2011 11 May 2016 Labour Elected unopposed 2011.[4]
Elin Jones MS 11 May 2016 Incumbent Plaid Cymru Elected 2016, re-elected 2021.

Beat Dafydd Elis-Thomas 34 votes to 25 with 1 abstention on 11 May 2016[5]
Beat Russell George 35 votes to 25 for re-election on 12 May 2021.

List of Deputy Presiding Officers (Dirprwy Lywyddion)

Name Picture Entered office Left office Political party Notes
Jane Davidson AM 12 May 1999 17 October 2000 Labour First Assembly.

Elected unopposed.[3] Resigned from post when she became a Government Minister.

John Marek AM 19 October 2000 7 May 2003 Labour Remainder of the first Assembly

Beat Rosemary Butler 28 votes to 27[6]

7 May 2003 9 May 2007 Forward Wales Second Assembly.

Beat Peter Law 30 votes to 29[7]

Rosemary Butler AM 9 May 2007 11 May 2011 Labour Third Assembly

Elected unopposed[8]

David Melding AM 11 May 2011 11 May 2016 Conservative Fourth Assembly

Beat William Graham 46 votes to 12[4]

Ann Jones MS 11 May 2016 12 May 2021 Labour Fifth Assembly

Beat John Griffiths 30 votes to 29[5]

David Rees MS 12 May 2021 Incumbent Labour Sixth Senedd

Beat Hefin David 35 votes to 24.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Deputy Presiding Officer". senedd.wales. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, SO6.20-6.21" (PDF). Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Official record" (PDF). www.assembly.wales. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Business item". National Assembly for Wales.
  5. 1 2 "Record of Proceedings". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "Official record" (PDF). www.assembly.wales. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. ↑ "Official record" (PDF). www.assembly.wales. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  8. ↑ "Business item". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
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