Meeting Venue: Committee Room 3
Video Conference via Zoom
Meeting date: Monday, 23 May 2022
Meeting time: 14.00 - 15.33
This meeting can
be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/12836
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|
Category |
Names |
|
Members of the Senedd: |
Jack Sargeant MS (Chair) Luke Fletcher MS Joel James MS Buffy Williams MS |
|
Witnesses: |
Alex Nilan, Almost Home Dog Rescue Alain Thomas, Greyhound Rescue Wales Vanessa Waddon, Hope Rescue |
|
Committee Staff: |
Gareth Price (Clerk) Mared Llwyd (Second Clerk) Kayleigh Imperato (Deputy Clerk) |
1 Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were no apologies.
Luke Fletcher declared that he is a member of Greyhound Rescue Wales.
2 Evidence session - P-06-1253 Ban greyhound racing in Wales
The Committee heard evidence from Vanessa Waddon, founder of Hope Rescue, Alain Thomas, founder of Greyhound Rescue Wales and Alex Nilan, Chair of Almost Home Dog Rescue.
3 New Petitions
3.1 P-06-1252 Calling on the Welsh Government not to vaccinate children 12 years and younger against COVID-19
The Committee considered the petition and noted the response from the Welsh Government and the advice of the JCVI, World Health Organisation and the European Central for Disease Control, agreeing to thank the petitioner and close the petition.
3.2 P-06-1270 Make October 21st an official Memorial Day for those killed and affected by the Aberfan Disaster
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to ask that they further consider the request for a day of remembrance or memorial day for those who have been killed in industrial and mining disasters rather than a designated bank holiday.
3.3 P-06-1273 Drastically reduce waiting times for ambulances and at A&E departments
The Committee considered the petition and noted the difficult circumstances that generated this petition, and that it is sadly not an experience unique to the petitioner. The Committee noted that the Health and Social Care Committee have recently held an inquiry into hospital waiting times and ambulance waiting times. The Committee therefore agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition pending the publication of the Health and Social Care report and Welsh Government’s response.
3.4 P-06-1274 Stop the removal of the Rapid Response Vehicle for Monmouth
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to ask for a response to the issues highlighted by the petitioner, to ascertain whether all relevant data was considered and how local health providers and emergency services were consulted as part of this work.
3.5 P-06-1275 Call on the Government to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the Llanbedr bypass scheme
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition pending the publication of a new plan following the Roads Review.
3.6 P-06-1277 Save A&E. Withybush General Hospital must retain 24 hour, 7 days a week, Consultant Led urgent care
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Senedd’s Business Committee in order to request a Plenary debate in the Senedd.
4 Updates to previous petitions
4.1 P-05-924 Ensure that every school in Wales has Wellbeing Ambassadors
Prior to the meeting the Committee watched a video from the Wellbeing ambassadors, who had also recently visited the Senedd. The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to ask if there have been any further developments since November 2019, and specifically about whether the anti-bullying guidance and the whole school approach framework is in place.
4.2 P-05-1106 Introduce Personal Health Budgets and Personalised Care in Wales
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Welsh Government expressing concern regarding the failure to ensure individual’s independence and control over their care provision. The Committee also agreed to ask them to:
4.3 P-06-1213 Ban leisure use of Seadoo/jet ski in Cymru. Except in strictly controlled designated areas
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition pending the publication of the findings of the UK consultation on whether these types of craft should be within scope of the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act.
4.4 P-06-1240 Improve health services for people with epilepsy living in Wales
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask how the Welsh Government are monitoring that each health board has the appropriate level of support that is needed.
The Committee also agreed to write to all Health Boards in Wales to ask what services and resources are in place to meet the needs of people with epilepsy across Wales, and if there are any gaps in services and resources at present.
4.5 P-06-1242 Improve Endometriosis Healthcare in Wales
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write back to the Welsh Government to seek answers to the concerns and further questions raised by the petitioner. The Committee also agreed that it would support the call to raise awareness to Endometriosis and write to Health and Care Research Wales and Welsh Universities in order to highlight data gaps in order to help improve the quality of research into endometriosis.
4.6 P-06-1243 Reinstate cervical screening to every 3 years
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to close the petition, congratulating the petitioner for highlighting this particularly important issue, and by doing so ensuring the facts were explained, shared and widely publicised.
5 P-06-1207 Start referring to Welsh cities and towns by their Welsh names
The paper was noted.
6 Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting
The motion was agreed.
7 Discussion of evidence - P-06-1253 Ban greyhound racing in Wales
The Committee discussed the evidence heard and agreed that it would continue to take further evidence on this petition.
8 Discussion on the draft Annual Report
The Committee considered the draft Annual Report and agreed to publish this as an overview of the Committee’s work during its first year.