Petitions Committee |
Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 1 - Senedd |
|
|
||
|
|
||||
Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 26 November 2013 |
|
|||
|
|
||||
Meeting time: |
09:03 - 10:59 |
|
|||
|
|
||||
This meeting can be viewed on Senedd
TV at: |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
Concise Minutes: |
|||||
|
|
|
|||
Assembly Members: |
|
William Powell (Chair) Russell George Bethan Jenkins Joyce Watson |
|||
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
Witnesses: |
|
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
Committee Staff: |
|
Steve George (Clerk) Kayleigh Driscoll (Deputy Clerk) Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Helen Roberts (Legal Advisor) |
|||
|
|
||||
Transcript
View the meeting transcript.
1 Introduction, apologies and substitutions
The Chair welcomed everyone to the Committee. There were no apologies.
2 Discussion of evidence session on 11 November 2013
2.1P-04-466 Medical Emergency - Preventing the introduction of a poorer Health Service for North Wales
2.2P-04-479 Tywyn Memorial Hospital X-ray & Minor Injuries Unit Petition Unit Petition
Members discussed the evidence sessions on the 11 November and agreed to ask the Local Health Board whether they have done a Traffic Impact Assessment and what this might demonstrate about getting patients treatment within the “golden hour”; and to consider the petitioners’ further written comments.
2.3P-04-343 Prevent the destruction of amenities on common land - Anglesey
Members discussed the evidence session on 11 November and agreed to;
· write to the Police Commissioner for North Wales and the Chief Constable seeking their views on the apparent illegality on the common;
· write to the NFU and FUW for their views on the issues raised by the petitioners;
· ask the Environment Committee to consider the implications of the petition when considering forthcoming legislation; and
· recirculate to Members the legal brief summarising the issue.
2.4P-04-496 Through Schools
Members discussed the evidence session and agreed to:
· await the petitioners’ reflections on previous correspondence from the Minister; and
· write to the WLGA and the Diocesan authorities seeking their views on the petition.
2.5P-04-432 Stop the Army Recruiting in Schools
Members discussed the evidence heard on 11 November and agreed to summarise the Committee’s consideration of the petition and expand on the wider issues, including the role of the Careers Service are providing in schools.
3 New petitions
3.1P-04-514 A Welsh clean coal and/or renewable energy power station instead of the proposed Wylfa B nuclear plant at Anglesey
The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Minister for Natural Resources and Food seeking his views.
3.2P-04-515 Increase Funding for Welsh Bus Services
The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:
· write to the Minister Economy, Science and Transport seeking her views on the petition; and
· group the petition with other bus services in Wales related petitions, and undertake a short piece of work on the issues.
3.3P-04-516 Make political science compulsory in education
The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Minister for Education and Skills seeking his views.
3.4P-04-517 Stop the Welsh Assembly Government from bringing in the monitoring of electively home educated children under the guise of safeguarding
The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to:
· the Minister for Education and Skills; and
· the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology
seeking their views on the petition, including how Ministers have assessed their duties in respect of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
3.5P-04-518 Universal Free School Lunches
The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to:
· the Minister for Education and Skills; and
· the Welsh Local Government Association
seeking their views on the petition.
4 Updates to previous petitions
4.1P-04-483 A plain English /Cymraeg clir policy for all Welsh Assembly and Government communications
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to prepare a short summary of the responses received from stakeholders.
4.2P-03-315 New Dyfi River Crossing Petition
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· ask the Minister, in light of her recent statement, the timeframe for the study; and
· ask the petitioners’ again whether they have any response to the Minister’s statement.
4.3P-04-319 Newtown traffic petition
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister to be kept informed of further developments as measures suggested by the stakeholder group are developed by the Minister’s officials.
4.4P-04-393 Llanymynech and Pant Bypass Action Group
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister to be kept informed of the results of traffic monitoring over the next twelve months and to be told if the there are any further developments with the Highways Agency in England.
4.5P-04-446 Business Rate Relief for Welsh Charity Shops
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister forwarding the petitioners latest correspondence, and asking to be kept informed of the results of her enquiries of the UK and other devolved governments.
4.6P-04-468 Road Safety Concerns A48 Chepstow
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· thank the Minister for her further response and ask to be kept informed of developments; and
· ask the petitioners again whether they have any response to the Minister’s letter.
4.7P-04-475 Wanted - Buses for Meirionnydd
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
4.8P-04-508 Restore the Glandyfi view
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, in light of the Minister’s response clearly stating that it is not possible to reduce the height of the wall.
4.9P-04-362 Ambulance Services in Monmouth
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition as the action on the matter now rests with the Health and Social Care Committee.
4.10 P-04-448 Improve Sexual health services for Western Vale
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Chief Executive of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board expressing concern at the lack of response, and copying in the Minister for Health and Social Care.
4.11 P-04-452 Equal Rights for Tube-fed Youngsters
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to
· note the situation and ask the Minister for an update, following Stage 2 of the Bill on whether the changes made have resolved the situation: and
· ask the petitioner for views on the Minister’s letter.
4.12 P-04-457 The Charitable Chaplaincy Campaign
4.13 P-04-474 Support for NHS chaplaincy services
The Committee considered correspondence on the petitions and agreed to:
· Prepare a draft letter to the Minister drawing together the various issues that have arisen during consideration of the petition and suggesting matters for the Minister’s further consideration; and
· Consider closing the petition once this is done.
4.14 P-04-463 Reduction of Salt Levels in Food
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to;
· close the petition, in light of the Minister’s response which indicates the action that is being taken and currently possible; and
· draw the Minister’s attention to the petitioner’s request for a meeting to address these issues.
4.15 P-04-490 Antiretroviral Medication in Cardiff
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister asking for his views on the petitioner’s comments. In particular:
· the extent to which clinicians may depart from guidance;
· the calculation of the £15-50 million estimate of savings and the reason for the wide variation in the two figures; and
· ask the Minister whether the guidance is used in the NHS in other parts of the UK.
The Committee considered also agreed, in the light of the reference in the Local Health Board’s letter to write to the LHB asking for more information on the assessment made by Sexual Health Consultants of problems incurred by patients.
4.16 P-04-501 Day Centres for the elderly in Wales to be made statutory
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to highlight the petition to the Chair of the Communities, Equalities and Local Government Committee and ask whether they have the capacity to look at the issue.
4.17 P-04-505 Eating Disorder Unit in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· note the responses; and
· group the petition with P-04-408 Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Service and return to both petitions when the Minister has completed his review.
4.18 P-04-363 Town Centre Improvement Scheme for Fishguard
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to await a response from the petitioner and the County Council.
4.19 P-04-419 Wind Farm Moratorium
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, in light of the Minister clearly stating that he does not support a wind farm moratorium.
4.20 P-04-423 Brooklands Nursing Home
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, given that the planning application that was the cause of the petition has now been withdrawn.
4.21 P-04-469 Remove the Right-To-Buy Regional Price Cap
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, in light of the Minister clearly stating that the Welsh Government do not intend to change their policy in this area.
4.22 P-04-473 Wind Farm Public Inquiry Financial Support
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, in light of the response from Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Welsh Government making their positions clear.
4.23 P-04-497 National Graduate Housing Scheme
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, in light of the Minister’s response indicating that there is little prospect of the Welsh Government adopting such an approach.
4.24 P-04-503 Regeneration of Ton and Pentre
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition, in light of the Minister stating that the current European Convergence Programme is fully committed and it is too early in the new programme to consider individual applications.
4.25 P-04-397 Living Wage
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Workforce Partnership Council asking for a timeframe of when they envisage to develop the Living Wage.
4.26 P-04-454 Call to end Councillor and Assembly Member Dual Role
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the petitioner again if he has any comments on the responses received.
4.27 P-04-495 Stop People Trafficking & Slavery in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· write to the Chair of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee highlighting the petition as part of the work they are currently undertaking on Human Trafficking; and
· close the petition.
4.28 P-04-445 Save our Welsh cats & dogs from death on the roads
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to defer the petition to a future meeting, to enable the Committee time to consider the petitioners views on the RSPCA’s letter.
4.29 P-04-422 Fracking
Due to time constraints, this item was deferred to the meeting on 10 December 2013.
4.30 P-04-444 Dig for Victory
Due to time constraints, this item was deferred to the meeting on 10 December 2013.
4.31 P-04-436 Government Expenditure and Revenue Wales
Due to time constraints, this item was deferred to the meeting on 10 December 2013.
4.32 P-04-441 Gwaith i Gymru - Work for Wales
Due to time constraints, this item was deferred to the meeting on 10 December 2013.
4.33 P-04-484 EMA for all!
Due to time constraints, this item was deferred to the meeting on 10 December 2013.