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Petitions Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 2 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 25 November 2014 |
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Meeting time: |
09.01 - 10.03 |
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This meeting can be viewed on
Senedd TV at: |
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Concise Minutes: MeetingTitle |
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Assembly Members: |
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William Powell (Chair) Russell George Lindsay Whittle (In place of Bethan Jenkins) Ann Jones (In place of Joyce Watson) |
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Witnesses: |
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Committee Staff: |
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Steve George (Clerk) Kayleigh Driscoll (Deputy Clerk) Gareth Howells (Legal Adviser) |
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1 Introduction, apologies and substitutions
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were received from Bethan Jenkins AM who was substituted by Lyndsay Whittle AM and Joyce Watson AM who was substituted by Ann Jones AM.
2 Discussion of evidence session on 11 November 2014 - P-04-597 Protect the future of Funky Dragon, the Children and Young People’s Assembly for Wales
Members discussed the evidence session and agreed to attempt to facilitate a way forward involving partners such as:
· Children in Wales;
· The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty;
· The Children’s Commissioner; and
· A representative of the Assembly Commission.
3 New petitions
3.1 P-04-602 Personalisation of Graves
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to:
· highlight the petition to the Chair of the Cross Party Group for Funerals and Bereavement; and
· forward the petitioners’ comments to the Minister given his commitment to look into the matter further.
3.2 P-04-603 Helping Babies Born at 22 Weeks to Survive
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to:
- write to the Minister seeking his views on the petitioner’s comments about the basis of her petition and, specifically, for his views on whether medical assistance should be given to babies born alive and breathing; and
- request a research brief comparing how the issues are dealt with in Wales and the other nations of the UK.
3.3 P-04-604 Regarding the closure of Diabetes Patient Reference Groups and the cancellation of meetings of the Diabetic Planning and Delivery Group in Powys.
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the petitioner seeking his views on whether the aims of the petition have been met.
3.4 P-04-605 Save the Cwmcarn Forest Drive from Indefinite or Permanent Closure
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to seek further comments from the petitioner.
4 Updates to previous petitions
4.1 P-04-319 Newtown traffic petition
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the Minister’s promised update on the progress of the scheme.
4.2 P-04-393 Llanymynech and Pant Bypass Action Group
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister thanking her for the update and asking her to keep the Committee informed of developments and of the response from the Secretary of State.
4.3 P-04-416 North-South Rail Services
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek further comments from the petitioner.
4.4 P-04-468 Road Safety Concerns A48 Chepstow
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister drawing her attention to the petitioners’ letter and specifically their concerns about delaying the extension of the 30mph speed limit to cross the Wye Bridge.
4.5 P-04-475 Wanted - Buses for Meirionnydd
See agreed action under item 4.7.
4.6 P-04-513 Save the Wrexham/Barmouth X94 bus service
See agreed action under item 4.7.
4.7
5.1 P-04-515 Increase Funding for Welsh Bus Services
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to write to the Minister expressing disappointment that her reply does not answer many of the Committee’s questions and ask that she now addresses these questions as a matter of priority.
4.8 P-04-562 Caernarfon Heritage Centre
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to:
- write to the local authority and CADW asking if they would be prepared to meet the petitioners to discuss what further opportunities might be available to take the concept of a Heritage Centre in Caernarfon forward; and
- write to Caernarfon Town Council seeking their views on the petition.
4.9 P-04-561 Promotion of Grassroots Rugby in Wales to Encourage Take-Up of the Sport
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to:
- seek a response from the Welsh Rugby Union; and
- close the petition as the main thrust of the concerns behind the petition seem to be about broadcasting matters that are not devolved.
4.10 P-04-397 Living Wage
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to await the outcome of the Workforce Partnership Council meeting in December.
4.11 P-04-485 Abuse of casual contracts in Further Education
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to await the outcome of the review of the position in April 2015.
4.12 P-04-518 Universal Free School Lunches
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to close the petition in light of the Minister’s response and the Committee’s decision at its last meeting.
4.13 P-04-593 Advise schools on visits to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to:
- write to the Welsh Local Government Association highlighting the petition; and
- close the petition.
4.14 P-04-529 A Letting Agents Ombudsman for Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
to close the petition as the Government has made its position on the petition clear and has introduced legislation in this area.
4.15 P-04-573 Call on the Welsh Government to Investigate the Residential Leasehold System in Wales.
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister to comment on the petitioner’s further comments and on the issues raised in correspondence by Byron Davies AM.
4.16 P-04-532 Improving specialised neuromuscular services in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
- ask the Minister to be kept informed of progress in appointing a successor to Dr Andrew Goodall; and
- seek responses from the Health Boards who have not yet responded to the Committee’s original letter, copying in the Health Minister.
4.17 P-04-582 Much Needed Change to the Rules in our Schools with Regards to Head Lice and Nits
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
- seek further comments from the petitioner; and when these are available
- consider drawing the information in the correspondence from ‘Hairforce – Lice Assassins’ to the attention of the Minister for his views.
4.18 P-04-601 Proposed Ban on the Use of e-cigarettes in Public Places
The Committee considered correspondence the petition and agreed
to ask the Minister to respond to the petitioner’s further comments.
4.19 P-04-544 Ban the Shooting of Greenland White-fronted Geese
The Committee considered correspondence the petition and agreed
to seek further comments from the petitioner.
4.20 P-04-577 Reinstate Funding to the Real Opportunities Project
The Committee considered correspondence the petition and agreed to draw the Minister’s attention to the petitioner’s further comments. In particular, the invitations to meet the petitioners to discuss their proposal and to make the Minister aware of the event at the Senedd on 11 December as part of the Real Opportunities evaluation process