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Petitions Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 1 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 24 February 2015 |
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Meeting time: |
09.00 - 09.40 |
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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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Russell George Bethan Jenkins (Temporary Chair) Gwyn Price (In place of Joyce Watson) |
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Witnesses: |
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Committee Staff: |
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Steve George (Clerk) Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Helen Roberts (Legal Adviser) |
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1 Motion to elect temporary Chair
Having been nominated by Russell George, AM, Bethan Jenkins, AM was elected temporary Chair under Standing Order 17.22.
2 Introduction, apologies and substitutions
Apologies were received from William Powell, AM and Joyce Watson, AM. Both were attending the British Irish Parliamentary Association meeting in Dublin. Gwyn Price, AM attended in place of Joyce Watson.
3 Discussion of evidence session on 3 February 2015 - P-04-597 Protect the future of Funky Dragon, the Children and Young People’s Assembly for Wales
The Committee discussed the evidence session with Children in Wales held on 3 February and agreed to write to the Welsh Government and the Assembly Commission to ask:
· whether any further progress has been made towards establishing a representative youth body in succession to Funky Dragon; and
· for information on any meetings held in relation to the issues raised in the petition.
4 New petitions
4.1 P-04-617 Stop the Wholesale Hiving off of Public Libraries to the Voluntary Sector
The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism seeking his views on the petitioner’s further comments.
5 Updates to previous petitions
5.1 P-04-408 Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Service
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· Ask the Minister for Health and Social Services for his comments on Ms Missen’s correspondence;
· Maintain a watching brief on the matter and ask the Minister to be kept informed of developments: and
· Notify the petitioner of the CAMHS review due to be launched on Thursday 26 February to allow them the opportunity to submit their views should they wish to do so.
5.2 P-04-553 A full and independent investigation in to the health risks of wireless and mobile phone technologies in Wales including all schools
The Committee considered correspondence on the
petition and as previously agreed, decided to write to the Minister
for Health and Social Services seeking his views on:
· the evidence and information provided previously by OFCOM; and
· whether the Public Health England Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE-CRCE) takes account of evidence from within Wales in providing advice to the Welsh Government.
5.3 P-04-586 All NHS Wales staff to be Paid at Least the Hourly Living Wage Rate of £7.65.
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed, given that the petitioner has indicated that the matter has now been resolved through negotiations, to close the petition.
5.4 P-04-601 Proposed Ban on the Use of e-cigarettes in Public Places
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· Draw the matter to the attention of the Health and Social Care Committee for consideration should the proposed Public Health Bill, which is currently expected to be published before the summer recess, be referred to them for scrutiny; and
· Ask the Minister for his views on the petitioner’s further correspondence, in particular his comments on the Scottish Government’s engagement with the vaping community and his understanding of the decision not to pursue the banning of e-cigarettes in public places in Scotland.
5.5 P-04-603 Helping Babies Born at 22 Weeks to Survive
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek the petitioner’s further views following her meeting with government officials which had been due to be held on 18 February.
5.6 P-04-608 Inquiry into the Welsh NHS
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s letter.
5.7 P-04-422 Fracking
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister for Natural Resources to clarify and explain the parameters of recent reported remarks about a moratorium on fracking, which are not covered in his letter to the Committee.
5.8 P-04-536 Stop Factory Dairy Farming in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· Draw the petitioners’ additional comments to the attention of the Minister for Natural Resources: and
· Close the petition given the acceptance on both sides that Wales has a good record on animal husbandry and promotes high standards of farm animal welfare and that no clear evidence has been produced to demonstrate that there is any particular problem in Wales beyond the need for continued vigilance.
5.9 P-04-579 Reinstate funding for Skomer Island's Guillemot monitoring
The Committee discussed correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister for Natural Resources to ask for his views on the petitioner’s comments , specifically on the concerns expressed that the data collected under the JNCC contract may have produced flawed results.
5.10 P-04-605 Save the Cwmcarn Forest Drive from Indefinite or Permanent Closure
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister to ask his officials and NRW to work with the ‘Friends of Cwmcarn Forest Drive’ in arriving at a solution for the future of the drive.
5.11 P-04-458 Keep Further Education in the Public Sector
The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to close the petition given that the only remaining point at issue was point three of the petition and the petitioners have indicated that they have nothing further that they wish to add.
5.12 P-04-566 Review the School Admissions Code
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition given that there has been no response from the petitioner and the Minister has provided a detailed response to each of the issues raised in the petition.
5.13 P-04-540 Stop Sexism In Domestic Abuse
The Committee discussed correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to await the Minister’s response before considering how best to proceed.
5.14 P-04-556 No to Junction 41 closure
The Committee discussed correspondence and agreed to write to the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport asking for a response to the specific concerns outlined in the petitioner’s correspondence, including additional comments submitted on 23 February.
5.15 P-04-562 Caernarfon Heritage Centre
The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to:
· Facilitate contact between the petitioners and relevant officials in CADW and Gwynedd County Council;
· Write to all North Wales Members drawing the petition to their attention; and
· Close the petition.
5.16 P-04-565 Revive disused railway lines for leisure
The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to:
· ask the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport whether the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 could provide a mechanism for addressing the issues raised in the petition ; and
· write to SUSTRANS for their comments.
5.17 P-04-590 Funding for the Cardi Bach Coastal Bus Service
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and, given that the object of the petition had been agreed, decided to close the petition on the basis that if the situation changes in the future, a further petition can be raised.
5.18 P-04-539 Save Cardiff Coal Exchange
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· Write again to Cardiff County Council to establish the latest position; and
· Ask the Minister to keep the Committee updated on developments.
5.19 P-04-573 Call on the Welsh Government to Investigate the Residential Leasehold System in Wales
The Committee agreed correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek comments from the petitioner before moving to close the petition.
5.20 P-04-577 Reinstate Funding to the Real Opportunities Project
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· Inform the petitioner of the Minister’s advice that they should contact WEFO direct; and
· Seek comments from the petitioner before moving to close the petition.