Concise Minutes - Petitions Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 1 - Senedd

Meeting date: Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Meeting time: 09.01 - 10.55
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/4370

------

Attendance

Category

Names

Assembly Members:

David J Rowlands AM (Chair)

Rhun ap Iorwerth AM

Janet Finch-Saunders AM

Mike Hedges AM

Neil McEvoy AM

Witnesses:

Tim Deere-Jones, Petitioner

Peter Bryant, EDF Energy

Chris Fayers, EDF Energy

Stephen Roast, EDF Energy

Committee Staff:

Graeme Francis (Clerk)

Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk)

Claire O'Sullivan (Legal Adviser)

Wendy Dodds (Secretariat)

 

<AI1>

1       Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  There were no apologies.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       New petitions

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1   P-05-784 Prescription drug dependence and withdrawal - recognition and support

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to share the information provided by the petitioner and to ask for his views in response, including on:

·         whether antidepressants should be added to the list of drugs targeted for reduction by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group; and

·         whether patients across Wales should have access to a Prescribed Medication Support Service.

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.2   P-05-787 Save the Future Generation of Wales

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning to:

·         seek confirmation that future arrangements for youth work, including funding, will form part of the review of Extending Entitlements and the public consultation exercise in 2018; and

·         request a comparison of how much funding is allocated to each local authority for youth work through the Standard Spending Assessment and what each spends on youth work.

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.3   P-05-788 Remove the compulsory aspect of Welsh Baccalaureate

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await:

·         a copy of the Cabinet Secretary for Education’s response to a detailed letter from the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee concerning the status of the Welsh Baccalaureate; and

·         the findings of the review of the Welsh Baccalaureate being undertaken by Qualifications Wales;

 

before considering further action on the petition.

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.4   P-05-789 Review support for asylum seekers accessing further education

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:

 

·         write to the Welsh Refugee Council to seek their views on the issues raised by the petition to assist the Committee’s consideration.

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.5   P-05-790 Tackle Rough Sleeping

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the Minister for Housing and Regeneration to share the additional points raised by the petitioner and ask for the Minister’s view on these, as well as requesting an update on the recommendations produced by the Rough Sleepers Working Group when these are available.

</AI7>

<AI8>

3       Evidence Session 1 - P-05-785 Suspend Marine Licence 12/45/ML to dump radioactive marine sediments from the Hinkley Point nuclear site into Wales coastal waters off Cardiff

Neil McEvoy declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He is a member of Cardiff Council.

The Committee heard evidence from the petitioner, Tim Deere-Jones.

</AI8>

<AI9>

4       Evidence Session 2 - P-05-785 Suspend Marine Licence 12/45/ML to dump radioactive marine sediments from the Hinkley Point nuclear site into Wales coastal waters off Cardiff

The Committee heard evidence from representatives of EDF Energy.

</AI9>

<AI10>

5       Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:

Members agreed the motion.

</AI10>

<AI11>

6       Discussion of Previous Evidence Sessions

Members considered the evidence heard in the earlier sessions and agreed to invite Natural Resources Wales and Cefas to give evidence to the Committee at the earliest possible meeting in the new year.

</AI11>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1.FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

 

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

 

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>