Concise Minutes - Petitions Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 1 - Senedd

Meeting date: Tuesday, 25 September 2018

Meeting time: 09.01 - 10.34
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/5065

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	David J Rowlands AM (Chair) Rhun ap Iorwerth AM Janet Finch-Saunders AM Mike Hedges AM
Witnesses:
Committee Staff:	Graeme Francis (Clerk) Kayleigh Imperato (Deputy Clerk) Kathryn Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Lisa Salkeld (Legal Adviser)

<AI1>

1 Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies had been received from Neil McEvoy.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 New petitions

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1 P-05-827 Roads surrounding Trago Mills/ Cyfartha Retail Park

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

await the views of the petitioner on the information provided by the Cabinet Secretary before considering whether to take any further actions on the petition.

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.2 P-05-829 Ban Single Use Plastic Items in Wales

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

• await a response from the petitioners to the correspondence received from the Minister for the Environment; and
• write to the Chair of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee to share details of the current petitions on this subject in the context of the Committee’s inquiry into microplastic pollution in Welsh rivers.

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.3 P-05-830 Reopen St David's Medical Centre, Pentwyn Full Time

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Chair of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to follow up correspondence referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, and seek a response to the issues raised by the petition.

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.4 P-05-831 End the unfairness and discrimination in the financial support for victims of the contaminated blood scandals who were infected in Wales

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to share the examples provided by the petitioners and ask for an indication of the timescales for determining scheme benefits for 2018/19.

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.5 P-05-832 To Amend the School Admissions Code Relating to Summer-Born Children

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary for Education to seek further information about the review of the School Admissions Code, including its scope and intended timescales, before considering further action on the petition.

</AI7>

<AI8>

2.6 P-05-828 Presumption in favour of rural schools

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Business Committee to request time for the petition to be debated in Plenary.

</AI8>

<AI9>

3 Updates to previous petitions

</AI9>

<AI10>

3.1 P-05-794 Lowering the Voting Age to Sixteen

The Committee considered a recent written statement by the Llywydd and agreed to close the petition in light of the legislation announced to lower the minimum voting age to 16 for both Assembly and local authority elections, and congratulate the petitioners on the success of their campaign.

</AI10>

<AI11>

3.2 P-05-798 Male domestic violence victim support services to be independently run & funded

The Committee considered correspondence from the Leader of the House and the petitioner and agreed to write back to the Leader of the House to request that the Committee is notified when the analysis of the recent Welsh Government consultation on the Regional Commissioning Guidance is published, before considering the petition further in light of that.

</AI11>

<AI12>

3.3 P-04-399 Slaughter Practices

The Committee considered this petition together with P-04-433 and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary to:

• reiterate it’s view that the Welsh Government should make CCTV mandatory in Welsh slaughterhouses;
• ask the Cabinet Secretary to inform the Committee about the uptake of funding under the Food Business Investment Scheme when this is known; and
• ask her to provide a list of slaughterhouses in Wales that do not have CCTV installed.

</AI12>

<AI13>

3.4 P-04-433 CCTV in Slaughterhouses

The Committee considered this petition together with P-04-433 and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary to:

• reiterate it’s view that the Welsh Government should make CCTV mandatory in Welsh slaughterhouses;
• ask the Cabinet Secretary to inform the Committee about the uptake of funding under the Food Business Investment Scheme when this is known; and
• ask her to provide a list of slaughterhouses in Wales that do not have CCTV installed.

</AI13>

<AI14>

3.5 P-05-717 Establish Statutory Public Rights of Access to Land and Water for Recreational and Other Purposes

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Environment and the petitioner and agreed to await the Minister’s response to the recent consultation on the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, and further detail about her intended approach to access reform, later in the year.

</AI14>

<AI15>

3.6 P-05-796 Calling on the Welsh Government to Ban The Use of Wild Animals in Circuses in Wales

The Committee considered the First Minister’s recent Legislative Statement, together with comments from the petitioner, and agreed to close the petition in light of the Welsh Government’s commitment to bring forward legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in the next 12 months. The Committee also wished to congratulate the petitioner and her supporters on the success of their campaign on this issue.

The Committee also agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs to ask for the additional information sought by the petitioner.

</AI15>

<AI16>

3.7 P-05-809 Proposed New Fishing Bylaws and Failings of NRW

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-05-810 and agreed to keep a watching brief on the issue during the local planning inquiry being conducted by the Planning Inspectorate.

</AI16>

<AI17>

3.8 P-05-810 Give Welsh Fishing Clubs and Salmon and Seatrout a Chance

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-05-809 and agreed to keep a watching brief on the issue during the local planning inquiry being conducted by the Planning Inspectorate.

</AI17>

<AI18>

3.9 P-05-813 Ban the USE of LARSEN TRAPS (Multi Corvid Traps)

The Committee considered correspondence from stakeholders and agreed to wait for the views of the petitioners on the correspondence received, before considering any further action on the petition.

</AI18>

<AI19>

3.10P-05-815 Control Rapidly Expanding Intensive Poultry Industry in Wales

The Committee considered correspondence from Natural Resources Wales, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and the petitioner and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary to ask:

• for her response to the suggestion that the current requirements for local planning authorities to carry out environmental assessment of applications for units of under 40,000 bird places are insufficient to protect habitats and the environment;
• whether the Welsh Government intends to reconsider the thresholds in future, as suggested by NRW;
• for her response to concerns over the capacity and expertise with local planning authorities to adequately carry out environmental assessments required; and
• in light of the above, whether she considers that there are grounds to curb further expansion of this sector whilst further research is conducted, and possible further controls are considered.

</AI19>

<AI20>

3.11P-05-721 Penegoes Speed Limit Petition

The Committee considered the petition alongside petitions P-05-767 and P-05-792 and agreed to close the petitions in light of the assurances provided by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport that the petitions and the views of local communities will be taken into account during the ongoing Speed Limit Review, and the prospect that there is little further concrete action that the Petitions Committee could take.

</AI20>

<AI21>

3.12P-05-767 A487 Trunk Road Through Tre-Taliesin: Urgent Need for Effective Speed-Calming Measures

The Committee considered the petition alongside petitions P-05-767 and P-05-792 and agreed to close the petitions in light of the assurances provided by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport that the petitions and the views of local communities will be taken into account during the ongoing Speed Limit Review, and the prospect that there is little further concrete action that the Petitions Committee could take.

</AI21>

<AI22>

3.13P-05-792 Petition to extend the 40mph speed limit in Blaenporth.

The Committee considered the petition alongside petitions P-05-767 and P-05-792 and agreed to close the petitions in light of the assurances provided by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport that the petitions and the views of local communities will be taken into account during the ongoing Speed Limit Review, and the prospect that there is little further concrete action that the Petitions Committee could take.

</AI22>

<AI23>

3.14P-05-820 Don't take Neath off the main railway-line

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport and agreed to close the petition in light of the commitment made that the Welsh Government would not support a proposal to reduce services to or from Neath station, and in doing so congratulate the petitioners on the success of their campaign.

</AI23>

<AI24>

3.15P-05-823 Reduce the speed limit on the A487 in Penparcau

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport along with comments from the petitioner, and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary to ask if there are current plans to improve the A487 given its strategic importance and the fact that it passes through a large number of villages where there are concerns over traffic speed.

</AI24>

<AI25>

3.16P-05-732 Unacceptable Waiting Times for NHS patients in A & E Wrecsam/Wrexham Maelor Hospital

The Committee considered correspondence from North Wales Community Health Council and agreed to write to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to ask for an update on the subject matter of the petition since previous correspondence, and for details of their response to the findings and recommendations of the Wales CHC review into patient experience in A&E and recent figures relating to waiting times at Wrexham Maelor.

</AI25>

<AI26>

3.29P-05-751 Recognition of Parental Alienation

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Children and Social Services and the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, together with comments from the petitioner and agreed to write to Cafcass Cymru to ask for an update on the development of new practice guidance and for details of how consideration is being given to adopting the approach of Cafcass in England, in light of the concerns expressed by the petitioners.

</AI26>

<AI27>

3.18P-05-784 Prescription drug dependence and withdrawal - recognition and support

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services and the petitioner and agreed to produce a report on the petition for the Committee’s consideration.

</AI27>

<AI28>

3.19P-05-795 Causing Nuisance or Disturbance on NHS Premises

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services and agreed to await a further update from the Cabinet Secretary as offered in his latest correspondence.

</AI28>

<AI29>

3.20P-05-826 Pembrokeshire says NO!! To the closure of Withybush A&E!

The Committee considered correspondence from Hywel Dda Health Board and agreed to consider the petition again following the imminent debate on this petition and the meeting of Hywel Dda University Health Board meeting on 26 September.

</AI29>

<AI30>

3.21P-05-783 Ensuring Equality of Curriculum for Welsh Medium Schools e.g. GCSE Psychology

The Committee considered correspondence from Qualifications Wales and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education to share the views expressed by the petitioner and to ask for the Welsh Government’s perspective on the policy outlined by Qualifications Wales in relation to subjects available through the medium of Welsh.

</AI30>

<AI31>

3.22P-05-805 Fair Deal For Supply Teachers

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to seek an update from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on work underway to:

• implement a Welsh model for setting teachers’ pay and conditions; and
• revise the tender specification for agencies.

</AI31>

<AI32>

3.23P-05-821 Reintroduce educational support funding to MEAS and the TES to Neath Port Talbot CBC

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the petitioner and agreed to share a copy of the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s report on this issue. The Committee also agreed to write to the CYPE Committee to highlight the petition in light of that Committee’s upcoming scrutiny of the Welsh Government budget for 2019/20.

</AI32>

<AI33>

3.24P-05-803 Our natural world is being poisoned by single use plastics...it’s time to introduce a tax!

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and comments from the petitioner, and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to request an update on UK-wide discussions about the development of a potential tax on single-use plastics when appropriate.

</AI33>

<AI34>

3.25P-05-822 Ban plastic straws (when drinking milk) in our schools

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Local Government Association and agreed to:

• await further information from the WLGA following the planned meeting of local authority education cabinet members; and
• seek a further update from the Welsh Government in relation to ongoing work by officials and the trial taking place in Pembrokeshire in the future.

</AI34>

<AI35>

4 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public for the remainder of today's business:

The motion was agreed.

</AI35>

<AI36>

5 Draft report - P-05-690 Resurfacing of the A40 Raglan-Abergavenny Road

Members agreed the draft report on the petition.

</AI36>

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