Agenda and minutes
Venue: Committee Room 4 - Tŷ Hywel. View directions
Contact: Graeme Francis
Media
Senedd.TV: View the webcast
Transcript: Transcript for 15/12/2020 - Petitions Committee - Fifth Senedd
No. | Item |
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Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Chair welcomed Members to the
meeting. |
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Covid-19 new petitions |
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P-05-1046 Reconsider lockdown and investigate scientific evidence Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee
considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await a response to
the petition from the Welsh Government before considering whether to take any
further action on the petition. |
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P-05-1054 The Hair & Beauty sector has proved itself COVID secure. Do not close us and risk Welsh jobs again Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to keep on watching brief on this issue at the current time, agreeing that it would consider the petition further in the light of changes to circumstances in the New Year further comments from the petitioner. |
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P-05-1060 Allow supermarkets to sell "non-essential" items during lockdown Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee formally noted the strength of feeling expressed by the petition, the further views provided by the petitioner and the response from the Welsh Government during the debate held on 11 November. Given that the petition has been debated and the firebreak lockdown has ended, the Committee agreed that there was little action it was able to take at this time. It therefore agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner. In doing so the Committee agreed to write again to the Welsh Government to highlight the further issues raised by the petitioner in his detailed submission to the Committee. |
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P-05-1062 Abandon the rt-PCR test for covid-19 testing as its unfit for purpose Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to await a response to the petition
from the Welsh Government before considering whether it can take any further
action on the petition. |
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P-05-1070 Advise all people who are extremely vulnerable or previously shielding in Wales to stay home, not work, during periods of high covid 19 community infection Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed
to write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to share the
further concerns expressed by the petitioner and others. In light of the
suggestions that some employers are showing a lack of empathy or support for
people at high risk, the Committee agreed to ask what action the Welsh
Government would consider taking, or is able to take, against employers who do
not make workplaces safe or respond appropriately to the circumstances of
vulnerable members of their workforce. |
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P-05-1074 Raise the number of people allowed in outdoor spaces so football can restart for all teams in Wales Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed
to include the issues raised by the petition during the broad debate on access
to sport and physical activity during lockdown, which the Committee intends to hold in January 2021. In doing so, the
Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner. |
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P-05-1076 Allow all the Performing Arts to re-open - live music, dance, theatres and concert halls Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee noted
the petition and the Deputy Minister’s outline of the initial steps that were
taken, but then paused due to the current circumstances in relation to transmission
of Coronavirus, which have also impacted upon hospitality and other sectors. In light of the
scrutiny of the impact on this sector being conducted by the Culture Welsh Language
and Communications Committee, the Committee agreed to take no further action
itself but to bring the petition to that Committee’s attention and thank the
petitioner. |
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P-05-1095 Implement a 2 week holiday-lockdown for schools before 24 Dec Supporting documents: Minutes: Following recent
announcements, including that secondary schools in Wales have moved to online
teaching for the final week of term and primary schools in some areas have also
closed early, the Committee noted that the petition has been successful in
helping to highlight concerns to the Government and in the media. On the basis that
there was little further action that it could take at this point the Committee
agreed close the petition and thank the petitioner. |
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P-05-1099 Don't shut the Hospitality Sector (Pubs, Restaurants, Cafes) without providing scientific evidence Supporting documents: Minutes: This petition was
considered alongside petition P-05-1100
Allow pubs and restaurants in Wales to serve alcohol & stay open after 6pm.
The Committee agreed
to await a formal response from the Welsh Government before considering whether
there is any further action that it could take on the petitions at that stage.
The Committee also agreed to write back to the Petitioner to ask for the source
of the statistics included in the petition.
In relation to a Plenary debate, the Committee noted that the restrictions on the hospitality industry have been raised a number of times in Plenary in recent weeks, including on 1 December and a debate and vote held on 9 December, with the Regulations themselves due to be voted on during Plenary on the afternoon of 15 December. The Committee therefore agreed to write to the Business Committee to make them aware of the petition but not to request a debate at this point. |
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P-05-1100 Allow pubs and restaurants in Wales to serve alcohol & stay open after 6pm Supporting documents:
Minutes: This petition was considered alongside petition P-05-1099 Don't shut the Hospitality Sector (Pubs, Restaurants, Cafes) without providing scientific evidence. The Committee agreed to await a formal response from the Welsh Government before considering whether there is any further action that it could take on the petitions at that stage. |
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P-05-1045 To make shared-decision making and monthly mental health care-plan reviews a legal requirement Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee acknowledged the petitioner and her family’s strength in creating the petition and sent their deepest condolences. Members also noted their disappointment that no response had been received from the Welsh Government, and agreed to write again enclosing the petitioner’s further comments for consideration, and seeking a response at the earliest opportunity. |
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P-05-1056 Give Local Authorities powers to control the housing market in rural and tourist areas of Wales Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to write back to the Minister for Housing and Local Government to ask what urgent action she is considering taking to mitigate the affordable housing challenges in many Welsh communities, seek a further response to the proposals put forward by the petitioners including, for example, possible changes in land transaction tax and council tax. The Committee also agreed to ask that further powers be granted to local authorities to enable them to rectify the current situation and ask that the points raised by the petitioners and the Committee are addressed by the Minister in the statement that she intends to make in January 2021. Members agreed to return to the petition, including the possibility of a further debate or specific investigation by a committee, following that statement and also indicated an interest in exploring further the potential issue of the second home owners registering their properties for business rates to avoid paying the second homes council tax premium. |
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P-05-1064 Extend Land Transaction Tax a further 6 months past 31st March and increase the threshold to £300k Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to note the petition and the response received. In light of the Minister’s clear statements that the threshold was set to reflect the property market in Wales that there are no current plans to extend the period, the Committee concluded that there was little further which could be achieved at this time. The Committee thanked the petition for bringing this matter forward and closed the petition. |
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P-05-1069 Save the farmland and green fields at Cosmeston Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to write back to the Minister for Finance to share the further detailed concerns raised by the petitioner and ask for these to be considered by the Welsh Government in relation to the development, and seek a response to the specific points raised by the petitioner. Members also agreed to ask how the Welsh Government seeks to balance the competing interests of protecting the environment and developing additional housing, including affordable properties. |
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P-05-1071 Print the vehicle registration on all drive through fast food packaging Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee noted the petition and the response received from the Welsh
Government, including the circular economy strategy ‘Beyond Recycling’ and to the intention to publish a Litter
Prevention Plan next year, which will include actions to address littering from
vehicles. In light of this, the Committee agreed to write back to the
Government to highlight its interest in the proposal made by the petition and
await a response and further comments from the petitioner before considering
whether there is any further action that it could take. |
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P-05-1072 Investigate what powers the Welsh Parliament has in relation to banning conversion therapy Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee noted
the correspondence received and agreed to write back to the Deputy Minister and
Chief Whip to ask for further information to be provided about the steps that
the Welsh Government has considered, or would consider, taking to prevent
conversion therapy being able to take place in Wales. |
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P-05-1073 Create and build a new branch of National Museum Wales dedicated to Welsh involvement in colonialism Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee noted
the correspondence received from the Welsh Government and agreed to write to
Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales to highlight the petition and ask for
further information about the work it is undertaking in relation to this
subject. |
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P-05-1077 Stop the voting boundary change to Ystrad Mynach south Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee noted
the petition and the further information received. It acknowledged that the
statutory period for representations to be made to Welsh Ministers on this
proposal ends imminently and noted its expectations that the petition will be
considered as part of this. The Committee agreed to draw the Minister’s
attention to the additional comments provided by the petitioner and, in line
with its decision on a previous petition that it is not appropriate for it to
scrutinise specific boundary reform proposals, to close the petition. |
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Updates to previous petitions |
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P-05-908 CF3 against the Incinerator Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to note the further information
received and the fact that a planning application is now under consideration by
the Planning Inspectorate. Given the formal planning process which controls the
consideration of applications for Developments of National Significance, the
Committee agreed that there is no further action that it is able to take at
this time. It therefore agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner. |
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P-05-1003 Demand an EIA now on the dumping of radioactively contaminated mud in Welsh waters Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered further comments received following
the Plenary debate held on 21 October and agreed to write to NRW to seek an
update on the marine licencing process for this application and a response to
the further comments made by the petitioners. |
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P-05-914 Equal Access to Health Care for the Disabled Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to write back to the Minister for
Health and Social Services to draw attention to the further information gathered
and to the suggestions made around developing cluster arrangements for GP
practices to access equipment and a loan scheme. In line with the proposal from
the BMA, the Committee also agreed to ask whether the Government will consider
instigating discussions with health boards and patient groups, such as SHINE,
to develop solutions to this problem. |
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P-05-965 Push the government into introducing a separate ward other than maternity ward, for families going through a miscarriage Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Health and
Social Services, providing a summary of the position gathered from health boards
and sharing the responses received. It also agreed to request a further
response outlining what further action that Welsh Government intends to take in
light of the facilities and services outlined. |
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P-05-995 Freedom to Donate Blood Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered
further correspondence on the petition and the announcement made on 14 December
that a more individualised donor assessment will be introduced from summer
2021, with the result that LGBTQ+ men will be able to donate blood. The
Committee agreed to congratulate the petitioner on the success achieved through
their campaign and close the petition. |
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P-05-1001 Hold an independent inquiry into the choice of site for the proposed new Velindre Cancer Centre Supporting documents:
Minutes: This
petition was considered alongside P-05-1018
Support for the current proposed plans to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre,
Cardiff, in any future inquiry. In
light of the new evidence received from a number of parties and the recent
publication of advice provided by the Nuffield Trust, the Committee agreed to
write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to: ·
Draw attention to the information
received by the Committee in the context of the scrutiny of the Outline
Business Case (OBC) within the Welsh Government; ·
Request an update on the current status
of this work following the publication of the Nuffield Trust advice, and an
indicative timeline for further consideration of the OBC by the Welsh
Government; and ·
Seek a response to further points made
by the petitioners for P-05-1001 in respect of their view that a full independent
review of the clinical model is still required, before a decision is made on
the project. |
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P-05-1018 Support for the current proposed plans to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, in any future inquiry Supporting documents:
Minutes: This
petition was considered alongside P-05-1001
Hold an independent inquiry into the choice of site for the proposed new
Velindre Cancer Centre. In
light of the new evidence received from a number of parties and the recent
publication of advice provided by the Nuffield Trust, the Committee agreed to write
back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to: ·
Draw attention to the information
received by the Committee in the context of the scrutiny of the Outline
Business Case (OBC) within the Welsh Government; ·
Request an update on the current status
of this work following the publication of the Nuffield Trust advice, and an
indicative timeline for further consideration of the OBC by the Welsh
Government; and ·
Seek a response to further points made
by the petitioners for P-05-1001 in respect of their view that a full
independent review of the clinical model is still required, before a decision is
made on the project. |
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P-05-992 We call on the Welsh Government to create a common body of knowledge about Welsh history that all pupils will learn Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee agreed to note the contributions made during the Plenary debate on 4 November, the written responses received and the recommendation about Welsh history made by the CYPE Committee as part of its Stage 1 scrutiny report on the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill. As a debate has now been held, scrutiny is being applied by another committee, and Estyn is conducting a review into the teaching of Welsh history, the Committee concluded that there is little further that could be achieved by the Petitions Committee at this time. It agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner for his continued campaigning on this subject. |
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P-05-883 National Welsh History Week Supporting documents: Minutes: In light of the focus given to the current opportunities to
learn about Welsh history as part of the Plenary debate on P-05-992
We call on the Welsh Government to create a common body of knowledge about
Welsh history that all pupils will learn, and the Deputy Minister’s
previous pledge to discuss how promotional work can develop a wider narrative,
the Committee agreed to close the petition at this stage and thank the
petitioner. |
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P-05-1025 Ensure fairness for students taking exams in 2021 Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Committee noted the further correspondence received and
the outline of the steps that are being taken to adapt course content and
assessment within the regulatory framework. The Committee agreed to write to
Qualifications Wales to seek their response to the petition and the additional
information recently provided by the petitioners and the WJEC, before
considering whether there is any further action that it could take. |
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Chair's Closing Remarks In concluding the meeting the Chair wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. |