Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the First Minister to seek further information about the precise circumstances in which he would consider proposing a postponement of the 2021 Senedd election, and any criteria which will need to be met before such a postponement.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and in light of the response received from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, that organised activities for children are able to take place except when at alert level four and that relevant guidance has been issued, it agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and in light of the petitioner’s satisfaction that the latest version of the Coronavirus regulations lists acupuncture services as “exempt premises”, which can open if they are providing medical treatments, it agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

Leanne Wood MS declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

She knows the petitioner.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask:

·         for consideration to be given to offering priority vaccination to people with learning disabilities of all ages who are living in residential or care home settings;

·         what consideration was given when assigning this group its vaccine priority level; and

·         when the this group should expect to receive their vaccine based on the current vaccination programme.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and in light of the fact that the aims of petition have been met, with schools remaining closed to most pupils until at least February half-term, it agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await further comments from the petitioner before considering whether it is able to take any further action on the petition.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time. In light of the information provided by the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport, including the statement that community consultation on whether this section of road should be included in the national implementation of a 20mph default speed limit will need to be led by the local authority, the Committee concluded there was little it could do at a national level at present. The Committee therefore agreed to write to the petitioner to thank him for raising the issue, propose that he raises the Deputy Minister’s response with Ceredigion County Council for their consideration and to close the petition.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council to ask for an update on the current situation with regards to the ‘White Bridge’ and the options being considered by the Council.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and noted the merit in what was being proposed. The Committee noted that Members of the Senedd are currently able to propose amendments to the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill as part of the legislative scrutiny process. As the Bill will determine the structure and content of the new Curriculum for Wales, including which elements are compulsory, the Committee agreed there is little further action it would be able to take at this time and agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to close the petition in light of the correspondence received from the Minister for Health and Social Services and to thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and noted the correspondence received. In light of the short time remaining in the current Senedd, that the research undertaken by the Welsh Government isn’t expected to be published until the spring and as the petition calls on the next Welsh Government to take action, the Committee agreed to pass the petition for further consideration in the Sixth Senedd.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and noted the statement by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales that a crossing will be installed and further work will be considered in the next financial year. The Committee also noted the statement that community consultation on whether this section of road should be included in the national implementation of a 20mph default speed limit will need to be led by the local authority, and concluded there was little it could do at a national level at present. The Committee therefore agreed to write to the petitioner to thank him for raising the issue, propose that he raises the Deputy Minister’s response with Ceredigion County Council for their consideration and to close the petition.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and noted the strength of feeling expressed in the support for the petition and the additional funding recently announced by the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. The Committee agreed to share the further proposals received from the petitioner with the Deputy Minister and await a formal written response from the Deputy Minister before considering what further action it could take. The Committee congratulated the petitioner on her successful campaign.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and, in light of the length of time that has elapsed since the petition was submitted without a substantial update or progress having been made, and given the lack of further responses from the petitioner since the petition was submitted, the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

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

He is interested in getting the best cancer care possible in South Wales. 

This petition was considered with P-05-1018 Support for the current proposed plans to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, in any future inquiry

The Committee considered the further correspondence received and agreed to:

·         write to Velindre University NHS Trust to seek a response to a number of further questions, including in relation to the existence of the ‘Barrett report’, concerns raised by the BMA in August about staff consultation, and the number of emergency calls and transfers to other sites; and

·         write to the Business Committee to ask whether it would be possible for a Plenary debate on the petitions to be scheduled before the end of this Senedd.

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

He is interested in getting the best cancer care possible in South Wales. 

This petition was considered with P-05-1001 Hold an independent inquiry into the choice of site for the proposed new Velindre Cancer Centre

The Committee considered the further correspondence received and agreed to:

·         write to Velindre University NHS Trust to seek a response to a number of further questions, including in relation to the existence of the ‘Barrett report’, concerns raised by the BMA in August about staff consultation, and the number of emergency calls and transfers to other sites; and

·         write to the Business Committee to ask whether it would be possible for a Plenary debate on the petitions to be scheduled before the end of this Senedd.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to share the petitioners’ further comments and proposals with the Minister for Mental Health and seek a specific response to these. The Committee also requested that the comments are provided to the mental health network board and the national mental health forum for service users and carers for use in the work currently being undertaken in relation to mental health services.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to write back to the First Minister to urge that consideration is given to allowing garden visits in an effort to tackle social isolation, as soon as the situation in relation to cases of Covid-19 and the progress of the vaccination programme can allow.

The Committee welcomed the further response received from the Minister for Health and Social Services and the subsequent extension of the shielding period until the end of March 2021. In light of this, the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner. The Committee congratulated the petition for achieving her objective.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agree to write to the Business Committee to ask whether it would be possible for a Plenary debate on this petition to be scheduled before the end of this Senedd.

The Committee noted that communications guidance for community and town councils has now been published and that this outlines the statutory requirements and good practice advice. In light of this, and the limited time remaining in this Senedd term, the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and, in light of the petitioners satisfaction with the decision that learners due to take GCSE, AS and A-Level assessments in 2021 would instead receive Centre-Determined Grades, the Committee agreed to close the petition and to thank and congratulate the petitioners for their work.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and in light of the Welsh Government’s intention to introduce a White Paper for an Agriculture Bill during the next Senedd term, agreed there were no further actions it could undertake ahead of the 2021 Senedd elections. The Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to write back to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to ask for a response to the Committee’s previous request for a full reasoning as to why the Government feels that a moratorium on the development of new incinerators would not be appropriate at this time.

The Committee noted the further response received from the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. In light of the changed situation since the petition was originally submitted and the lack of further contact from the petitioner, the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to write back to the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales to call for the eligibility criteria for Restrictions Business Fund grants to be amended so that it can be available for small pet boarding businesses.

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

He has met the petitioners.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and, in light of the Welsh Government’s decision not to withdraw its application, agreed to maintain a watching brief over the next steps of the planning process and ask its successor Committee to review the petition at an appropriate time.

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to await further views from the petitioner before considering whether it can take any further action on the petition.

Item 5.

The motion was agreed.

The Committee considered the draft report, agreed a number of amendments and that it would agree a final version of the report outside of Committee.