Agenda and minutes

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await further comment from the petitioner before deciding how to proceed.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to Welsh Government to ask about how they plan to keep this matter under review and to share the petitioner’s comments for consideration within the review process.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time alongside P-05-989 Keep restrictions imposed by Covid 19 legislation, allow only a 5mile radius travel within Wales and agreed to note the strength of sentiment expressed through the number of people signing the petition and the further comments received from the petitioner, but closed both petitions in light of the fact that the travel restrictions referred to were lifted on 6 July.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time alongside P-05-971 Relax travel restrictions imposed by Covid 19 legislation to allow travel within Wales and agreed to close both petitions in light of the fact that the travel restrictions referred to were lifted on 6 July.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Children, Young People and Education Committee to share this petition and request that it is considered as part of their ongoing consideration of the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on children and young people in Wales.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to consider this petition again in light of the outcome of the Welsh Government’s next review of the Covid-19 restrictions on 9 July, and further comments from the petitioner.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and acknowledged the trauma parents experience when losing a baby and wished to thank the petitioner for highlighting these issues. The Committee agreed to write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask what the Working Group is doing specifically on the issue of ensuring that t people experiencing miscarriage have access to spaces and facilities which are appropriate to their situation, and whether the recommendations of the Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales report can be considered as part of this.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and. noting that a Minimum Unit Price for alcohol has only recently been introduced and studies into its consequences and effectiveness are being conducted, agreed to:

·         note the sentiments expressed in the petition and the response received from the Minister for Health and Social Services;

·         share the petition with the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee for their consideration during their post legislative scrutiny; and

·         close the petition and in light of the fact that there is likely to be little further which could be achieved at this time.  

In light of the Minister for Education’s announcement that the planned reforms will no longer be taken forward during the remainder of this Senedd term, the Committee agreed to note the petition and the concerns that have been raised but close the petition at this point in time and thank the petitioners for bringing this forward.

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-05- 923 Are you listening to us? Home Education Rights and Respect! In light of the Minister for Education’s announcement that the planned reforms to home education regulations and guidance will no longer be taken forward during this Senedd term, the Committee agreed to close the petitions and thank all of those who have engaged with it on this issue.

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-05- 922 Withdraw the proposed home education guidance. In light of the Minister for Education’s announcement that the planned reforms to home education regulations and guidance will no longer be taken forward during this Senedd term, the Committee agreed to close the petitions and thank all of those who have engaged with it on this issue.

The Committee considered further information and noted that Cafcass Cymru has published guidance on ‘Children’s Resistance or Refusal to Spend Time with a Parent’ and provided training to its practitioners in how to recognise this issue, in the time that the petition has been under consideration. The Committee has also considered a significant body of correspondence and held evidence sessions with the petitioners, Cafcass Cymru and the (then) Deputy Minister for Social Services. Following a vote, it was the majority view of the Committee that there was little further which could be achieved during the remainder of this Senedd term and that the petition should be closed.

The Committee considered further information and agreed to note the delay to the reassessment process caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and to request an update from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, including an indicative timeline of when reassessment could be completed.

In light of the decision by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to retain a full time Emergency Department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, the Committee agreed to close the petition and congratulate the campaigners on the successful resolution of their campaign.

The Committee considered further information and agreed to write back to the Minister for Housing and Local Government to ask about the membership of the Placemaking Wales Partnership and seek assurances that appropriate organisations which support homeless people will be involved in this work, with a view to closing the petition if sufficient assurances are received.

The Committee considered further information and agreed to:

·         invite the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales to give evidence at a future meeting; and

·         write to Flintshire County Council to request a copy of the latest Flintshire Bridge inspection report as agreed at their evidence session on 1 October 2019.

The Committee considered further information and agreed to write back to the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport to request that all the feedback is shared with, and considered by, the Taskforce Group and to ask the following questions proposed by the petitioner:

·         the time frame for the taskforce’s work and implementation of their recommendations, particularly in light of the current circumstances and the forthcoming Senedd elections; and

·         how people with sight loss and organisations which represent them will be consulted about any measures taken forward.

The Committee considered further information and agreed to:

·         See clarification from the developers about the potential number of wagons to and from the plant, the capacity of the furnace and potential emissions from the plant; and

·         note that a statutory consultation into the proposals is underway and a full planning application is due to be submitted in the autumn and to keep a watching brief on developments at the current time.

The Committee considered further correspondence and agree to revisit the possibility of requesting a debate on this petition in the autumn term, if appropriate, and to seek further information about the timescales relating to the planning application in the meantime.