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Petitions Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 1 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 24 March 2015 |
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Meeting time: |
09.03 - 10.05 |
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This meeting can be viewed on
Senedd TV at: |
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Concise Minutes: |
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Assembly Members: |
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William Powell (Chair) Russell George Bethan Jenkins Joyce Watson |
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Witnesses: |
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Committee Staff: |
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Steve George (Clerk) Kayleigh Driscoll (Deputy Clerk) Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Helen Roberts (Legal Adviser) |
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1 Introduction, apologies and substitutions
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were no apologies.
2 Discussion of Evidence Session - P-04-547 Ban Polystyrene(EPS) Fast Food and Drinks Packaging
The Committee discussed the evidence session and agreed to:
- take oral evidence from the Minister for Natural Resources;
- request a research briefing on the potential costs for business if they were to switch from using polystyrene packaging to more environmentally friendly options;
- write to Oxford County Council seeking their views on the petition; and
- draw the petition to the attention of the Environment and Sustainability Committee.
3 New petitions
3.1 P-04-619 LOCALISM IN PLANNING and COMPENSATION FOR THIRD PARTIES RE. INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
- write to Minister seeking his views on the petitioner’s response; and
- draw the petition to the attention of the Environment and Sustainability Committee.
3.2 P-04-618 Protection of Banking Services in Vulnerable Communities
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the:
· write to the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty asking that the petition is taken into account in the work of the group that is being established to look at the Financial Inclusion Strategy; and
· seek the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s correspondence.
3.3 P-04-626 De-Trunk the A487 Through Penparcau, Trefechan & Aberystwyth TC
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the petitioner again seeking their views on the Minister’s response.
3.4 P-04-625 Support for Safe Nursing Staffing Levels (Wales) Bill
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed
Refer the petition formally to the HSC Committee to take into account in drawing up their stage 1 report on the Safe Nursing Staffing Levels (Wales) Bill and ask that they keep us informed of progress and the point at which they close the petition.
3.5 P-04-627 Improve Commuter Train Services in North Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister seeking her response to the petitioner’s comments, in particular the lack of suitable services for commuters.
3.6 P-04-628 To improve access to Education and services in British Sign Language
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to
- seek a legal brief on the point raised in the Minister’s letter where he said that the ‘National Assembly for Wales does not have the power to legislate about any language other than Welsh.’; and
- write to the Minister seeking his views on the petitioner’s response.
3.7 P-04-620 Reintroduce the National Speed Limit on the Cardigan Bypass
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
- ask the Minister to give due weight to the petition and to inform the Committee when she has reached a decision on the proposed traffic order; and
- write to the petitioner seeking his views on the Minister’s letter
4 Updates to previous petitions
4.1 P-03-240 Road safety on the A40 in Llanddewi Velfrey
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to Minister asking for a timeline for the study on improvements to the A40.
4.2 P-04-525 Funding for CREST Awards in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister asking for an update.
4.3 P-04-487 A Welsh Government deposit loan scheme for first time Welsh home buyers
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition as the terms of the Minister’s response make it difficult to see how the matter can be progressed any further.
4.4 P-04-516 Make political science compulsory in education
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the petitioner asking whether he has any comments on Professor Donaldson’s report or on the Minister’s statement.
4.5 P-04-523 Protect the elderly and vulnerable in care homes
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek an update from the First Minister on the progress of the review led by Dr Margaret Flynn including whether any interim findings have been given to Welsh Ministers, as was suggested initially.
4.6 P-04-608 Inquiry into the Welsh NHS
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister for his response on the petitioner’s comments.
5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:
The motion was agreed.
6 Forward Work Programme
The Committee discussed the forward work programme.