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Petitions Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 1 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 14 July 2015 |
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Meeting time: |
09.03 - 10.47 |
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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 Joyce Watson Lindsay Whittle (In place of Bethan Jenkins) |
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Witnesses: |
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Helen Weedon, Petitioner Bethany Walpole, Petitioner |
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Committee Staff: |
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Steve George (Clerk) Kayleigh Driscoll (Deputy Clerk) Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk) |
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1 Introduction, apologies and substitutions
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were received from Bethan Jenkins AM, who was substituted by Lindsay Whittle AM.
2 Evidence Session
The witnesses answered questions from the Committee.
3 New petitions
3.1 P-04-642 Save The Filter - An Established Youth Stop Smoking and Prevention Service.
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Minister asking that he gives full consideration to the funding proposal and that he informs the Committee of the outcome.
3.2 P-04-634 End Exclusion in Schools for Children with No Religion
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to ask the Minister to comment further on the petitioner’s letter.
3.3 P-04-644 The Future of Further Education
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to write to:
- the Deputy Minister seeking her views on the comprehensive dossier provided by the petitioners; and
- the CBI/FSB asking whether they have been asked for their views on the ability of business to contribute additional funding to skills training provision.
3.4 P-04-646 Petition against Welsh Draft Non-statutory Guidance for Local Authorities on Elective Home Education
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Minister asking:
· asking him to ensure that the petitioner’s detailed comments are taken into account in the development of revised guidance; and
· that he keeps the Committee and the petitioner informed on the development of final guidance.
3.5 P-04-647 Change the Adult Ticket Age from 16 to 18.
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4 Updates to previous petitions
4.1 P-04-625 Support for Safe Nursing Staffing Levels (Wales) Bill
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition in light of:
- the recommendation to do so by the Health and Social Services Committee;
- that there is no reason to believe consideration at Stage 2 will not proceed; and
- that the detailed consideration of amendments at Stage 2 and later stages does not lend itself to consideration of a petition on general principles (which have in any event been agreed).
4.2 P-04-537 Planting Trees to Reduce Flooding
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4.3 P-04-550 Planning Powers
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4.4 P-04-623 Improve the Provision of Disabled-friendly Housing in Wales
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek the Minister’s response to the detailed and considered comments made by the petitioner.
4.5 P-04-617 Stop the Wholesale Hiving off of Public Libraries to the Voluntary Sector
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4.6 P-04-363 Town Centre Improvement Scheme for Fishguard
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4.7 P-04-416 North-South Rail Services
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4.8 P-04-514 A Welsh clean coal and/or renewable energy power station instead of the proposed Wylfa B nuclear plant at Anglesey
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· close the petition as many of the petitioner’s comments relate to non-devolved matters; and
· in doing so draw the petitioner’s further comments to the Minister’s attention.
4.9 P-04-459 A direct rail connection from Cardiff Airport to Cardiff central and west Wales
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to forward the petitioner’s comments to the Minister and close the petition.
4.10 P-04-539 Save Cardiff Coal Exchange
Members discussed their visit to the Coal Exchange two weeks previously and agreed to ask the Minister for her views on Mr Avent’s comments and whether there is any further progress to report.
4.11 P-04-556 No to Junction 41 closure
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister asking:
- for her views on the petitioner’s further comments and to ask her to keep the Committee informed of developments;
- to let the Committee have sight of the advice from officials on which she based her decision to continue the part-time closures while she decides the way forward; and
- why, in particular was the decision made to close junction 41, when there are other potential hotspots on the M4.
4.12 P-04-578 Noise Mitigation Works on the M4 to the West of Junction 32
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister if it would be possible to recheck the noise levels at the petitioner’s house to ensure that they have not increased since they were last checked.
4.13 P-04-599 Impact of Domestic Rating on Self Catering Accommodation
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister to seek her views on the petitioner’s further comments, specifically whether, if the evidence warrants it, consideration will be given to applying any changes retrospectively.
4.14 P-04-581 Opposition to cuts in provision for learners of English as an Additional Language
The Committee correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the petitioner’s views on the Minister’s response.
4.15 P-04-399 Slaughter Practices
See agreed action under 4.16.
4.16 P-04-433 CCTV in Slaughterhouses
This Petition was considered together with the previous one. The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· ask the Deputy Minister to notify the Committee once she has reviewed the content of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee’s (FAWC) opinion; and
· await the petitioners’ views on the Minister’s response.
4.17 P-04-552 Child Protection
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
- close the petition in light of the legal advice received and the Minister’s previously stated views; and
- In doing so, draw the petition to the attention of the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee.
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 Consideration of Oral Evidence under Agenda Item 2
The Committee considered the earlier evidence.
7 Review of the National Assembly for Wales Petitions System
The Committee considered progress on the review of the petitions system.