Agenda and minutes

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The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Joyce Watson.  Jeff Cuthbert substituted in accordance with Standing Order 17.48.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to:

·         The Welsh Language Commissioner to ask for the timetable for reviewing standards for the private and voluntary sector bodies that were not included in the first tranche; and

·         The First Minister to:

o   confirm that it is the Government’s intention to act on that timetable;

o   provide further information on the Government’s intentions in respect of amending the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011;

o   seek further information on the reasons why the Welsh Government has asked for certain businesses to be withdrawn as part of the third tranche of standards; and

o   seek clarification on the role of the Welsh Language Commissioner in deciding which businesses should be withdrawn.

William Powell declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has given procedural advice to the petitioner.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport and agreed to:

·         Seek further comments from the petitioner on the Minister’s letter; and

·         Write to the Minister to ask what action she has taken, particularly to liaise with local authorities, following publication of the research to examine the relationship between car parking charges and town centre footfall in Wales.

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and other affected parties and agreed to close the petition.  In doing so they wished to thank the petitioner for engaging with the Committee and to forward, for information, a copy of related correspondence recently sent to Members.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister, supporting the letter from Chepstow Town Council, and asking for an urgent update on the position. 

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition from Save the Coal Exchange Ltd and the petitioner and agreed to:

·         write to the Minister for Economy, Transport and Science enclosing the additional comments and ask her for an update of her current understanding of the position and whether she believes that Cardiff County Council are using their powers in an appropriate way; and in doing so

·         copy the letter to Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism and Stephen Doughty MP, with a request that they update the Committee on their knowledge of the latest position.   

Bethan Jenkins declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

She is part of a campaign to reopen the Rhondda Tunnel.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition from the petitioner and agreed to:

·         Write to the Minister to ask when she expects the Sustrans review into the Rhondda Tunnel to be completed; and

·         Inform the petitioner that the Highways Department own railway tunnels in Wales and that he may wish to contact them direct.

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to close the petition.  Members wished to thank the petitioner for engaging with the Committee.

Members considered correspondence from the petitioner and, given that the research proposal being developed to look at the economics of the park homes industry is not due for completion until after the Assembly elections, agreed to keep the petition open to allow the 5^th Assembly Committee to consider it should it choose to do so.

Members considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister, as requested by the petitioners, seeking a response to the questions raised in their letter.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition.  In doing so, Members wished to thank the petitioner for engaging with the Committee.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister to ask whether there is a strand of Professor Donaldson’s work relating to political science which the petitioner could either be involved with, or kept informed of. Members also agreed to move to close the petition once a response has been received from the Minister.

Items 5 and 6

The motion was agreed.

Members discussed the evidence session and agreed to write to the Minister to express concerns about the position in the light of advice received.

Members considered evidence received from surveys and consultations undertaken and agreed to return to the matter following an oral evidence session to be held on 8 December.

Huw Lewis AM – Minister for Education and Skills

Joanne Larner – Welsh Government

Kathryn Massey – Welsh Government

The Minister answered questions from the Committee.

The Minister agreed to write to the Committee to:

·         Confirm whether asbestos management is included in governor training programmes; and

·         Provide further information on the membership of the asbestos working group and its terms of reference.