Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Graeme Francis 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Transcript: Transcript for 17/07/2018 - Petitions Committee - Fifth Senedd

Items
Expected timing No. Item

1.

Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

In accordance with Standing Order 17.31, the Chair adjourned the meeting until 09:35.

 

Apologies had been received from Neil McEvoy and Janet Finch-Saunders.

2.

New petitions

2.1

P-05-824 Newtown Brimmon Oak Bypass

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:

  • seek the Cabinet Secretary’s views on the petitioners’ further comments; and
  • write to Powys County Council to ask what work they are undertaking locally in relation to recognition of local history or places of interest on the bypass route.

 

2.2

P-05-825 Protect children's lungs from harmful pollution whilst at school

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:

  • write to the Minister for the Environment to seek a response to the Chair’s letter of 5 June and in doing so, note the Committee’s disappointment that a response to that letter was not received within the expected timeframe;
  • seek substantive comments from the petitioners once the Minister’s response has been received; and
  • write to the WLGA to ask for details of work that local authorities are undertaking to manage air quality around schools, in light of local air quality management (LAQM) policy guidance issued in June 2017;

before considering the petition again as soon as possible in the autumn term.

2.3

P-05-826 Pembrokeshire says NO!! To the closure of Withybush A&E!

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:

·         write to Hywel Dda University Health Board to ask for additional details about the process and timescales they intend to follow now that the public consultation has finished; and

·         seek time for a Plenary debate early in the autumn term.

3.

Updates to previous petitions

3.1

P-05-774 Pass Wide and Slow Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport and the Police and Crime Commissioners for Gwent and North Wales Police, together with further comments from the petitioners, and agreed:

  • to ask the petitioners to update the Committee as to whether a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport can be arranged, and to provide further feedback following this;
  • if no meeting has been arranged, write to the Cabinet Secretary to ask him or his officials to meet with the petitioners; and
  • to write again to seek information from Dyfed Powys and South Wales Police and Crime Commissioners about any work undertaken to improve the safety of horses and horse riders whilst using roads, including to promote campaigns aimed at preventing close passes, and for any wider views that may be relevant to the Committee’s consideration of this issue.

 

3.2

P-05-780 Reopen Carno Station

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport and the Chair of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, together with further comments from the petitioners and agreed to close the petition on the basis that there seems to be little more that the Committee could do to progress the petition at this point.

 

In doing so, the Committee noted that the Welsh Government is taking a number of potential new stations through a 5-stage business model process, to support applications to any future New Station Fund run by the UK Government and has committed requisite match funding to any applications taken forward.

 

3.3

P-05-811 Stop Using Worker Certification On Welsh Government Projects

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, the Construction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS) and Unite, together with further comments from the petitioner. The Committee agreed to close the petition on the basis that there is little further action the Committee can take to progress the petition, in light of the responses received from the Welsh Government and because the additional issues raised by the petitioner in relation to the scope and design of the CSCS scheme are not devolved to the Assembly.

 

3.4

P-04-477 Support for the Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Due to time constraints, and at the request of the petitioner, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting.

3.5

P-04-648 Unconventional Oil and Gas Planning Applications

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Due to time constraints, and to allow the petitioner additional time to provide comments, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting.

 

3.6

P-05-717 Establish Statutory Public Rights of Access to Land and Water for Recreational and Other Purposes

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered an update from the Welsh Government, together with additional comments from the petitioners, and agreed to write to the Minister for Environment to ask, further to her written statement of 19 June, for more detail about:

·         the consideration given by the Welsh Government to options for reform of access legislation in light of the responses received to the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources consultation; and

·         discussions being facilitated with the National Access Forum.

 

3.7

P-05-750 For single use items: introduce a Deposit Return System for drink containers and make fast food containers and utensils compostable

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Due to time constraints, and to allow the petitioner additional time to provide comments, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting and consider further whether to invite the Minister for Environment to attend Committee in the autumn term to answer questions on a number of petitions relating to single use plastics.

 

3.8

P-05-783 Ensuring Equality of Curriculum for Welsh Medium Schools e.g. GCSE Psychology

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Due to time constraints, and to allow the petitioner additional time to provide comments, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting.

3.9

P-05-805 Fair Deal For Supply Teachers

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Due to time constraints, and to allow the petitioner additional time to provide comments, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting.

4.

Correspondence from Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport to the Chair on P-05-716 Free Train Transport for school pupils with Arriva Trains Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The paper was noted.

5.

Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public for items 6 and 8 of today's business:

Minutes:

The motion was agreed.

6.

Report - P-04-628 To improve access to Education and services in British Sign Language

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Members agreed the Report and also agreed to lay it during the summer recess to enable it to be debated during the autumn term.

 

(10.15 - 10.45)

7.

Evidence session - P-05-799 Change the National Curriculum and teach Welsh history, from a Welsh perspective, in our Primary, Secondary and Sixth form Schools

Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education

 

Claire Rowlands - Deputy Director Curriculum

 

John Pugsley - Head of Arts, Humanities and Wellbeing Branch

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Claire Rowlands and John Pugsley.

8.

Discussion of Previous Evidence Session - P-05-799 Change the National Curriculum and teach Welsh history, from a Welsh perspective, in our Primary, Secondary and Sixth form Schools

Minutes:

The Committee discussed the evidence heard and agreed to:

  • seek further information from the Pioneer schools working with the new history curriculum; and
  • ask the petitioner and Dr Elin Jones for their reflections on the Cabinet Secretary’s evidence.