Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Graeme Francis 

Media

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Transcript: Transcript for 12/01/2021 - Petitions Committee - Fifth Senedd

Items
No. Item

1.

Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting.

 

Apologies were received from Michelle Brown MS. 

2.

New COVID-19 petitions

2.1

P-05-1050 Require local lockdowns to be subject to a vote of the Senedd for approval before being implemented

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await further views from the petitioner.

 

It was also agreed that when the petition is discussed again it will be considered alongside petition P-05-1104 Make any measures being brought in for Covid subject to a vote in the Welsh Parliament in the future.

 

 

2.2

P-05-1052 Give Nurses a pay rise in line with other frontline staff during COVID-19 pandemic

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and noted its support for the petition, as well as the fact that the NHS Pay Review Body appears likely to report its recommendations in early May. The Committee agreed to welcome the fact that the Minister for Health and Social Services has asked for the pay review to be bought forward and to write back to him to ask for him to take any measures open to him in the meantime including, for example, considering whether he can commit to backdating any pay award to the beginning of the pandemic.

2.3

P-05-1075 Don't impose a 15 person limit on organised indoor activities, such as swimming lessons and fitness classes, after firebreak lockdown

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism to ask that the Welsh Government develops a package of resources and information to support individuals to access safe and suitable exercise whilst adhering to the Covid-19 restrictions.

2.4

P-05-1087 Stop the mass isolation of healthy school children!

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await further views from the petitioner to the response provided by the Minister before considering whether there is any further action that it could take on the petition.

2.5

P-05-1080 Introduce anti-racist teaching materials to children in schools in Wales to reduce hate crimes

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

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

 

·         group the petition with petition P-05-1000 Make it compulsory for Black and POC UK histories to be taught in the Welsh education curriculum, and consider them together in the future;

·         await further comments from the petitioner following the response to the petition provided by the Minister for Education; and

·         write to Show Racism the Red Card to ask them for further information about their work in relation to racism and the Welsh education system referenced in the Racism in Wales? report, and seek their views on the issues raised by this petition and P-05-1000.

2.6

P-05-1084 Teach Welsh children about Wales’ colonisation of Patagonia

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

This petition was considered with P-05-1098 Make Wales' role in British colonial history a compulsory school subject.

 

The Committee considered the petitions for the first time agreed to await further views from the petitioners before considering whether there is any further work that it could take on the petitions.

 

 

2.7

P-05-1098 Make Wales' role in British colonial history a compulsory school subject

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

This petition was considered with petition P-05-1084 Teach Welsh children about Wales’ colonisation of Patagonia.

 

The Committee considered the petitions for the first time and agreed to await further views from the petitioners before considering whether there is any further work that it could take on the petitions.

 

 

2.8

P-05-1086 Create a National Museum for Welsh Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic History and Heritage

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await a response from the petitioner to the information provided by the Deputy Minister and group the petition with petition P-05-1073 Create and build a new branch of National Museum Wales dedicated to Welsh involvement in colonialism, and consider them together in future.

2.9

P-05-1081 Ensure owners of second homes & holiday lets in Wales register to vote only at their primary address, in devolved and local elections

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Electoral Commission to seek their views on the petition and the issues raised by the petitioners, including a fuller explanation of the specific ‘residency criteria’ which should be applied by Electoral Registration Officers and the extent to which this is currently being monitored and enforced.

3.

Updates to previous petitions

3.1

P-05-920 School Budgeting for ALN

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered further correspondence from the Minister for Education. In light of several clear responses from the Minister that funding for local authorities to provide education services in their areas is un-hypothecated, the recent review of school funding and the planned monitoring of the implementation of the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 the Committee agreed to close the petition at this point and thank the petitioner.

3.2

P-05-972 To provide a minimum of 4 hours a day of live teaching during COVID closures for all school children

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the further correspondence received and, in light of the ongoing scrutiny of access to education during school closures being conducted by the Children, Young People and Education Committee, the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

3.3

P-05-1033 Abolish Education Workforce Council (EWC) registration fees and completely reform its organisation

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the petitioner’s dissatisfaction with the responses received to the petition. However, in light of the information received and the previous response from the Minister for Education, the Committee agreed that there was little action it was able to take on the petition at this time. It therefore agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

3.4

P-05-963 Require supermarkets to donate excess food to charity

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee reiterated its support for the petition. In light of the fact that the Welsh Government is seeking powers through the UK Environment Bill which would enable it to require that surplus food is redistributed, and the fact that that Bill is currently progressing through the UK Parliament, the Committee agreed there was nothing further it could do on the issue at this time. The Committee closed the petition and thanked the petitioner.

3.5

P-05-1010 An independent inquiry into the 2020 flooding in Rhondda Cynon Taf so that lessons are learned

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the issues raised in the recent Plenary debate and the further correspondence received from the petitioner and agreed to write to:

·         the Minister for Education to seek a response to the questions asked by the petitioner about what the current reports being produced will provide; and

·         Natural Resources Wales to seek its response to the petition, the further information received to date and its view on the role on the possible role that an independent inquiry could play.

3.6

P-05-964 Extend covid-19 financial support and paid leave to vulnerable and pregnant NHS wales bank workers

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask that he considers issuing clear communication to Health Boards and Trusts that NHS bank workers, who have worked regular shifts but are currently unable to do so due to pregnancy or clinical vulnerability, should be financially supported during the current circumstances.

3.7

P-05-1035 Allow birthing partners to be present at scans, the start of labour, birth and after the birth

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the issues raised in a recent Plenary debate on this subject and agreed to write to the Minister for Health and Social Services to:

  • request an update on the framework for visitor access in maternity services following the recent move to Covid-19 alert level 4; and
  • push for wider access to be provided for a birthing partner to be able to attend and support during the period before active labour starts.

3.8

P-05-1013 Provide financial support for self-employed individuals within the Welsh live music industry

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to:

·         write back to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism to express concerns about the current lack of support available to self-employed individuals within the live music sector and ask for urgent consideration to be given to how the support provided through the Freelancer Fund can be increased to better compensate for lack of income due to the pandemic and associated restrictions;

·         seek clarification as to whether a recent announcement by the Chancellor noted any changes in the support available for self-employed individuals within the live music sector;

·         await the Welsh Government’s response to recommendation 5 of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee’s recent report into the impact of Covid-19 on the arts.

3.9

P-05-1027 Allow Welsh domestic football clubs to play friendlies and allow supporters to attend matches

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Jack Sargeant MS declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He is a board member of a football club in Wales.

 

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed, in light of the increase in the Coronavirus alert level to level 4, to maintain a watching brief on the petition.

3.10

P-05-1037 Allow children to enter lockdown areas to continue to train with their existing sports clubs

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed, in light of the fact that the current Coronavirus alert level 4 restrictions prohibit such activities at present, to maintain a watching brief on the petition.

3.11

P-05-1099 Don't shut the Hospitality Sector (Pubs, Restaurants, Cafes) without providing scientific evidence

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

This petition was considered alongside petition P-05-1100 Allow pubs and restaurants in Wales to serve alcohol & stay open after 6pm

 

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed, given that Coronavirus alert level 4 restrictions are now in place across Wales and the issues raised by the petition have been discussed in Plenary on a number of occasions, that the petitions have been overtaken by subsequent events and that there was little further action it could take at this time. The Committee therefore agreed to close the petitions and thank the petitioners.

3.12

P-05-1100 Allow pubs and restaurants in Wales to serve alcohol & stay open after 6pm

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

This petition was considered alongside petition P-05-1099 Don't shut the Hospitality Sector (Pubs, Restaurants, Cafes) without providing scientific evidence

 

The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed, given that Coronavirus alert level 4 restrictions are now in place across Wales and the issues raised by the petition have been discussed in Plenary on a number of occasions, that the petitions have been overtaken by subsequent events and that there was little further action it could take at this time. The Committee therefore agreed to close the petitions and thank the petitioners.

3.13

P-05-1036 Allow support bubbles during lock down

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the current rules on forming support bubbles. Members noted that, in alert levels 3 and 4, these permit single adult households to join with another household but that this would not enable couples to be able to enter each other’s homes in all circumstances. However, given the situation the Committee agreed that there was no further work it could undertake on this issue at this time and closed the petition.

3.14

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

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted that no correspondence had been received by the petitioner and agreed to close the petition in light of this.

3.15

P-05-947 Make GP letters for Students gratis

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted that no correspondence had been received by the petitioner and agreed to close the petition in light of this.