Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Graeme Francis 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Transcript: Transcript for 03/07/2018 - Petitions Committee - Fifth Senedd

Items
Expected timing No. Item

1.

Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  There were no apologies.

2.

New petitions

2.1

P-05-818 Introducing a Register of Lobbyists in Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the views of the petitioners on the response received from the Assembly Commission, before considering whether to take any further action on the petition.

2.2

P-05-821 Reintroduce educational support funding to MEAS and the TES to Neath Port Talbot CBC

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Members considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary for Education to ask for details of:

  • for further information about the formula used to allocate funds to each local authority under the EIG and the transitional arrangements recently announced;

 

  • for details of what consultation was undertaken with councils or stakeholders prior to the decision to mainstream support for ethnic minority, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller learners; and

 

  • how the Welsh Government intends to monitor the impact of this change and the continued provision of support by local authorities.

 

2.3

P-05-822 Ban plastic straws (when drinking milk) in our schools

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

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

·         write back to the Minister for Environment to ask her:

o   whether she would consider issuing advice to local authorities on ending the use of plastic straws in school milk;

o   to provide further details about the National Procurement Service consultation with suppliers referred to in her letter; and

o   to inform the Committee whether any of the pilot projects within councils are specifically exploring measures to reduce or eliminate the use of plastic straws in schools; and

·         write to the WLGA to seek their views on the petition and to ask what lead they have taken in working with local authorities and schools to help reduce or eliminate the use of plastic straws.

 

2.4

P-05-823 Reduce the speed limit on the A487 in Penparcau

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

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

  • write to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport to ask:

o   for further information about the current status of previous commitments to explore the potential to detrunk the A487 in Aberystwyth, and whether this work is still being taken forward; and

  • consider the petition again alongside other existing petitions relating to speed limits once the Cabinet Secretary has responded to the Committee’s previous correspondence relating to the Speed Limit Review.

 

3.

Updates to previous petitions

3.1

P-05-796 Calling on the Welsh Government to Ban The Use of Wild Animals in Circuses in Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Circus Guild together with a response from the petitioner and agreed to consider further actions following the evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs scheduled for later in the meeting.

 

3.2

P-05-801 Save the trees and ground in Roath Mill and Roath Brook Gardens before it's too late

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from Cardiff Council and NRW together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to:

  • request a further update from NRW and the campaign group given the ongoing discussions between both parties, the planned engagement work with households directly affected by flood risk and NRW’s consideration of the request to extend the current pause in the works; and
  • seek information from Dŵr Cymru about its plans in relation to Llanishen Reservoir.

 

3.3

P-05-809 Proposed New Fishing Bylaws and Failings of NRW

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The petition was considered alongside P-05-810 Give Welsh Fishing Clubs and Salmon and Seatrout a Chance.  

 

  • The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and agreed towrite to NRW to seek their views on the most recent comments from the petitioner for P-05-810.

 

3.4

P-05-810 Give Welsh Fishing Clubs and Salmon and Seatrout a Chance

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The petition was considered alongside P-05-809 Proposed New Fishing Bylaws and Failings of NRW. 

 

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs together with additional comments from the petitioner and agreed to write to NRW to seek their views on the most recent comments from the petitioner.

 

3.5

P-05-814 All New Builds In Wales to Have Solar Panels

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs together with further comments from the petitioner and, given there was little further action they could take on the petition at this time, agreed to notify the petitioner of the outcome of the review of Part L of the buildings regulations expected to commence in early 2019 and consider the petition again at that time.

3.6

P-04-519 Abolition of Park Homes Sales Commission

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioners and, given the detailed consideration that has been given to the issues raised by the Welsh Government and the anticipated introduction of regulations which will reduce the maximum sales commission level to 5 per cent, agreed to close the petition at this point.

 

3.7

P-05-770 Reopen Crumlin Railway Station

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport together with further correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to seek the views of the petitioner on the full details of phase 1 assessment scoring contained within the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport to Assembly Members in July 2017.

 

3.8

P-05-812 We call for the Welsh Government to encourage trusts to implement the NICE guidelines for Borderline Personality Disorder or justify why they do not do so

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services together with comments from the petitioner and agreed to write to local health boards to ask:

·         for details of the services currently provided to people with borderline personality disorder in their areas; and

·         whether specialist services are available as suggested by NICE guidelines.

4.

Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public for item 5 of today's business:

Minutes:

Items 4 and 5 were deferred until after the evidence session scheduled under item 6 when the motion was agreed.

5.

Review of processes for petitions with over 5000 signatures

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Item 5 was deferred until after the evidence session scheduled at item 6.

 

The Committee reviewed the processes for petitions with over 5000 signatures and agreed not to make any changes to the number of signatures required before the petition is considered for a debate in a plenary meeting of the Assembly.  

 

However, the Committee agreed to write to the Llywydd setting out a number of proposals for changing the approach to the mechanisms for collecting signatures.

 

(10.15 - 11.00)

6.

Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs

Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs

 

Dr Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales

 

Stuart Evans, Head of Fisheries Policy

 

Minutes:

The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Dr Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales and Stuart Evans, Head of Fisheries Policy.

 

6.1

P-04-399 Slaughter Practices

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and agreed to write to her to ask for:

  • confirmation of her commitment to produce guidance which encourages abattoirs in Wales to install CCTV; and
  • assurances that all abattoirs in Wales will be encouraged to apply for grant funding for the installation of CCTV and those who choose not to apply will be closely monitored;

with a view to closing the petition once the Cabinet Secretary’s response has been received.

 

6.2

P-04-433 CCTV in Slaughterhouses

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and agreed to write to her to ask for assurances that all abattoirs in Wales will be encouraged to apply for grant funding for the installation of CCTV and those who choose not to apply will be closely monitored, with a view to closing the petition once the Cabinet Secretary’s response has been received.

 

6.3

P-05-778 Protect the Razor Clams on Llanfairfechan Beach

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

In light of commitments made by the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs in relation to improving signage at Llanfairfechan beach, carrying out a full stock assessment exercise and that the fishery will remain closed until at least then end of 2018, the Committee agreed to keep a watching brief and to consider the petition again towards the end of the year.

 

6.4

P-05-796 Calling on the Welsh Government to Ban The Use of Wild Animals in Circuses in Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee agreed to await the First Minister’s announcement of the legislative statement, expected before the end of the summer term, before deciding any further action on the petition.