Agenda and minutes
Venue: Committee Room 1 - Senedd. View directions
Contact: Graeme Francis
Media
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Transcript: Transcript for 07/05/2019 - Petitions Committee - Fifth Senedd
No. | Item |
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Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
There were no apologies. |
|
New petitions |
|
P-05-873 Free Welsh Lessons for the People of Wales Supporting documents:
Minutes: Mike
Hedges declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A: His
daughter is currently studying Welsh at University and may, in the future,
teach Welsh. The
Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to: ·
await
the views of the petitioner on the response provided by the Minister for
International Relations and the Welsh Language; and ·
write
back to the Minister to ask whether there is sufficient teaching capacity to
support an increase in demand for Welsh language lessons. |
|
P-05-874 Ban the sale of goods packaged in single use plastics on Transport for Wales services Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:
|
|
P-05-875 The Capping of Council Tax Rises in Wales Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the
Welsh Local Government Association to seek their views on the points raised by
the petition and the potential impact of a policy to cap or limit Council Tax
increases. |
|
P-05-869 Declare a Climate Emergency and fit all policies with zero-carbon targets Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to: ·
write
back to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to seek an
update on the latest actions taken by the Welsh Government, including its
declaration of a Climate Emergency on 30 April and the updated advice from the
UK Committee on Climate Change published in early May; and ·
write
to the Business Committee to seek time for the petition to be debated in
Plenary. |
|
Updates to previous petitions |
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P-05-717 Establish Statutory Public Rights of Access to Land and Water for Recreational and Other Purposes Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered a written statement by the Deputy Minister for Housing
& Local Government issued on 4 April, and agreed to share the petitioners’
latest comments with the Deputy Minister to seek her views on the contents, and
ask for more detail about the Welsh Government’s intended approach to resolving
issues around access to inland waters following her written statement. |
|
P-05-847 Create water fountains in the centre of cities and towns to eliminate plastic waste Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further comments from the petitioner, and agreed to write
to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to seek her views on the
points raised. |
|
P-05-867 Make the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' Mural a designated Welsh landmark Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to: ·
write
to Ceredigion Council to ask what involvement it could have in helping to
protect the mural; ·
write
to Llanrhystud Community Council to ask for information about the work it will
be leading to devise a long term management plan, and the likely timescales for
this; and ·
seek
a further update from the Welsh Government in due course. |
|
P-05-748 School Buses for School Children Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to write
to the Minister for Economy and Transport to ask for details of relevant actions
taken by Welsh Government since the Children’s Commissioner’s recommendation
that the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 should be reviewed. The Committee also
agreed to propose that safety for pupils travelling on public transport should
be incorporated into such a review. |
|
P-05-783 Ensuring Equality of Curriculum for Welsh Medium Schools e.g. GCSE Psychology Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to write
back to Qualifications Wales and the Minister for Education to ask for more
information about the steps being taken in relation to securing Welsh and
English medium provision from the outset under the new curriculum. |
|
P-05-789 Review support for asylum seekers accessing further education Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to close
the petition, given that the Welsh Government intends to implement the actions
called for by the petition from September 2020. Members thanked the petitioner
for raising this matter and congratulated her on the success of the petition. The
Committee also agreed to write back to the Minister for Education to ask her to
reconsider whether this change could be brought forward to September 2019. |
|
P-05-802 Protecting Class Sizes in Design and Technology Classrooms and Workshops Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to write back to the Minister for Education to
question how effective the article within the Dysg newsletter will be in
reminding school leaders to revisit risk assessments relating to Design &
Technology classes, and to ask why specific guidance in relation to this
subject cannot be produced. |
|
P-05-821 Reintroduce educational support funding for MEAS and the TES to local authorities Supporting documents: Minutes: The Committee agreed to close the petition in light
of the Welsh Government’s reinstatement of grant funding for these services in 2018-19
and 2019-20, and the scrutiny of the
Welsh Government’s budget undertaken by the Children, Young People and
Education Committee, including the
Education Improvement Grant. |
|
P-05-828 Presumption in favour of rural schools Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to
request a paper setting out the scrutiny given to the issue of appeals against
school closures at the time the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act
2013 was passed, together with options for taking forward further consideration
of the merits of an appeals mechanism. |
|
P-05-860 Make curriculum for life lessons compulsory Supporting documents: Minutes: The
Committee considered the petition alongside P-05-861 Make political education a compulsory element of the new national curriculum
and agreed to write back to the Minister for Education to ask: ·
for
an interim solution to be put in place, either through the current PSE
curriculum or the Welsh Baccalaureate, to support young people who might be
voting for the first time in 2021; and ·
for
consideration to be given to other ways young people can access information in
relation to political education outside the school curriculum, for example
through youth work settings. |
|
P-05-861 Make political education a compulsory element of the new national curriculum Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered the petition alongside P-05-860 Make curriculum for life lessons compulsory and agreed to write back
to the Minister for Education to ask:
|
|
P-05-806 We call for all premises in Wales to be awarded an Access Certificate number similar to the Food Hygiene Certificate. Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered correspondence from the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip and
agreed to accept the offer of an update on progress and to seek this, and an
update from the petitioners and Disability Wales, at the beginning of the
autumn term. |
|
P-05-864 Ban the use of 'Hostile Architecture Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to write
to homelessness charities to seek views on the issues raised by the petition
and the impact and prevalence of hostile architecture to deter rough sleeping
in Wales. |
|
P-05-754 Lack of support for children with disabilities at crisis Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further comments from the petitioner and agreed to write
to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask what provision there is for
children with autism or learning difficulties, in cases where mental health
support may not be the most appropriate solution. |
|
P-05-842 Give young people a voice when commissioning local services in Wales Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to: ·
write
back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to: o
accept
the offer of a further update on the work underway; o
ask
for this by the start of the autumn term; and o
share
the concerns of the petitioners that the working group does not appear to
include representation from children and young people; and ·
consider
whether it is possible to engage with the Assembly’s Youth Parliament on the
issues raised. |
|
P-05-846 Save our Hospital at Prince Philip Llanelli Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered correspondence on the petition and, given that it is not
currently clear that there is any significant threat to service provision at
Prince Phillip Hospital or in Llanelli from the information received, agreed to
contact the petitioners to ask: ·
whether
they would prefer the Committee to keep a watching brief on the changes
affecting Prince Philip Hospital and review the petition towards the end of the
year; or ·
close
the petition at this point, to enable a future petition should this situation
change. |
|
P-05-859 Provide Child Houses in Wales for victims of child sexual abuse Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write back to
the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services to ask for: ·
an
update on the work currently being carried out by Welsh Government and NHS
Wales; ·
her
reflections following the debate held on 3 April and what changes she may
consider following the vote in favour of Bethan Sayed AM’s legislative
proposal; and ·
to
share a copy of the comments received from the Children’s Commissioner for
Wales and ask for her response to the points raised, especially the concerns
about Sexual Abuse Referral Centres. |
|
P-05-865 Guarantee fully plant-based options on every public sector menu to protect the rights of vegans and for our health, the environment and animals Supporting documents:
Minutes: The
Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to write
to: ·
the
Minister for Environment to ask her to incorporate this issue into the Welsh
Government’s work following its recent declaration of climate change emergency;
and ·
the
Minister for Education and the Minister for Health and Social Services to thank
them for the information provided, but ask whether this means that they would
expect all daily menus in school and hospital settings to include vegetarian
and vegan food options. |