Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Graeme Francis 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Transcript: Transcript for 19/03/2019 - Petitions Committee - Fifth Senedd

Items
No. Item

1.

Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

2.

New petitions

2.1

P-05-866 Sepsis Public Awareness Campaign - Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

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

  • write back to the Minister for Health and Social Services to share the additional information provided by the petitioners and ask:

·         what consideration has been given to the specific merits of a public awareness campaign in relation to sepsis;

·         for information about the timescale for developing a sepsis registry in Wales; and

·         for his views in relation to the petitioners’ call for a strategy for survivors and families affected by sepsis.

  • write to Public Health Wales to ask them for:

·         details of their ongoing work in relation to sepsis, including the development of a sepsis register; and 

·         the potential for increasing awareness of sepsis amongst health professionals and the public.

2.2

P-05-867 Make the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' Mural a designated Welsh landmark

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

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

  • await the views of the petitioner on the response from the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism; and
  • write to the Deputy Minister to:

·         request an update on the outcome of the meeting between officials, the Community Council and the National Trust;

·         ask what measures could be taken to physically protect the mural; and

·         ask for additional information about the previous consideration given to whether the mural meets the criteria for listing or designation as a scheduled monument, and what consideration has been given to updating the criteria used for listing buildings of special architectural or historical interest.

3.

Updates to previous petitions

3.1

P-05-786 Save our Countryside - Revise TAN 1

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee agreed to:

·         write to the Minister for Housing and Local Government to request an update on the review of Delivery of housing through the planning system, an indication of timescales for the completion of the review, and confirmation that paragraph 6.2 of TAN 1 will remain disapplied during that time; and

·         consider holding an evidence session with the Minister on several planning-related petitions at a future meeting.

3.2

P-05-843 More Third party rights in planning appeals

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to:

  • write to the Minister for Housing and Local Government to ask for her response to the additional comments provided by the petitioner and the contents of the paper produced by the Cardiff Environmental Law Foundation Clinic; and
  • consider holding an evidence session with the Minister on several planning-related petitions at a future meeting.

 

 

 

3.3

P-05-845 End Conflict of Interest in Local Authority Constitution

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered further correspondence on the petition and agreed to hold the petition pending future consideration of an evidence session with the Minister for Housing and Local Government on several planning-related petitions at a future meeting.

3.4

P-05-789 Review support for asylum seekers accessing further education

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered relevant actions in the Welsh Government’s Nation of Sanctuary – Refugee and Asylum Seeker Plan and agreed to:

  • await the views of the petitioner on the commitment made by the Welsh Government; and
  • write to the Minister to seek further detail about the commitment to work towards changes to the Education Maintenance Allowance and Financial Contingency Fund to enable asylum seekers to be eligible from the September 2020 term, and ask whether this could be achieved from the 2019 term.

 

3.5

P-05-808 Welsh should not be compulsory for Children with Dyslexia and Special Needs

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from another parent but, in light of the existing powers that Headteachers have to temporarily disapply aspects of the National Curriculum - including the possibility of a temporary exemption from particular subjects, agreed to close the petition.

3.6

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

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Welsh Local Government Association and the Welsh Government and agreed to write to the Minister for Finance to seek an update on the outcome of the recent pilot exercise in Pembrokeshire, and any view the Welsh Government has come to on its potential for wider implementation.

3.7

P-05-832 To Amend the School Admissions Code Relating to Summer-Born Children

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from a number of local authorities and the petitioners, and agreed to write again to seek the outstanding responses from local authorities as a matter of priority.

3.8

P-05-860 Make curriculum for life lessons compulsory

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Education on this petition and P-05-861 Make political education a compulsory element of the new national curriculum, and agreed to await the views of the petitioners on the further information provided by the Minister for Education before deciding whether it can take any further action on the petitions.

3.9

P-05-861 Make political education a compulsory element of the new national curriculum

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Education on this petition and P-05-860 Make curriculum for life lessons compulsory, and agreed to await the views of the petitioners on the further information provided by the Minister for Education before deciding whether it can take any further action on the petitions.

3.10

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

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee agreed to accept the Minister’s offer of a further update in due course and to consider further action at that point.

3.11

P-05-852 Introduce a Licence to manage land for game bird shooting in an attempt to end raptor persecution

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs and agreed to await the views of the petitioner on this before considering further action on the petition.

 

3.12

P-05-856 Ban the sale of puppies by pet shops and all commercial 3rd party dealers in Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs and agreed to keep a watching brief on this issue until the outcome of the Welsh Government’s current consultation on a ban, before considering what further action may be required on the petition.

3.13

P-05-859 Provide Child Houses in Wales for victims of child sexual abuse

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Health and Social Services and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales and agreed to:

  • await the views of the petitioner on the responses received; and
  • request additional information about the review into refuge provision and sexual abuse services in Wales announced by the previous First Minister.

3.14

P-05-836 Gender Pay Gap Reporting

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to write back to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, noting the commitment that she has expressed to gender equality and increased openness, but requesting a clearer indication of the timescales for reaching decisions in relation to future reporting requirements for public bodies.