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Petitions Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 1 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 10 March 2015 |
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Meeting time: |
09.03 - 10.57 |
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This meeting can be viewed on
Senedd TV at: |
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Concise Minutes: |
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Assembly Members: |
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William Powell (Chair) Russell George Bethan Jenkins Joyce Watson |
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Witnesses: |
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Rob Curtis, Petitioner and Chair of Friends of Barry Beach Gill Bell, Wales Programme Manager Marine Conservation Society |
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Committee Staff: |
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Steve George (Clerk) Kayleigh Driscoll (Deputy Clerk) Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Helen Roberts (Legal Adviser) |
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1 Introduction, apologies and substitutions
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were no apologies.
2 Updates to previous petitions
2.1 P-04-416 North-South Rail Services
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport asking for:
· her further comments in the light of the petitioner’s views; and
· an update on the position in respect of the renewal of the North-South Premier Service, which is scheduled for renewal in May and when she is likely to be able to make an announcement on the North-South Express.
2.2 P-04-459 A direct rail connection from Cardiff Airport to Cardiff central and west Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister for an update on the Cardiff Airport link.
2.3 P-04-599 Impact of Domestic Rating on Self Catering
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport asking for an urgent update on the matter and asking for clarification of:
· whether work is in hand to amend the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Domestic Property) (Wales) Order 2010 following the IRRV report and subsequent consultation (as has been indicated to the WTA); and
· in the light of this to clarify the statement in the final paragraph of her letter of 10 October that ‘…procedures that are currently in place are sufficient and no further action is required.’
2.4 P-04-492 Diagnosis of autism in children
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write in the terms requested by the petitioners to the Task and Finish Group, Local Health Boards and to the Minister for Health and Social Services. Also to write to the new CEO of Hywel Dda Health Board, Steve Moore, seeking reassurance on latest trends in diagnosis times for autism in Pembrokeshire, which appear to have slipped, after initial improvement.
2.5 P-04-494 Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy must be made available to men in Wales now
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister to ask what plans there are to provide Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board with equipment to carry out robot assisted procedures, and for information on the system that is currently underway in Manchester. Also to seek clarity on the cost implications to the Health Board of ongoing referral to Manchester.
2.6 P-04-501 Day Centres for the elderly in Wales to be made statutory
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to await a response from petitioner.
2.7 P-04-527 Campaign for a Special Cancer Drug Fund in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· write to the petitioner asking him to pass on the Committee’s condolences to the family of Beth Margetson; and
· await the response from petitioner on the Ministerial correspondence.
2.8 P-04-532 Improving specialised neuromuscular services in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to:
- Health Boards and the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee asking them to consider the specific actions called for in the petitioner’s letter;
- the Minister asking for an update on the issue now that an appointment is in place; and
- the Cross party Group for Muscular Dystrophy and Neuromuscular Conditions so that they were aware of the latest position.
2.9 P-04-568 Public Inquiry into ABMU Health Board
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· ask the petitioner whether he has any views on the inquiry the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is currently undertaking; and
· await the outcome of PAC consideration.
2.10 P-04-571 Treating Pernicious Anaemia
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to thank the Minister for his constructive response and ask him to inform the Committee of the outcome of his:
· letter to Jane Ellison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Health in relation to support for rapid development of a licensed oral preparation; and
· request to NIHCE to consider developing advice for clinicians.
2.11 P-04-583 Ban all Growing and Selling of all GM seeds / Foods and Animal / Fish Feed in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition in light of the Minister making it clear that the Welsh Government cannot legally ban GM crops in Wales.
2.12 P-04-603 Helping Babies Born at 22 Weeks to Survive
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask:
- both the Minister for Health and Social Services and the Health Board to provide an update on work in hand to ensure that lessons are learned from this case for the future;
- the Health and Social Care Committee to consider whether an inquiry into the current guidelines for resuscitation of children born prematurely is needed; and
- the petitioner to ask whether there is a formal record of the meeting that took place with the Advisor for Maternal and Child Health and whether she would be prepared to share that with the Committee.
2.13 P-04-607 Call for the welsh government to purchase Garth Celyn
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee to consider the matter possibly as part of their consideration of the planned Heritage (Wales) Bill.
2.14 P-04-500 Call For Regulation of Animal Welfare Establishments in Wales
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the outcome of the steps outlined by the Minister but write to ask that she inform the Committee as soon as there is further progress to report.
2.15 P-04-528 All Primary Schools in Wales taught through the medium of Welsh
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:
· ask the petitioner for their views on the Minister’s correspondence; and
· move to close the petition.
2.16 P-04-519 Abolition of Park Homes Sales Commission
The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to ask the Minister to ensure that the petitioners will be included in any consultation on the review that is to start in the spring.
3 Inactive Petitions
3.1 P-03-144 Guide Dogs for the Blind - Shared Space
The Committee considered petition and agreed to:
· write to the petitioner asking whether they wish to continue with the petition; and
· close the petition if a response is not forthcoming within six weeks.
3.2 P-03-236 The Charter for Grandchildren
The Committee considered petition and agreed to:
- write to the petitioner asking whether they wish to continue with the petition; and
- close the petition if a response is not forthcoming within six weeks.
3.3 P-04-363 Town Centre Improvement Scheme for Fishguard
The Committee considered petition and agreed to:
- write to the petitioner asking whether they wish to continue with the petition; and
- close the petition if a response is not forthcoming within six weeks.
3.4 P-04-504 A483 Maerdy bridge Road Junction safety
The Committee considered petition and agreed to:
- write to the petitioner asking whether they wish to continue with the petition; and
- close the petition if a response is not forthcoming within six weeks.
3.5 P-04-512 Stop the "Staff reduction proposals" at the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
The Committee considered petition and agreed to:
- write to the petitioner asking whether they wish to continue with the petition; and
- close the petition if a response is not forthcoming within six weeks.
3.6 P-04-520 Regarding the Cancellation of All Elective Orthopaedic Surgery by Hywel Dda Health Board During the Winter 2013/14
The Committee considered petition and agreed to:
- write to the petitioner asking whether they wish to continue with the petition; and
- close the petition if a response is not forthcoming within six weeks.
4 P-04-547 Ban Polystyrene(EPS) Fast Food and Drinks Packaging
The following witnesses answered questions from the Committee:
· Rob Curtis, Petitioner and Chair of Friends of Barry Beach; and
· Gill Bell, Wales Programme Manager Marine Conservation Society.
Rob Curtis agreed to forward the Committee information regarding the ban of polystyrene food packaging in mainland European Cities.
5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:
The motion was agreed.
6 Review of the Petitions System
The Committee considered this matter in private.