Dear Colleague

Review of the National Assembly for Wales’ Petitions System

The National Assembly’s Petitions Committee was set up to consider all admissible petitions submitted to the Assembly.  The Committee has agreed to carry out a review of the Assembly’s Petitions System, which has been in operation in much its present form since 2007.

I am writing to you because your organisation may have an interest in our work or may have assisted us previously in consideration of individual petitions. We would greatly value your views on the current system as well as on possible changes.

Among the issues the Committee is particularly interested in are:

· the current admissibility criteria for petitions;

· the way in which admissible petitions are dealt with; and

· how the Assembly’s rules and other systems might need to change to support any improvements that are recommended.

Attached to this letter is a document that explains the current arrangements in more detail.  It also asks a number of questions on which we would be grateful for your views.  Please submit your response by 17 July 2015 to the Petitions Committee Clerk at SeneddPetitions@Assembly.Wales or in writing to the address below.

Depending on responses, the Committee may decide to invite some stakeholders to attend a meeting of the Committee to further explain their responses and answer questions from Members of the Committee.  Please indicate if you would prefer not to be invited to give evidence in this way

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

William Powell AM

Committee Chair