National Assembly for Wales
Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Assembly Commission: 2007-08
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2. New Assembly: New Powers
- The Assembly Commission, Commissioners and the Strategy
- The Siambr
- Assembly Legislation
- Members' Research Service
- Assembly Committees
Committee Service
Committee Services is the secretariat to the National Assembly’s scrutiny committees.There are nine main scrutiny committees and one sub-committee whose membership reflects the proportion of political representation of the main political parties represented in the National Assembly. Committees exist to examine relevant and current issues appropriate to their remit, and where appropriate to scrutinise the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and Assembly Government Sponsored Bodies (AGSBs). The table below shows the breakdown of committee responsibilities, their memberships and number of meetings held in the first year of the third Assembly.
Sustainability Committee
Membership: Mick Bates AM (Chair); Alun Davies AM; Lorraine Barrett AM; Lesley Griffiths AM; Alun Ffred Jones AM; Elin Jones AM (until 20 September 2007); Darren Millar AM; Karen Sinclair AM; Brynle Williams AM; Leanne Wood AM ( from 20 September 2007)
Clerking Team: Virginia Hawkins; Joanne Clinton ; Annette Stafford
The Sustainability Committee’s remit covers climate change, energy, rural affairs and agriculture, environment and planning. At its first meeting, the Committee established a separate sub-committee to focus specifically on rural development. Details of the sub-committee’s work have been provided as a separate entry in this report.
As its first priority, the Sustainability Committee agreed to examine Wales’ performance in reducing its carbon emissions within the context of national and international targets. To ensure detailed and focused scrutiny of such an extensive topic, the inquiry was split into six discrete parts - residential; transport; industry and public bodies; energy production; land use management, and planning.To date, the Committee has published reports on residential carbon reduction and carbon reduction by transport, based on written and oral evidence gathered from a wide range of organisations. As part of this inquiry, the Committee visited Freiburg ‘solar city’ in Germany, and Linz in Upper Austria to see first-hand good practice from city and regional exemplars in achieving low to zero levels of carbon emissions.
The Committee also held evidence sessions on petitions, legislation and current issues, and scrutinised the Assembly Government’s draft budget. Petitions calling for larger buffer zones between opencast coal mines and dwellings, and for a ban on plastic bags, were considered.
The Committee examined the impact on Wales of UK Bills covering matters within its remit, for example the UK Climate Change Bill and the UK Planning Bill.
The Committee met on 18 occasions during the reporting period.
Rural Development Sub-Committee
Membership: Alun Davies AM;(Chair); Mick Bates AM; Alun Ffred Jones AM; Brynle Williams AM
Clerking Team: Claire Morris; Joanne Clinton; Annette Stafford
The Rural Development Sub-Committee was established as a sub-committee of the Sustainability Committee on 5 July 2007. Its remit is to scrutinise the Welsh Assembly Government on the Government’s areas of responsibility that the sub-committee considers impact on rural development.
As its first priority, the Committee agreed to conduct an inquiry into bovine TB in Wales, following the publication of the final report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle. It began by taking evidence at the Royal Welsh Show – a first for an Assembly Committee – and Committee Members visited Belfast, where they met with Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and officials of the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development. The Committee’s final report was published in January and debated in Plenary on 27 February.
In November, the Committee scrutinised the Minister for Rural Affairs on the Rural Development aspects of the Welsh Assembly Government’s draft budget.
The Committee also scrutinised the Minister for Rural Affairs on the Welsh Assembly Government’s handling of the foot and mouth outbreak. A report of the Committee’s findings was published in January and debated in Plenary on 20 February, in a joint debate with the Finance Committee, which had simultaneously carried out an inquiry into the financial impact of the outbreak on Wales.
The Committee began taking evidence on its third inquiry ‘Poverty and Deprivation in Rural Wales in January.
The Committee met on 11 occasions during the reporting period.
Enterprise and Learning Committee
Membership: Gareth Jones AM (Chair); Alun Cairns AM; Janet Ryder AM; Jeff Cuthbert AM; Huw Lewis AM; Sandy Mewies AM;David Melding AM; Christine Chapman AM; Kirsty Williams AM
Clerking Team: Kathryn Jenkins; Dan Collier; Mike Lewis
The Committee’s remit covers economic development and regeneration; social enterprise; transport; and lifelong learning.
The Committee met on 22 occasions between July 2007 and March 2008 including a meeting on 4 September during the summer recess at Carno Community centre to take evidence on a petition to reopen the local railway station. The local community presented the petition and the Committee also scrutinised key stakeholders. The Committee laid its report on 27 September. During the autumn term, the Committee undertook a pre-legislative scrutiny inquiry on the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure, and reported on planning for future rail provision. Both reports were laid on 27 November with a Plenary debate on the latter on 23 January. In order to address concerns regarding the implementation of recommendations made by the former School Funding Committee, the Committee undertook a follow-up inquiry; its report is expected in May. From November 2007 onwards, the Committee scoped and took evidence on a major inquiry into the economic impact of higher education, the report of which will be published in summer 2008.
As part of the Committee’s commitment to more innovative ways of working, it elected a rapporteur group to consider the treatment and support available for those coping with dyslexia. The group began its work in the summer recess and has undertaken several visits in the UK and the US. In addition it has received a series of presentations from dyslexia organisations; held a video conference session withparents and children in north Wales and a coffee morning event with families living in south Wales. The group laid its interim report on 12 December. Its final report is expected in late spring.
Communities and Culture Committee
Membership Janice Gregory AM (Chair); Peter Black AM; Paul Davies AM; Nerys Evans AM; Lesley Griffiths AM; Lynne Neagle AM;Joyce Watson AM; Mark Isherwood AM; Dai Lloyd AM;
Clerking Team: Chris Reading; Sarah Bartlett; Annette Millett
The Committee’s remit covers housing; community safety; community Inclusion including Communities First and the Spatial Plan; and Welsh Language, Sport and Culture
Before the summer recess in 2007, the Committee considered various options for a scrutiny inquiry; and chose to examine the funding of the voluntary sector in Wales. In October 2007, the Committee began hearing evidence from a wide variety of organisations including Welsh Ministers, umbrella bodies and agencies, local government; and organisations representing women, children and young people, older people, ethnic groups, various religious groups, gay, lesbian and bisexual people. It also considered more than 50 written submissions and completed its inquiry in April 2008.
The Committee also scrutinised relevant Ministers and Deputy Ministers on their portfolios; in particular, their spending plans set out in the draft Assembly budget. Some Members also visited Brynawel House, an alcohol rehabilitation centre at Llanharan, near Bridgend.
The Committee met on 13 occasions during the reporting period.
Finance Committee
Membership: Alun Cairns AM (Chair); Alun Davies AM; Lynne Neagle AM; Joyce Watson AM; Alun Ffred Jones AM; Ann Jones AM; Mohammad Asghar AM; Jenny Randerson AM; Angela Burns AM
Clerking Team: John Grimes; Abigail Phillips; Karl Gomila
The Committee’s remit allows it to scrutinise expenditure from the Welsh Consolidated Fund by the Welsh Assembly Government, the Assembly Commission and the Public Services Ombudsman. The Committee also undertakes scrutiny of the financial resolutions of proposed Assembly Measures, a role it undertook for the first time in 2008 when it considered the financial implications of the NHS Redress (Wales) Measure 2007.
In November 2007, the Committee undertook scrutiny of the Welsh Assembly draft budget proposals for the first time. Two scheduled Committee meetings and three additional Committee meetings were held during the four week scrutiny period to allow full and frank discussions of the budget proposals and several of the Committee’s recommendations were accepted by the Welsh Assembly Government.
In October 2007, the Finance Committee issued a call for evidence to inform its Inquiry into Public Private Partnerships. The wide range of written responses to the call and further evidence from Committee witnesses have added to the lively debate surrounding this Inquiry. The Finance Committee will conclude the Inquiry with the publication of its report in Summer 2008.
The Finance Committee also considered and reported on two supplementary budgets, identifying previously unreported financial assets available to the Welsh Assembly Government.
The Committee met on 14 occasions during the reporting period.
Audit Committee
Membership: David Melding AM (Chair); Helen Mary Jones AM (until March 2008); Lorraine Barrett AM;; Irene James AM; Eleanor Burnham AM; Chris Franks AM; Janice Gregory AM ; Bethan Jenkins AM(from March 2008); Huw Lewis AM; Lesley Griffiths AM Darren Millar AM
Clerking Team: John Grimes; Abigail Phillips; Karl Gomila
The Audit Committee was established to ensure that the implementation of Welsh Assembly Government’s policies in an economic, efficient and effective way and works closely with the Auditor General for Wales in doing so. Standing Orders require that the Audit Committee consists of 10 Members, making it on of the largest Committee of the Third Assembly.
In November 2007, the Committee published its report ‘Protecting Public Money on the LG Projects, Newport’. The report made five recommendations to the Welsh Assembly Government, all of which were accepted in full.
In January 2008 the Audit Committee published its report ‘Review of the GMS Contract in Wales’. The Committee made eight recommendations, of which six were fully accepted by the Welsh Assembly Government and two partially accepted. The Committee welcomed the commitment from the Auditor General for Wales to continue to monitor the progress made by the NHS in Wales in managing the new GMS contract and implementing the recommendations.
The Committee has also taken evidence and published reports on Tackling Delayed Transfers of Care Across the Whole System; Report on the 2006-07 Consolidated Resource Accounts of the National Assembly for Wales; Healthcare Associated Infection and The Arts Council for Wales – Supporting Major Capital Projects.
The Committee met on six occasions during the reporting period.
Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee
Membership: Jonathan Morgan AM (Chair);Ann Jones AM; Helen Mary Jones AM; Nick Ramsay AM; Lorraine Barrett AM;; Val Lloyd AM; Irene James AM; Jenny Randerson AM; Dai Lloyd AM
Clerking Team: Steve George; Catherine Lewis; Joel Steed ;Carla Brookes
The Committee’s role is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Assembly Government and associated public bodies within the fields of Health, Local Government and Public Service Delivery.
The Committee’s first Inquiry looked at workforce planning in health and social care. Ten oral evidence sessions were held between September 2007 and January 2008, taking evidence from 48 individuals representing 19 organisations. The Committee also received 17 written submissions and reported to the Assembly on 13 March in a wide ranging report that made 28 recommendations.
The Committee’s second Inquiry, into presumed consent for organ donation, started in January 2008. As part of its evidence gathering for the Inquiry, the Committee has been holding a Senedd Consultation where visitors to the Senedd are given background information and asked to complete a short questionnaire for their views on the subject. The Assembly’s public information service also used the Committee’s Inquiry as a focus for some of its work with schools. This involved discussions with school groups and the completion of a questionnaire, the results of which will also form part of the evidence base for the Inquiry. An online poll and discussion forum on the subject was launched and a number of public meetings are planned.
The Committee also took oral evidence from the Ministers for Social Justice and Local Government and Health and Social Services on the Assembly Government’s budget proposals and from the Minister for Health and Social Services as part of the Inquiry on workforce planning.
The Committee held extended general scrutiny sessions with the Minister for Health and Social Services, the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government and the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery and met on 17 occasions during the reporting period.
Children & Young People Committee
Membership: Helen Mary Jones AM (Chair); Christine Chapman AM; Lynne Neagle AM; Eleanor Burnham AM Angela Burns AM
Clerking Team: Tom Jackson; Claire Griffiths; Linda Heard
The remit of the Children and Young People Committee is to consider and report on issues affecting children and young people in Wales; examine the associated expenditure, administration and policy of the Welsh Assembly Government and its sponsored public bodies and consider reports of the Children's Commissioner for Wales.
The Children and Young People Committee was founded on 16 October 2007 and immediately set about developing links with the office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales whose annual report was scrutinised in February 2008.
On 6 March, the Committee launched its report on the Commissioning of Advocacy Services for Children and Young People. In conducting this inquiry, the Committee took evidence directly from young people, both in Committee, and through Members conducting rapporteur visits to meet with groups of young people. A number of these young people attended the launch of the report. An ‘easy-read’ version of the report has been produced, for Children and Young People.
The Committee met on seven occasions during the reporting period.
Equality of Opportunity Committee
Membership: Ann Jones AM (Chair); Helen Mary Jones AM (until 13 March); Bethan Jenkins AM; Chris Franks AM (from 13 March); Joyce Watson AM; Christine Chapman AM; Lynne Neagle AM (until 13 March); Huw Lewis AM; (from 13 March); Eleanor Burnham AM; Angela Burns AM; Mark Isherwood AM
Clerking Team: Tom Jackson;Claire Griffiths; Linda Heard
The Equality of Opportunity Committee has a remit to consider and report on the equality of treatment of Welsh and English languages, equality of opportunity for all people and the Assembly Commission’s responsibilities for these areas.
In December 2007, the Committee published its report on the Accessibility of Polling Stations, and the majority of its recommendations were accepted by the Welsh Assembly Government.
In January 2008, the Committee took evidence from a group of disabled young people, who had previously worked with the Committee on an inquiry into Service Provision for Disabled Young People. The Committee heard from the young people what they thought had, and hadn’t, changed for them since the report was produced. The young people’s comments were then set out for the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills’ consideration.
In conducting its inquiry into Migrant Workers, the Committee visited an Advocacy and Information centre in Wrexham, and taken evidence from a wide range of witnesses, including Minister-Counsellor Mr Krzysztof Trepczynski, from the Economic Section of the PolishEmbassy in London.
The Committee met on 11 occasions during the reporting period.
European and External Affairs Committee
Membership: Sandy Mewies AM(Chair); Gareth Jones AM ; Nicholas Bourne AM; Christine Chapman AM; Jeff Cuthbert AM; Val Lloyd AM; Nerys Evans AM; Mike German AM; William Graham AM;
Clerking Team: Chris Reading; Sarah Bartlett; Annette Millett
The Committee’s remit is to consider and report on any matters relevant to the exercise by the First Minister, Welsh Ministers, the Counsel General or the Assembly of any of their functions relating to the European Union or external affairs.
Before the summer recess in 2007, the Committee considered various options for a scrutiny inquiry; and chose to examine the role of the European Investment Bank in Wales. The Committee received evidence from European Investment Bank, the Welsh European Funding Office, a private housing association that had received funding from the EIB, and the Deputy First Minister, in his role as Minister for Finance and Economic Development.
In addition to undertaking the inquiry, the Committee received regular briefings from the First Minister, in his role as Minister for Europe and External Affairs.
The Committee discussed Slovenia’s priorities for the EU Presidency with the Slovenian Ambassador to the UK; received regular briefings from the Head of the Representation in Wales of the European Commission; considered the European Commission’s Annual Work Programme and received a report from Wales Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
The Committee met on six occasions during the reporting period.
Petitions Committee
Membership: Val Lloyd AM (Chair); Bethan Jenkins AM; Mike German AM;; Andrew R.T. Davies AM
Clerking Team: Stefan Sanchez; Alun Davidson; Tom Williams
The Committee’s remit is to consider petitions from the public and corporate bodies submitted to the National Assembly for Wales (including scrutiny of relevant Welsh Assembly Government and its sponsored bodies’ policies and administration) and was a newly established Committee of the third Assembly.
Petitions are received on a wide range of topics from all over Wales, and the process allows the general public in particular easy access to the political and legislative process. Many petitions that have been submitted have resulted in petitioners presenting evidence to the Committee, which reinforces the Assembly Commission goal to promote and widen engagement in devolution.
Particular highlights include:
The petition to re-open Carno Railway station – the Committee referred this to the Enterprise & Learning Committee who visited the site, took evidence from key stakeholders and laid a report before the Assembly, making recommendations to the Welsh Assembly Government which responded positively with suggestions of how to ensure the station would meet technical criteria for inclusion in their forthcoming regional transport plan.
The Committee considered the petition against discharge of sewage into the Nant Cylla river and took evidence from the petitioners and the Environment Agency which was responsible for granting a license and concluded that the guidance on sewage discharge was insufficient. A recommendation was made to the Minister who responded positively confirming the guidance would be updated and the application to discharge sewage was withdrawn.
As of 30th March, the Committee have received 61 petitions in the third Assembly.
The Committee met on 11 occasions during the reporting period
