Petitions Committee

Moving on to item 3, updates to previous petitions. So, we've got petition P-06-1335, a Mencap Cymru petition, which is, 'Welsh Government should take steps to ensure vulnerable adults without bank cards can pay with cash'. There were 2,504 signatures altogether. So, Joel, are you okay to take us through this? Thank you.

Thank you, Chair. I'm conscious that we've had the petition for quite some time, but in recent correspondence from ourselves to the Cabinet Secretary, which we've shared with Mencap Cymru, they've come back with a few more concerns that they'd like addressing. And I thought we might as well forward them on to the Cabinet Secretary for their comments and see what the responses are and then probably look at closing it then, if it's—not now, but when we get those responses.

Okay. Thank you, Joel. Yes. So, I think they wanted clarification about when discretion can be applied for those who don't have cash to pay for items on board the railway service, the train service. I was on a train a few weeks ago and it had engine failure, unfortunately, in the middle of nowhere, and we were stuck for 45 minutes and we were offered free refreshments. I think the decision was made by the guard on board, so we were offered free refreshments, so I know there is discretion, but it's just clarification, really, over how that can be operated. So, we can write back again to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, just to seek clarification on how discretion could actually work. I suppose the staff need to know, if it's not a clear black-and-white policy, how do they know and how will customers know that they're entitled to discretion? Transport for Wales are pretty good now; it's a very good service on the whole and more generous than others. But if we could do that, write to the Cabinet Secretary and just seek clarification on that, going forward. Okay. And then, hopefully, we'll get a good answer and we can close the petition after that. Very good. Thank you. Are we all in agreement? Rhys, is that okay with you? Great. Thumbs up.

Moving on to 3.2, petition P-06-1350, 'Re-open Dyfi Ward at Tywyn Hospital now'. The submitter is Jane Seddon Barraclough, with 5,528 signatures. So, Rhys, could I bring you in to talk about this? Thank you.

Thank you, Cadeirydd. I think this is the sixth time we've discussed this petition. I believe I've spoken on this petition at least once before, if not more. I think it's fair to say that we've been fairly frustrated, on occasions, with the responses, or maybe the lack of responses received. But we did have a detailed response, a very detailed response, from the health board shortly before Christmas, and we've received critical responses to that letter from the campaign group, and also the Community Hospitals Association. I think the campaign group disputes the information provided with regard to capacity and provision, and the Community Hospitals Association is highly critical of the process and the approach that the health board has taken. It's difficult to see how we can reconcile these two very different views.

I know, Chair, that you've spoken to the health board and perhaps you will have something to say later on. One way forward would be, perhaps, that we raise the issues from the campaign group and the health board to the Cabinet Secretary and copy in the health committee, so that they're aware of the issues, but I understand, Chair, perhaps, that you have another suggestion of how we can move things forward. But it's very difficult to see how we are going to be able to reconcile these two very different positions. Diolch.

Thank you, Rhys. Yes, it seems that the information provided has been disputed and it feels like it's a case of wanting to bring two lots together to discuss it openly together, because there are crossed views. I met with the health board last week with other Members. It was an update meeting for north Wales Members. And I did raise concerns regarding the hospital there and the petition as well. I did say that we were going to be discussing the petition at the meeting today, and we really needed to have more information and an update. So, she said that she would be able to provide more information and an update. I think she felt there was more to be said on it now. So, she said she would write to us on that. So, yes. I think the suggestion of a letter going to the Cabinet Secretary and to the health board would be a good suggestion, and then we can await that response, and hopefully there is better clarity and something that's more acceptable then, and a better understanding for the campaign group. Okay. There's a lot of nodding. Do we feel that's a good way forward? Okay, so we'll do that, then. We'll write to the Cabinet Secretary, copy in the chief executive of the health board, and say that the petition is still open and we're awaiting their response. Thank you very much. Thank you, Rhys.

Okay. So, if we move on now to 3.3, P-06-1405, 'We want and need a Mental Health unit for men in North Wales with beds'. This was submitted by Lynda Leigh with 261 signatures. So, can I bring Luke in to speak on this? Luke, before you speak on this, can I just say that we have received apologies now from Vaughan Gething? He is unable to attend the meeting. But we have enough Members, so we're fine—we can continue without him. Luke, would you be able to take us through this? Thank you.

Yes, of course. It's a really important topic. I've spoken a number of times in the Chamber about this particular topic. We know that there is some progress being made now, so the Government's mental health and well-being strategy and suicide and self-harm prevention strategy is currently being worked on. We haven't had a date yet as to when they will be published. I think that potentially some of the comments made by the petitioner could feed into that, into the Government's considerations of when they're putting together that strategy. I think it's worth checking what the timeline is for that strategy, just for clarity, and then once we have a date, I think we can come back to this petition. I think there's merit in keeping the petition open for the time being, feeding in the petitioner's comments and getting some comments back as well, once those strategies are published. So, I would propose that we keep it open, awaiting the publication of those strategies.

I think that's a good suggestion. I would support you on that, going forward. So, if we write to the Minister for Mental Health and Well-being—I think that's Sarah Murphy, isn't it—asking for clarification on the timeline, keep the petition open, and also write to her regarding the petitioner's comments as well, and observations, which I think are very important. Okay. Are we in agreement? Okay, Rhys, are you in agreement?

Yes.

Thank you.

That now brings us on to agenda item 4, papers to note. Is committee content to note those? Okay, thank you.

That leads me on to our motion under Standing Orders to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the remainder of this meeting. Are you happy to move that? Okay, we're going to move into private now.