BUSINESS PAPERS

Part 1- Section E

WRITTEN STATEMENTS OF OPINION TABLED ON

22 July 1999

R Signifies the Member has declared an interest

OPIN-1999-0014 Allocation and Distribution of Objective 1 Funds

Raised on 24 Jun 1999 by Geraint Davies - Rhondda Janet Davies - South West - Islwyn Ieuan Jones - Ynys Mon Dai Lloyd MBBCh MRCGP Dip.Ther - South Wales West - North Wales Phil Williams - South Wales East - South Wales East

5 Subscribers: - Gareth Jones - Conwy Mick Bates- Montgomershire - Mid and West Wales Peter Black - South Wales West

The National Assembly calls on the First Secretary to ensure that Objective 1 funds allocated to Wales will be additional to the Assembly's baseline budget and not distributed out of the Treasury according to the Barnett FormulaOPIN-1999-0014 Allocation and Distribution of Objective 1 Funds.

OPIN-1999-0019 Nuclear Waste at Trecwn

Raised on 30 Jun by Richard Edwards - Preseli Pembrokeshire

26 Subscribers: Elin Jones - Cerdigion - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney - Torfaen Alun Pugh - Clwyd West Jenny Randerson - Cardiff Central - Neath Val Feld - East Lorraine Barrett - Cardiff South and Penarth Sue Essex - Cardiff North - Cynon Valley Alison Halford - Clwyd South - Ogmore Brian Gibbons FRCGP- Aberavon - Vale of Clwyd Ron Davies - Caerphilly John Griffiths LLB - Newport East Cynog Dafis - Mid and West Wales - South Wales Central - Brecon and Radnorshire MBE - Gower Karen Sinclair - Clwyd South Janet Davies - South Wales West - Jocelyn Davies - South Wales East LLB - Bridgend Peter Black - South Wales West

The National Assembly for Wales declares its total opposition to the proposal by a private firm to store nuclear waste at the former RNAD site at Trecwn in Pembrokeshire. This would cause catastrophic blight to the economy and environment of Pembrokeshire and pose great potential hazards to the well-being of the people of West Wales and beyond.

OPIN-1999-0017 Status of Charities

Raised on 29 Jun 1999 by Cynog Dafis - Mid and West Wales

21 Subscribers: Nicholas Bourne LLB LLM - Mid and West Wales Brian Gibbons FRCGP - Aberavon Pauline Jarman - South Wales Central Christine Chapman - Cynon Valley Karen Sinclair - Clwyd South Dai Lloyd MBBCh MRCGP Dip.Ther - South Wales West Richard Edwards - Preseli Pembrokeshire Michael German OBE - South Wales East Janet Davies - South Wales West Kirsty Williams - Brecon and Radnorshire Christine Humphreys - North Wales Gareth Jones - Conwy Geraint Davies - Rhondda Lorraine Barrett - Cardiff South and Penarth Peter Black - South Wales West Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire Elin Jones - Ceredigion Carwyn Jones LLB - Bridgend Ann Jones - Vale of Clwyd Ron Davies - Caerphilly Jenny Randerson -Cardiff Central

This Assembly notes that the law does not prevent competent crooks from registering or acquiring registered charities; and that official advice on how to prevent fraudulent collections at supermarkets, stations and pubs has for many years proved ineffective; urges all owners of such premises to insist beforehand on a recommendation from a first class source on each collecting charity, along the lines of the Charity Check system; and hopes that all fraudulent collections can thus be soon eliminated throughout Wales, so that the splendid tradition whereby owners allow charitable collections can safely continue.

OPIN-1999-0022 City Status for Newport

Raised on 08 Jul 1999 by John Griffiths LLB - Newport East

2 Subscribers Gareth Jones - Conwy Rosemary Butler - Newport West

The National Assembly for Wales recognises the strength of Newport's bid for city status. The Assembly believes Newport should be granted city status and wishes to place on the record its support for Newport's bid.

OPIN-1999-0026 NHS - Dentistry

Raised on 14 Jul by Dai Lloyd MBBCh MRCGP Dip.Ther - South Wales West 13 Subscribers: Helen Mary Jones - Llanelli Gareth Jones - Conwy - Carmarten East and Dinefwr Elin Jones - Ceredigion - Ynys Mon MA - South Wales Central Geraint Davies - Rhondda Pauline Jarman - South Wales Central Cynog Dafis - Mid and West Wales Brian Hancock - IsIwyn Jenny Randerson - Cardiff Central Kirsty Williams - Breacon and Radnorshire Jocelyn Davies - South Wales East

The National Assembly for Wales calls for a full and wide ranging debate on the future of NHS Dentistry in Wales, encompassing consideration of a needs-led service, provision of salaried Dentists where the current contract cannot attract a Dentist at all, and abolition of Dental charges. The focus of this debate will be the Health and Social Services Committee.

OPIN-1999-0027 Royal Welsh Show and Recess

Raised on 20 Jul by Nicholas Bourne LLB LLM - Mid and West Wales

7 Subscribers Jonathan Morgan - South Wales Central Alun Cairns - South Wales West Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire[R] - South Wales Central Peter Rogers - North Wales David Davies - Monmouth William Graham JP - South Wales East

That this Assembly congratulates D Hugh Thomas CBE, President of the Royal Welsh Show and the organisers on an extremely successful first day, and expresses the view that the National Assembly for Wales should be in recess in 2000 and future years for the duration of the Royal Welsh Show and that any lost time shoould be made up at some appropriate juncture so as not to prejudice formal Assembly business.

OPIN-1999-0028 Pardon for Dic Penderyn/Richard Lewis Raised on 20 Jul by Brian Gibbons FRCGP - Aberavon

1 Subscriber: Richard Edwards - Preseli Pembrokeshire

The Assembly supports the campaign for the posthumous pardon from the Home Office of Dic Penderyn/Richard Lewis, the first martyr for the worker in Wales.

OPIN-1999-0029 The in the Courts

Raised on 21 Jul by Owen John Thomas MA - South Wales Central

19 Subscribers: Val Feld - Swansea East Richard Edwards - Preseli Pembrokeshire Helen Mary Jones - Llanelli Brian Hancock - Islwyn Rhodri Glyn Thomas - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Geraint Davies - Rhondda Ieuan Wyn Jones - Ynys Mon Pauline Jarman - South Wales Central Gareth Jones - Conwy Phil Williams - South Wales East Cynog Dafis - Mid and West Wales John Marek - Wrexham Christine Humphreys - North Wales Ron Davies - Caerphilly Elin Jones - Ceredigion Janet Davies - South Wales West Janet Ryder - North Wales Dai Lloyd MBBCh MRCGP Dip.Ther - South Wales West Jocelyn Davies - South Wales East

The National Assembly for Wales deplores the attitude of the Appeal Court in a recent case in denying a Welshman's right to have his case heard in a Welsh court in the Welsh language. We note the unanimous views of the Welsh daily press on this issue, and fear that such a discriminatory attitude may bring the law into disrepute.

OPIN-1999-0030 Arts Council for Wales - Drama Strategy

Raised on 22 Jul by Jenny Randerson - Cardiff Central

No Subscribers

This Assembly believes that the Arts Council for Wales should defer its decision on its proposed Drama Strategy until after the Assembly has completed is own review of the Arts. We believe that if the Arts Council for Wales proceeds with its new strategy at this stage, it could run counter to the Assembly’s priorities.