BUSINESS PAPERS

Part 1- Section E

WRITTEN STATEMENTS OF OPINION TABLED ON

9 December 1999

R Signifies the Member has declared an interest

OPIN-1999-0010 Higher Education Fees - Establishment of a Committee of Inquiry

Raised on 21 Jun 1999 by , Sue Essex, Jonathan Morgan

19 Subscribers: - South Wales Central Phil Williams - South Wales East - North Wales - South Wales Central Michael German OBE - South Wales East William Graham JP - South Wales East Peter Rogers - North Wales David Melding - South Wales Central - Carmarthen & East Dinefwr Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire Glyn Davies - Mid & West Wales Alun Cairns - South Wales West Gareth Jones - Conwy Nicholas Bourne - Mid & West Wales Dai Lloyd - South Wales West Peter Black - South Wales West Jenny Randerson - Central Karen Sinclair - Clwyd South Kirsty Williams - Brecon & Radnorshire The National Assembly declares its support for the establishment of a Committee of Inquiry into the consequences of the imposition of tuition fees on higher education students in Wales. This Committee should be modelled on the Committee of Inquiry that is being set up, by the First Minister of Scotland, Donald Dewar. The Committee should report within six months, and its membership should consist of independent academics, lay people and student representatives.

OPIN-1999-0038 Funding of the Open University in Wales

Raised on 29 Sep 1999 by

Christine Humphreys - North Wales

8 Subscribers Owen Jon Thomas - South Wales Central Phil Williams - South Wales East Dr David Lloyd – South Wales West Kirsty Williams - Brecon and Radnorshire Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire Peter Black - South Wales West Michael German OBE - South Wales East Jenny Randerson - Cardiff Central

This Assembly recognises that the Council of the Open University has expressed support for the transfer of funding for the OU in Wales from the Higher Education Funding Council for England to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. The Assembly supports such a transfer and urges that it takes place in a way which will ensure maximum benefit for students and is based on maintenance or improvement of existing funding per student.

OPIN-1999-0039 An Annual Welsh Public Holiday on St David's Day, March 1st

Raised on 1 October 1999 by

Nicholas Bourne – Mid and West Wales, Alun Cairns – South Wales West , David Davies – Monmouth, Glyn Davies – Mid and West Wales

4 Subscribers Peter Rogers – North Wales David Melding – South Wales Central Jonathan Morgan – South Wales Central Peter Black – South Wales West

The Assembly demands the replacement of the May Day Holiday with an annual public holiday on St David's Day, March 1st. This would underline Wales'unique identity within the UK and allow all Welsh people to celebrate our Welsh culture, history and tradition.

Amendments – AO1

Raised on 25 November 1999 by John Griffiths – Newport East, Owen John Thomas – South Wales Central

7 Subscribers Phil Williams – South Wales East Carwyn Jones - Bridgend Brian Gibbons - Aberavon Gareth Jones - Conwy – Mid and West Wales - Llanelli Jocelyn Davies – South Wales East

Delete the words: "the replacement of the May Day Holiday"

OPIN-1999-0045 Millennium Pardon for Dic Pendryn

Raised on 15 Oct 1999 by Huw Lewis - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

29 Subscribers - Ynys Mon Jocelyn Davies – South Wales East - Ceredigion Cynog Dafis – Mid and West Wales Michael German - South Wales East Janet Davies - South Wales West Phil Williams - South Wales East Rhodri Glyn Thomas – Carmarthen East & Dinefwr Peter Black – South Wales West Karen Sinclair – Clwyd South Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire Ann Jones – Vale of Clwyd Gwenda Thomas – Neath Alun Pugh – Clwyd West Geraint Davies - Rhondda Kirsty Williams - Brecon & Radnorshire Brian Hancock - Islwyn Lynne Neagle - Torfaen Alison Halford - Delyn Janice Gregory - Ogmore Ron Davies - Caerphilly Val Feld – Swansea East Christine Chapman – Cynon Valley John Griffiths – Newport East Brian Gibbons FRCGP - Aberavon Carwyn Jones - Bridgend Lorraine Barrett – Cardiff South and Penarth Richard Edwards - Preseli Pembrokeshire Owen John Thomas - South Wales Central

The National Assembly calls upon the Home Secretary to offer a 'Millennium Pardon' to Dic Pendryn, the first Welsh working class martyr. Dic Pendryn was hanged for his part in the Merthyr Rising of 1831, based on unreliable and unsafe evidence, as an example to other working class people in South Wales who might have been driven to protest at the appalling injustices they suffered. The Assembly calls on the Home Secretary to make this civic gesture to the people of Merthyr Tydfil and to right a miscarriage of justice from the past in time to celebrate the Millennium.

OPIN-1999-0063 Jubilee 2000 and the G7

Raised on 22 November by

Rhodri Glyn Thomas – East Carmarthen and Dinefwr

7 Subscribers Owen John Thomas - South Wales Central Gareth Jones - Conwy Phil Williams - South Wales East Dr David Lloyd – South Wales West Geraint Davies - Rhondda Mick Bates Montgomeryshire Michael German - South Wales East

The National Assembly for Wales declares its support for Jubilee 2000’s campaign for the write off of poor countries debts and calls on Prime Minister Blair and the UK Government to match President Clinton’s announcement of a new United States policy on debt cancellation.

OPIN-1999-0064 Arts Council for Wales

Raised on 24 Nov 1999

John Griffiths – Newport East, Lynne Neagle – Torfaen

11 Subscribers Lorraine Barrett - Cardiff South and Penarth Huw Lewis - Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney Cynog Dafis – Mid and West Wales Janice Gregory - Ogmore Christine Chapman - Cynon Valley Janice Gregory - Ogmore Karen Sinclair – Clwyd South Gareth Jones- Conwy Alison Halford – Delyn Richard Edwards – Preseli- Pembrokeshire Ron Davies - Caerphilly

The National Assembly for Wales notes the quality and professionalism of Gwent Theatre’s work over many years and has grave concern regarding the Arts Council for Wales’ decision to cease funding Gwent Theatre after the current financial year. The Assembly calls upon the Arts Council for Wales to make their decision-making process open and transparent and to hold talks with Gwent Theatre regarding these matters and the way forward.

OPIN-1999-0068 Northern Ireland

Raised on 30 November by Alun Pugh – Clwyd West

5 Subscribers Carwyn Jones - Bridgend Huw Lewis - Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney Lynne Neagle - Torfaen Janice Gregory - Ogmore Karen Sinclair – Clwyd South

The National Assembly applauds the leadership shown in Northern Ireland; welcomes the setting up of devolved government in Northern Ireland and calls upon all parties to fulfil their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement.

The Assembly notes with approval the huge contribution made by the current Secretary of State for Wales during his period at the Northern Ireland Office.

OPIN-1999-0070 Postal Address Changes

Raised on 6 December by Lynne Neagle - Torfaen

7 Subscribers Brian Hancock - Islwyn Lorraine Barrett - Cardiff South and Penarth Janice Gregory - Ogmore Alison Halford - Delyn David Melding - South Wales Central Huw Lewis - Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney Brian Gibbons - Aberavon

The Assembly calls on the Post Office/Royal Mail to listen to the people of Blaenavon who have expressed deep concern about changes to their postal address. The inclusion of Pontypool in the Blaenavon postal address undermines the status of Blaenavon as a town in its own right and we call on the Post Office to reverse this decision. Changes to the addresses in other parts of South East Wales like Blaina, Nantyglo and Brynmawr are also opposed by local people. The Assembly condemns the failure of the Post Office representatives to attend the South East Wales Regional Committee to discuss these issues.

OPIN-1999-0072 Sub Post Offices and Automated Benefit Payments

Raised on 7 Dec 1999 by Brian Gibbons – Aberavon

3 Subscribers Owen John Thomas - South Wales Central Kirsty Williams - Brecon and Radnor Peter Black - South Wales West

This Assembly is concerned that the present proposals to increase the uptake of automated benefit payments could reduce the financial viability of many sub-post offices in both urban, valley and rural Wales. We therefore believe that these proposals should not be proceeded with until their full impact on social exclusion is assessed.

OPIN-1999-0074 Post Office Reforms

Raised on 08 Dec 1999 by Brian Hancock - Islwyn

2 Subscribers Owen John Thomas - South Wales Central Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire

The National Assembly for Wales is extremely concerned about the inevitable closure of Post Offices throughout Wales due to the Government's proposed reforms to the Postal Service; notes that the implementation of the Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) system of paying benefits scheduled for 2003 will put the existence of hundreds of Post Offices at risk and that the proposed reforms show a total disregard for a fundamental service that lies at the heart of our communities, pushing elderly and disadvantaged people further to the margins of society and calls upon the Government to reconsider these damaging and ill thought proposals.

OPIN-1999-0077 Millennium Stadium Trust

Raised on 08 Dec 1999 by Glyn Davies - Mid and West Wales, John Griffiths - Newport East

3 Subscribers Lorraine Barrett - Cardiff South and Penarth Brian Hancock - Islwyn Peter Rogers - North Wales

This Assembly believes that there should be wider representation and in particular Sports Council of Wales representation on the Millennium Stadium Trust. The trust was established for the benefit of minority sports throughout Wales and currently comprises 3 trustees from the WRU, 3 from Cardiff County Council and one from ACCAC, CBI and National Lottery Charities Board.

OPIN-1999-0078 Organic Farming

Raised on 09 Dec 1999 by Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire, Nicholas Bourne - Mid and West Wales, Glyn Davies - Mid and West Wales, Peter Rogers - North Wales, Rhodri Glyn Thomas - Carmarthen and East Dinefwr

No Subscribers

This Assembly welcomes the specific targets set out in the Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill that by the year 2010 at least 30% of UK farmland and at least 20% of the food consumed in the UK should be organic, and believes that similar targets should be set for agriculture in Wales. This Assembly also notes with concern that 70% of organic food consumed in the UK is imported, and believes that specific targets should be set for the promotion of organic food from Wales amongst consumers in Wales and other parts of the UK.

OPIN-1999-0079 Anti Welsh Racism

Raised 10 Dec 1999 by Christine Chapman - Cynon Valley, Michael German - South Wales East , John Griffiths - Newport East

6 Subscribers:

Lorraine Barrett - Cardiff South and Penarth Owen John Thomas - South Wales Central Ron Davies - Caerphilly Carwyn Jones - Bridgend Janice Gregory - Ogmore Mick Bates - Montgomeryshire

The National Assembly notes with concern elements of persistent anti-Welsh racism in the UK- wide media and calls on the regulatory authorities to take firm action against any remarks or images which demean individulas on the basis of their national, cultural or linguistic heritage.