Welsh Government Cabinet Committees 2002-3
Policies that start off here later become laws
Welsh Government Cabinet Committees 2002-3
The Welsh Government in the run-up to the 2003 Assembly election had five Cabinet committees, Children and Young People, Corus, Rural Development, Sustainable Development and Wales in the World
. The Corus committee ended its work in 2002. The Rural Devcelopment committee finished with the 2003 election. The other committees lasted longer, and laid down some policies whoch only became law after the change in the institutions powers after 2011/
The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Children and Young People was arguably one of the most active Cabinet Committees in 2002 and 2003.
Its meeting on 14 January discussed the LlaisIfanc/Young People’s Voice campaign and noted that the Funky Dragon website was shortly to be launched. There were discussions about the links between this initiative and schools councils. The meeting discussed Safer Routes to School and how such commitments should be incorporated in PFI contracts. There had been developments on the statistical base of information. Concerns were expressed about the impact of landfill sites on schools. There was a paper on child poverty in response to the (Gordon Brown’s) Chancellor of the Exchequer’s call for a Coalition against child poverty. Voluntary organisations in Wales had responded to this call by creating a Welsh arm of the UK End Child Poverty Network.
The 4 March meeting discussed planning, public health and young people. There was a discussion on child protection in the NHS and the Carlile Review. There was a discussion on an annual Ministerial Report on Children’s issues. The Committee had a presentation on Welsh language transmission within the home.
At the 29 April meeting there was a presentation from the End Child Poverty network, and from Children are Unbeatable, and discussion of promotional opportunities at the Urdd Eisteddfod.
The meeting on 15 July discussed a widening of the committee’s remit to have a deeper dive into issues.A paper on the forthcoming meeting with the Children and Young People’s Assembly was tabled. There was a discussion on funding bids for children’s programmes. There was a proposed code of practice for physical punishment of children. Work on the 14-19 Curriculum review was discussed.
On 14 October, the committee had a presentation on Crime Reduction and Youth Justice Policy, a Progress Report on the 14-19 Learning In Wales Project, a paper on Physical Punishment Report and an accompanying Plenary Statement, and a paper on the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of the Child which had made three specific references to Wales, all of which had been positive. Unfortunately little publicity and recognition had been received regarding this.
The meeting on 2 December had a presentation by the Sports Council for Wales, a paper on the Health and Fitness of Welsh Children, an update on Funky Dragon and a discussion on Education Capital Spending.
There was one further meeting of the Committee prior to the 2003 Assembly election on 3 February. There was a Presentation and Supporting Paper: on Voluntary Sector Involvement in Young People's Partnerships, a discussion on an Children and Young People's Health Action Plan, and papers on Local Authority Visits to Children's Homes, the Welsh Assembly Government's Response to the Annual Report of the Children's Commissioner for Wales, the New Opportunities Fund Programme Development and the Victoria Climbié Inquiry Report.
Links to relevant papers can be found by year here .
The Corus Committee had four meetings in 2002.
The meeting on 21 January discussed the Sub-Regional Regeneration framework including the Newport Urban Regeneration Company, the proposed Ebbw Vale Railway Line, the Ebbw Vale Learning Campus and Community Learning Network, the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure and Business Support, Community Support and other projects. The First Minister would be making a statement on the anniversary of the Corus Closures announcement.
The meeting of 25 March discussed the Five Counties Regeneration Framework, and projects being developed under the Corus Regeneration Package, as well as Progress on Implementation of the Steel Communities Study Response Action Plan.
On 1 July the committee heard Progress on the Implementation of the Five Counties Regeneration Framework and Progress on Implementation of Steel Communities Study Action Plan.
On 18 November the committee discussed the unveiling of the Ebbw Vale Masterplan exhibition which had taken place earlier that day. There was an Update On The Regeneration Package, the Current position on Allied Steel and Wire (ASW), Preparation for All Wales Steel Task Force Meeting, and progress on building the new blast furnace 5 at Port Talbot and its implications.
The Corus Committee papers are here and contain material of interest to economic policy and regeneration in Wales.
The Rural Regeneration Committee was established in 2002, with the remit to consider policies with actual or potential impacts on rural regeneration and ensure that these policies are beneficial, mutually reinforcing, and carried out in an integrated way.In so doing, the sub-committee would
determine the policy priorities for promoting and securing rural regeneration;
identify and pursue cross-cutting policy initiatives which will contribute to rural regeneration;
ensure that policy-making on rural regeneration gives due priority to Assembly Government cross-cutting themes, including sustainable development.
The first meeting on 28 October discussed a Progress Report on the Age Balanced Communities Study, on Rural Community Regeneration and Supporting Rural Retail Services, on The Rural Partnership (Task and Finish Group), on Local Food Procurement, on Second and Holiday Homes and the Land Use Planning System, on The Rural Economy and the Planning System.
The next meeting on 19 December discussed a Draft Report and Action Plan on the Age Balanced Communities Study and also the Possible Devolution of Regulatory Regime of the Hunting Bill.
The 2003 meetings took place on 3 February and 10 March. The meeting on 3 February had a Presentation on the latest draft of the Age Balanced Communities Study, and a Mapping Exercise Assistance Available in Rural Wales .
On 10 March there was a discussion on Tourism in relation to agriculture, forestry and fishing.
Papers from the Committee can be found here.
The Sustainable Development and Spatial Plan Committee held several meetings in 2002 and the run up to the Assembly election in 2003. Many of the themes of the issues discussed by the committee, chaired by Sue Essex, still resonate today.
On 14 January 2002 the Environment Minister said that the Welsh Assembly Government should seek to incorporate energy efficiency into everything it funded or sponsored. There was a paper designed to prepare Wales’ position for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August/ September 2002. It would be a major occasion, including link-ups to other parts of Wales, and would be held in Cardiff City Hall. The cost would be borne by the Assembly Government. A small charge of £15 would be made to cover the ecological costs of staging the conference. The First Minister agreed to use his speech to launch Wales’ Ecological Footprint. A report covering progress in implementing the Sustainable Development (SD) scheme in the financial years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 was to be circulated to Assembly Members.
The Ecological Footprint study had the potential to be a useful evaluation tool. Separately, the Minister for Environment emphasised the importance of policy integration, and there was an initial discussion on a policy integration tool.
On 18 March, the Committee discussed the latest agreement on the European Region Sustainable Development Network, the Wales World Environment Summit, and a proposed Visit of the Sustainable Development Commission. There was a Presentation by Welsh Development Agency. There was a Waste Disposal discussion which considered the absence of incentives for recycling.
On 15 April the committee continued to discuss preparations for the Wales in the World conference, a further discussion on the policy integration tool, energy efficiency in Assembly construction projects.and relations with local government on these issues.
On 20 May 2002 the committee discussed sustainable development in the NHS Estate Management and in health more generally on how sustainability could be taken forward in the Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies, as well as technical advice on energy conservation.
On 17 June, the committee had more discussion on policy integration tools, and heard about the planned UN Environment and Development conference which the First Minister was to attend. There was a Presentation on the Progress on establishment of Welsh Sustainable Development Forum. There was also a detailed discussion on carbon reduction.
The meeting on 4 November heard of a plan for a forum for ASPBs with a construction interest. There was a further discussion on sustainable development within the NHS, follow up to the UN EDP event and a further discussion on the policy integration tool.
The meeting on 13 January 2003 the committee discussed the process for reviewing the Sustainable Development Scheme, sustainability within Economic Policy schemes, and suggestions for alternative measures of economic development,
The meeting on 10 February had further discussions on energy efficiency in the NHS Estate, and also considered the use of Welsh Timber in construction.
The final meeting before the Assembly elections took place on 24 March. This heard a presentation on integrating sustainable development into the work of the WDA, the role of major suppliers on energy efficiency, and the EU Innovative Actions scheme.
The papers are available here.
Wales in the World
The Wales in the World Committee held three meetings in 2002.
The meeting on 11 March had discussions on ministrerial visits abroad and on the National Events Strategy, and relations with the four motor regions of Europe.
The meeting on 16 July discussed the Wales Brand in considerable detail, had an oral update on the Welsh presence in Brussels, a progress report on the National Events Strategy, and an oral update on plans for a New York Office.
The third meeting on 25 November had an oral update on the Events Strategy, a discussion oin links with KawZulu-Natal, a discussion on a draft strategy for international promotion of Wales, a discussion on mechanisms for taking the Wales Brand project forward, a discussion on the British Council and on a Golden Dragon proposal for making use of international Welsh celebrities.
Overview
The Cabinet Sub-committees went into issues in more detail than Cabinet could do. Researchers tracking these issues over time historically will find material of interest, as to how policies came to be shaped. They are particularly relevant for climate change, the sustainable development policies that led to the Future Generations Act, developed in a systematic, methodical and innovative fashion, the development of the child poverty, anti-smacking and children-centred policies, economic development and regeneration, particularly in the former steelmaking areas.