1. Apologies & Welcomes:

Neil Vernon (UCATT) and Susan Murray (UNITE)

2. Notes/Actions from 5 December 2013 (plus redacted notes):

Approved and Agreed.

3. Matters arising NOT covered elsewhere on agenda & Chairs actions:

Gas Masks

Gas masks, a warning had been sent out but on checking e Bay

an unacceptable number had been sold in the run up to Xmas and

the delay in issuing warning from HSE needs following up.

Perhaps involving a consumer programme such as WATCHDOG

might help.

Action: to follow up earlier media interest (VM/DB/SL)

Case Studies for DfE Review

The case study template has been circulated and now needs case

studies for submission to DfE, TU’s should look back to 2002.

Agreed actions:

Following a discussion it was agreed that individual unions would

attach their own case studies to their individual Responses and the

JUAC Response would simply refer to those and adopt them as

collective evidence.

Property data survey

Has been extended but still no inclusion on asbestos.

Insurance

JW/ML met with Jim Sheridan MP and Jim raised the issue in Mesothelioma Bill debate.

Action: VM to report back following DfE Advisory Group Meeting on Governance (early Feb 14) – If not on agenda VM will circulate Group with ML Insurance Paper.

M Horswell report on Head teacher’s Responsibilities

Noted: This is in the public domain and can be quoted now.

Other Jurisdictions

N Ireland now looking at issue and APIL interested in raising it in Scotland.

Actions:

JDW to send letters of response to CCE and DB

DB to circulate NI information.

All Unions to continue to organise around the issue in other jurisdictions.

APPG Booklet

Agreed : To print of updated APPG booklet

Actions:

GMB to look at funding via HSE?

Other unions to seek contribution to costs.

VA to circulate Sebastian James update on PDSP.

JW to draft a shorten summary with link and a press release to announce update.

Ongoing concerns

PDSP

DfE TORs

Concerns about failure to consult on ’ ToR’s for Review and impartiality

Action:

JW to draft a letter from Jim Sheridan to Select Committee to highlight delay, failure to consult and intention of Select Committee to follow up this issue.

ALERT

ALERT Demonstration due in a few days.

Agreed:

To attend to see if system might be suitable for school sampling.

Actions:

JW or JmcC or WB to attend.

ML to update his Environmental Level Paper after demo.

4. JUAC Website:

JUAC website has been rebuilt-www.juac.co.uk so check it out

Appointed:

New web site and social media sub-committee – JDW, DB, RF(Voice)

JDW to add as Administrators of web site

DB to set up TWITTER.

5. JUAC Safety Representatives Survey

Actions:

SL – Summary to be amended to separate out support staff

VM – Combined summary to be prepared to include JUAC/NAHT and ASCL (31.01.14)

6. Cwmcarn – HSE Formal Complaint

Cwmcarn HSE formal complaint- the government scientific advisor responded to

letters from JW & AB and should have had response from HSE by 6^th January.

Need to follow up with HSE Chair.

There are still issues with warm air cabinet heaters and the lack of guidance from HSE.

Actions:

JDW to write to HSE – dissatisfied with response – it does not deal with the wealth of evidence submitted and therefore confirm the process that the complaint will now follow.

AB to be asked to write to Chief Scientific Adviser requesting an update

7. DfE Steering Group and Policy Review ToR

TOR/DfE- should have been ready July 2013, then in October.

JUAC sent in key issues but no proper response as yet.

In terms of the consultation our response needs to be tied to evidence.

Agreed:

Key issues agreed.

Action:

Members agreed to draft responses as follows:

Points 1, 2, 3 and 13 – JDW

Points 4 and 4 – VM

Points 6, 8, 9 and 11 – SL and CS

Point 7 – JMcC

Point 10 – DB

Agreed:

To call an emergency subcommittee meeting if TORs received before next JUAC meeting.

(Note – since then the TORs have been issued and a JUAC sub-committee has met and provided to JUAC members a written report/outline response which was circulated and agreed).

8. The role of Ofsted

Agreed:

From JUAC point of view generally it was felt that Ofsted was not the appropriate body to deal with this.

9. Right to Know – Wales

Right to know Wales-S4C preparing a documentary, CCE acting as TU contact.

On gas masks update from Wales DfES sent to schools and is to be included on Welsh Government (WG) site. Jonathan Evans (MP) wrote to 1^st Minister to establish where asbestos in schools responsibility lay. AB had written on behalf of CCE to D Laws re devolutionary “crack” as the claim is that WG has responsibility on asbestos in schools. Despite David Laws affirmation that WG responsible for policy a denial has been maintained. Right to Know petition closed at end of November. Petitions Committee has received correspondence from the Minister maintaining denial of responsibility.

House of Lords question on 14^th January from Lord Wigley seeking to establish responsibility. CCE attended a Wales TUC reps conference in October which was be an opportunity to raise awareness, following which he wrote to Wales TUC with draft letters to be sent by members to AMs. Also CCE raised possibility of Union motion to Wales TUC in May.

10. AOB

Meeting has been arranged with T Hunt (ML, JW & JS) – 19.03.14.

Agreed:

To define aim and objectives in future messaging for JUAC into short, medium and long term goals

An article is needed for the Mesothelioma Trust newsletter.

Agreed:

JDW to provide JUAC article

11. Date/Time of next meeting:

JUAC Extraordinary Meeting 18^th March 2014 at 12.30pm at ATL Office

Meeting closed 2-25pm