Written Assembly Questions tabled on 24 June 2015 for answer on 1 July 2015
R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.
W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
(Self identifying Question no. shown in brackets)
Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.
To ask the First Minister
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister provide the figure for the Welsh Government's biggest single redundancy payment over the past four years, with figures for each respective year, including the year to date? (WAQ68853)
Answer received on 29 June 2015
First Minister (Carwyn Jones): Staffing within the Welsh Government is a matter for the Permanent Secretary. I have asked him to write to you separately with the information you have requested.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's plans for future staffing levels at Ladywell House in Newtown? (WAQ68852)
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister state how many staff have been based at Ladywell House in Newtown over each of the last 5 years by department? (WAQ68851)
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister provide the cost of refurbishing Ladywell House in Newtown for each financial year for the past 5 years? (WAQ68850)
Answer received on 29 June 2015
Carwyn Jones: This is a matter for the Permanent Secretary. I have asked him to write to you separately with the information you have requested.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How many staff are currently employed within the First Minister's delivery unit? (WAQ68863)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What is the current total cost of the First Minister's delivery unit, separated into staffing and other costs? (WAQ68864)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How many staff were employed in the First Minister's delivery unit in 2011-12? (WAQ68865)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What was the total cost of the First Minister's delivery unit in 2011-12, separated into staffing and other costs? (WAQ68866)
Answer received on 29 June 2015
First Minister (Carwyn Jones): Staffing in the Welsh Government is a matter for the Permanent Secretary and I have asked him to write to you.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister provide the title and subject of each delivery unit report received by his office over the last 12 months? (WAQ68867)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Carwyn Jones: The Delivery Unit provides me with periodic briefings on the progress and effectiveness of each department towards delivering the government's priorities and programmes, and with early warning of potential delivery issues that may require the attention of Ministers.
To ask the Minister for Natural Resources
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Welsh Government confirm what support will be made available to parts of the industry affected by any decision to restrict or prohibit GM food and feed products? (WAQ68855)
Answer received on 7 July 2015
Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans):
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), accountable to the National Assembly for Wales through the Deputy Minister for Health, is the central competent authority for Wales (and the UK) in terms of EU law relating to food and animal feed.
To date, no proposed grounds to restrict the use of GM food and feed have been suggested by the European Commission.
The Deputy Minister for Health will be responding in writing to the Environment & Sustainability Committee, following its request, on this and related queries by
7 July.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Has the Welsh Government undertaken any assessment of the percentage of Welsh farmers currently using GM food and feed? (WAQ68856)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans):
Policy concerning genetically modified (GM) food and feed falls within the Health and Social Services portfolio. The Food Standards Agency (FSA), accountable to the National Assembly for Wales through the Deputy Minister for Health, is the central competent authority for Wales (and the UK) in terms of EU law relating to food and animal feed.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): With regards to EIDCymru, will the Minister clarify why there is a requirement to have both an electronic and a paper system? (WAQ68857)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
The electronic reporting of sheep movements by livestock markets, abattoirs, collection centres and gatherings will be compulsory from January 2016. This will result in approximately 80% of moves being recorded electronically.
The decision to provide an alternative means of reporting sheep movements by keepers in Wales is consistent with the well established approach for reporting cattle movements and is supported by the evidence gained from the experience of effective system rollout and usage in both Scotland and England.
The EIDCymru service will positively encourage all keepers to report moves electronically and demonstrate the benefits of the electronic approach to keepers in terms of efficiency and accuracy.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister outline whether the Welsh Government is confident that the EIDCymru system will allow efficient recording of cross-border movements? (WAQ68858)
Answer received on 7 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
My officials continue to work closely with colleagues in Defra and the Scottish Government to ensure that electronic links (interfaces) are established to capture and exchange cross border sheep movements in a timely and efficient manner.
Officials have throughout the development of EIDCymru impressed the importance of cross border trade and moves to the Welsh industry and therefore the importance of efficiently exchanging data. This includes the exchange of sheep tag numbers and County Parish Holding (CPH) numbers in addition to movement data to ensure the system is effective and traceability is improved.
I am confident that data on cross border moves will be exchanged efficiently.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister set out progress made towards the full rollout of the EIDCymru system by 2016? (WAQ68859)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
Welsh Government is taking a strategic and controlled approach to the implementation of EIDCymru. The EIDCymru system has been received from the Scottish developers and Welsh Government's own developers are now working on refining the design, translation, cross boarder transfer of data and further improving the user experience. The Livestock Identification Stakeholder Group's user subgroup, which made up from a cross section of keepers, will be used to test the system and its usability.
EIDCymru will be available from November 2015 with the initial focus being on livestock markets and abattoirs to ensure that the system works effectively at these high volume premises. EIDCymru will be fully introduced from January 2016 when keepers will be able to report sheep movements electronically or in paper form whilst electronic reporting by livestock markets, abattoirs, collection centres and gatherings will be compulsory.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): What discussions has the Welsh Government had with IBERS regarding the possibility of Pwllpeiran farm to be used to offer work experience opportunities to young farmers? (WAQ68860)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
My Officials have had discussions with IBERS in respect of the IBERS initiative to develop two 'New Entrant Partnerships' at Pwllpeiran. This will provide an opportunity for young persons under 40 years of age with no permanent land holding to enter the industry and develop expertise and a farm business. Importantly, the tenant farms will be part of IBERS' Upland Research Platform so the enterprises will integrate with innovative research programmes at Pwllpeiran. This work will be important for improving the long term sustainability of upland farming with the two farms being test-beds and exemplars that play an important role in knowledge transfer to the farming industry.
The application process to join the New Entrant Partnership is expected to begin in the autumn of this year, with a view to finalising the agreements by spring 2016. My officials are currently working with IBERS to finalise the selection.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): What consideration has the Welsh Government given to the potential for the use of share farming agreements and land trusts in Wales? (WAQ68861)
Answer received on 7 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
The Welsh Government recognises that an important element of a prosperous and resilient agriculture industry is a constant stream of new entrants bringing with them new ideas, a willingness to innovate and an enthusiasm to grasp future opportunities.
The Malcolm Thomas 'Next Generation into Farming Report', instigated by this Government, recommended that a flexible approach was needed if more opportunities for new entrants of all ages were to be created.
With land prices and availability often being a barrier to entry to the industry, share farming agreements and land trusts are part of the solution to providing opportunities for new entrants. However, it is clear to me that there is not a one-size fits all approach and professional advice must be sought by both parties prior to entering such agreements.
The Welsh Government will in conjunction with our stakeholders scope out the development of a Joint Opportunities Platform as a tool to create mobility and opportunities in the industry. This will promote the benefits of these share farming agreements as promising, alternative methods of driving mobility in the industry, along with matching those farmers and landowners seeking to enter into partnership with new entrants.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister indicate when the new Rural Development Plan will be formally launched? (WAQ68862)
Answer received on 7 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
I will be launching the programme on 16 July.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the outcomes of the badger cull in England? (WAQ68868)
Answer received on 7 July 2015
Rebecca Evans:
To date, Defra has not published any information relating to the outcomes of the badger cull in England.
David Melding (South Wales Central): Has there been an improvement in bumblebee numbers and habitats since the setting up of the action plan for pollinators in July 2013? (WAQ67771)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Carl Sargeant. The Action Plan for Pollinators has been developed by a wide range of stakeholders and has been recognised as an exemplar of co-production in the UK. This includes actions on bumblebees and habitats.
It is currently too early to tell whether pollinator numbers and specifically bumblebees are increasing in Wales as a result of the first phase of the Action Plan. I am confident that as a result of the monitoring that is being undertaken I will soon be able to report on trends in pollinator numbers in Wales.
A number of actions have been undertaken which impact on bumblebees and habitats. These include local authorities undertaking management of road-side verges.
The Welsh Government has funded other projects, including Keep Wales Tidy to run 'Wild Weekends', which directly engaged communities in taking action to support pollinators, including bumblebees
The Glastir agri-environment scheme delivers habitat actions for pollinators. Monitoring data is available on our Welsh Government Website - Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme: Synopsis and Reports
To ask the Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What steps have been taken to increase the amount of rolling stock available on Cardiff and Valley lines to prevent overcrowding? (WAQ68849)
Answer received on 29 June 2015
Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): Under the current franchising arrangements, train operating companies are responsible for providing adequate rolling stock, in line with their contractual obligations. I have made it clear that I expect them to manage their resources carefully to ensure that sufficient services are provided to meet passenger demand. For the next franchise, we are currently exploring options for securing the right rolling stock to meet the needs of passengers.
David Melding (South Wales Central): What progress has been made under the Digital Wales Strategy to increase the proportion of high-web businesses in Wales? (WAQ68869)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology (Julie James): The Digital Wales report: A Review of Delivery 2013-2014, published last November, provides an update on progress.
http://gov.wales/topics/businessandeconomy/digitalwales/?lang=en
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister clarify the Welsh Government's interpretation of the terms 'cancelled operations' and 'postponed operations' and explain the difference between the two? (WAQ68847)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
Deputy Minister for Health (Vaughan Gething):
The Welsh Government prefers not to use the term 'cancelled operations' as this implies the operation did not take place. Instead, we refer to 'postponed operations' for scheduled procedures which are delayed for whatever reason but will be carried out.
You may find the information contained in the following links useful for further clarification of these definitions:
http://www.nwisinformationstandards.wales.nhs.uk/opendoc/208560
http://www.nwisinformationstandards.wales.nhs.uk/opendoc/215632
http://www.nwisinformationstandards.wales.nhs.uk/opendoc/246234
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide the Welsh Government's definition of a neutral act, which was used in a statement by the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board in relation to the suspension of its chief executive Professor Trevor Purt? (WAQ68854)
Answer received on 2 July 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford):
This statement was made by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board as the employers. They will have received legal advice on the wording of their statement and the definition of a neutral act, as it applies in this particular case.
The term is commonly intended to convey no assessment or judgement of guilt or otherwise.
David Melding (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide an update on the progress of the Welsh Government's sexual health and wellbeing action plan for Wales 2010-2015 and state whether it improved the healthcare provision for sex workers? (WAQ68870)
Answer received on 7 July 2015
Mark Drakeford: We are currently evaluating the outcomes of the Sexual Health Action Plan for Wales 2010-15 and the findings will inform our next steps.