Written Assembly Questions tabled on 25 October 2017 for answer on 1 November 2017
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 Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure
Jayne Bryant (Newport West): Will the Cabinet Secretary set out the start date of the group created to scope out the analytical and methods of measuring the gig economy and when it will report its findings? (WAQ74479)
Answer to follow.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Over the last 5 years, how many individual patient funding requests on behalf of Deaf people/people with hearing loss for mental health related treatments were for (a) National Deaf Mental Health services in England and (b) other services, such as SignHealth, Deaf4Deaf? (WAQ74476)
Answer to follow.
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Over the last 5 years, how many individual patient funding requests on behalf of Deaf people/people with hearing loss for mental health related treatments were approved, broken down by local health boards? (WAQ74477)
Answer to follow.
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Over the last 5 years, how many individual patient funding requests on behalf of Deaf people/people with hearing loss for mental health related treatments, for example psychological therapy, specialist psychiatric assessment/treatment, have been made in Wales? (WAQ74478)
Answer to follow.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Gareth Bennett (South Wales Central): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on her department's discussions with the RSPCA relating to the keeping of primates as pets in Wales? (WAQ74480)
Answer to follow.
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide further detail on how stakeholders beyond management authorities can contribute to the development of the Marine Protected Area Management Priority Action Plan, before its publication? (WAQ74481)
Answer to follow.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's position on whether local authorities should hold data relating to criminal offences committed by licensed taxi drivers? (WAQ74482)
Answer received on 27 October 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): The Welsh Government launched a public consultation in June 2017 about reforms to the framework governing the licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles proposed by the Law Commission in May 2014. This consultation ended on 8 September 2017 and the contributions received from local licensing authorities, private hire vehicle operators and drivers are being assessed. It is expected to be able to publish a summary outcome report by the end of December 2017. Based on the outcome of this consultation exercise, detailed proposals will be published for public consultation in the Spring of 2018.
In developing proposals for the reform of licensing for taxi and private hire vehicles in Wales, it is important that arrangements are in place to enable local licensing authorities to ensure that licensed professional drivers are subject to appropriate assessments required to maintain public safety.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What is the Cabinet Secretary doing to improve the numbers of local authorities in Wales who pay all staff, including agency staff, the Foundation Living Wage, or above? (WAQ74483
Answer to follow.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the Welsh Government's response to the Auditor General for Wales' report: Public Procurement in Wales? (WAQ74484)
Answer received on 30 October 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): The findings of the Public Procurement in Wales are welcomed.
My Written Statement of 21 September announced plans for refocussing procurement within Welsh Government. This review will be taken forward in collaboration with public and social partners and will support the response to the recommendations of the Auditor General for Wales’ report.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): In addition to the ongoing review of the sector, how is the Cabinet Secretary working to improve the numbers of people who stand for election to Town and Community Councils in Wales, and can he provide specific examples of work being undertaken in this regard? (WAQ74485)
Answer received on 30 October 2017
Mark Drakeford: An information booklet: 'Being a Local Councillor 2017', was funded by Welsh Government and produced by One Voice Wales in 2016 to support community councils to raise awareness and encourage participation in community council elections, and to increase diversity, ahead of the elections in May.
The Welsh Government also produced a video in autumn 2016 on ‘Standing for Election to Community Councils’, which was distributed by One Voice Wales and is available on the Welsh Government website.
Further action to encourage participation and increase diversity continues with the publication of the One Voice Wales guidance document on youth representation. This was distributed at the Welsh Government stand at the National Eisteddfod in August 2017.
The Community Council Review Panel is also considering the level of local participation in community and town councils. Exploring the reasons behind councils which have particularly high, or low, levels of people standing for election will form a particular line of enquiry for the Panel.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the work of the independent review panel in considering the future role of Community and Town Councils, and advise as to any specific time frames for progress reporting that he has issued to the panel? (WAQ74486)
Answer received on 30 October 2017
Mark Drakeford: The Independent Review Panel has held two meetings to date and issued a formal call to evidence at the start of October. They are meeting monthly and will be undertaking evidence gathering as part of those meetings and well as undertaking other engagement activity. They are in the process of identifying lines of enquiry to explore all aspects of the role of councils, and how they can best be equipped to play that role.
The Review will take around a year. The Panel plan to develop emerging themes and test these with stakeholders early in the new year, with a view to formalising recommendations over the summer.
I have asked the Panel to share emerging findings with me next summer and formally report to me in early autumn 2018.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a breakdown, by age and profession, of employees taking early retirement in Welsh public sector organisations? (WAQ74487)
Answer received on 30 October 2017
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government does not hold information on early retirement across the public sector. Information is published on StatsWales on the retention of teaching staff in Wales which includes the numbers of teachers taking early retirement from the profession.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): Further to the answer to WAQ74400, will the Cabinet Secretary confirm whether the Minister for Lifelong Learning and the Welsh Language has discussed the response of the Public Service Ombudsman to the White Paper on the Welsh Language with the Ombudsman? (WAQ74488)
Answer received on 30 October 2017
The Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language (Alun Davies): No discussions have taken place with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales about his written response to the White Paper ‘Striking the right balance: proposals for a Welsh Language Bill’, which was received on 26 September 2017.