Written Assembly Questions tabled on 24 November 2016 for answer on 1 December 2016
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
Steffan Lewis (South Wales East): What representations has the Welsh Government made to ensure the Common Travel Area (CTA) between Ireland and the UK is upheld when leaving the European Union? (WAQ71587)
Answer received on 6 December 2017
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones): We discussed the importance of retaining the Common Travel Area at the extraordinary summit of the British Irish Council (BIC) which I convened in Cardiff in July and also at the recent BIC summit which we hosted in the Vale of Glamorgan on 25 November. I have also raised this issue in a range of bilateral discussions, including with UK Government Ministers.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide the number of local partnerships formed, Action Plans developed and projects implemented as a result of the £845,000 Welsh Government funding provided for 20 Town Centre Partnerships across Wales? (WAQ71570)
Answer received on 2 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): Twenty town centre partnerships have been formed across Wales all twenty have produced an action plan and to date, more than 170 projects have been supported.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Following on from WAQ71503, will the Minister provide a date when either himself or the First Minister will be meeting with Ford USA representatives to discuss the Bridgend plant? (WAQ71571)
Answer received on 2 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): Neither the First Minister nor I have any pending meetings with US Ford representatives
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide a list of the medicines that have been a) appraised and b) approved by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group for each year since its establishment in 2002? (WAQ71565)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): Information on all medicines appraised and determined by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group are published on its website along with the Annual Reports which summarise its work. The website can be accessed at: http://www.awmsg.org/
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How is the Minister working with health boards to improve communications technology for doctors, and what consideration has he given to moving away from the use of pagers towards more predictive technology including mobile phone apps, as being trialled at the Royal Free Hospital in London? (WAQ71566)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Vaughan Gething: The Welsh Government is working together with health boards and trusts to implement Informed Health and Care, a digital strategy for health and social care in Wales. The strategy is committed to the use of technology and greater access to information to help improve the health and well-being of the people of Wales. One of the established workstreams of the strategy is taking forward the objectives relating to ‘supporting the professional’ and has delivered, for example, mobile access to the Welsh Clinical Portal (a national application which pulls together patient information from different systems) and Skype for Business, providing instant messaging and video calling.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide the number of dementia support workers that the Welsh Government funds within each health board, and advise as to what consideration the Minister has given to increasing this number? (WAQ71567)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Vaughan Gething: We do not keep a record of the number of dementia workers centrally in Welsh Government. This information would need to be provided by the health boards.
This year we are providing an additional £800,000 for new primary care based dementia support workers. This is in addition to the recurrent funding from 2010 of £1million per year for dedicated dementia workers within Older People’s Mental Health Teams. The dementia workers are clinical posts which provide dedicated advice & support to those diagnosed with dementia and direct support to memory clinics are responsible for facilitating dementia training and awareness raising for health and social care staff.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How does the Minister plan to realise the Welsh Government's ambition for Wales to be a 'dementia friendly nation', as announced in April 2015? (WAQ71568)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Vaughan Gething: The Welsh Government has provided more than £8 million of additional funding over the last two years to develop dementia services across Wales, in addition to work already underway to make Wales a dementia friendly nation. We work with the Alzheimer's Society and others to maintain the momentum of the Dementia Friends and Dementia Supportive Communities campaigns, so that more and more people understand what it's like to live with dementia, as well as being able to recognise its symptoms. Our Dementia: Reduce Your Risk campaign has also been raising awareness of the positive steps we can all take to reduce our chances of developing dementia.
We have committed to develop and implement a Dementia Strategic Action Plan for Wales. The draft plan will be opened for public consultation by the end of this year and I will make an oral statement to the Assembly in January.
Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Will the Minister provide a list of where the 63 Welsh Government funded 3G pitches completed in 2016 are located? (WAQ71584)
Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): How many of the 63 Welsh Government funded 3G pitches completed in 2016 are located in rural areas? (WAQ71586)
Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Will the Minister provide a list of where the Welsh Government funded 3G pitches planned for 2017 will be located? (WAQ71585)
Answer received on 7 December 2016
Minister for Social Services and Public Health (Rebecca Evans): The Artificial Turf Pitches (ATPs) the Collaborative Sports Facilities Group has funded are supported through the National Lottery and the sports own, as well as other partner, investments. They include full size 3rd Generation (3G) ATPs as well as sand filled/dressed or water based pitches.
The Welsh Government does not hold a list of ATPs that have been funded by the Collaborative Sports Facilities Group. The details you have requested are available from the Football Association of Wales Trust (FAW Trust), one of the Group’s partners. The FAW Trust’s Facilities and Collaboration Manager, Kevin Moon, has agreed to provide you with the information and can be contacted at kevin@fawtrust.cymru.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister outline what action the Welsh Government is taking to address mental health issues in farming communities? (WAQ71572)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Vaughan Gething: Health boards in largely rural areas are expected to deliver services which meet the mental health needs of farming communities. Through the planning structures determined in Together for Health, NHS organisations have developed plans for service delivery that meet the needs of their local areas. In March this year we also announced the new Rural Centre of Excellence.
One of the priority areas in the Delivery Plan 2016-19 for Together for Mental Health focusses on addressing loneliness and unwanted isolation, which is often an issue for people suffering with mental health problems in rural areas. Rural communities will also be considered within the new Dementia Strategic Action Plan for Wales which will be open for public consultation before the end of the year.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister provide an update on Recommendation 11 of the Welsh Dairy Review, to ensure that Welsh dairy products are included in tenders to supply Welsh schools, hospitals and the wider public sector? (WAQ71573)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): Towards Sustainable Growth sets out proposals for public sector purchasing and commits to developing opportunities for the food industry and in particular SME and micro food businesses.
The National Procurement Service (NPS) is engaged with the key stakeholders across the Welsh public sector through its Food Category Forum and is committed to providing opportunities for smaller, local suppliers to be able to compete for tenders, in line with the Wales Procurement Policy Statement. Strategies include establishing geographical lots relevant to the product category, and through the NPS facilitating tiered supplier events which will bring together and encourage the supply chain to work together to supply to the Welsh Public Sector.
NPS intends to establish three multi-lot frameworks for the supply and distribution of Fresh Foods and Beverages (including Fresh Milk and Dairy Products), Packaged Food and Beverages and Food and Drink Related Products (i.e. vending, water coolers, equipment etc.) The NPS has published 3 Prior Information Notices (PINS) which are live on Sell2Wales, intended as an early notice to the market and an invitation to begin pre-procurement market engagement. NPS intends to hold four supplier engagement events in locations throughout Wales to support this engagement process early in the New Year.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister provide an update on any discussions that she has had regarding subsidies for Welsh farmers, post-Brexit? (WAQ71574)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Lesley Griffiths: I have had many discussions and have made clear I expect the UK Government to transfer equivalent funding to Welsh Government as currently being received from the European Union through the Common Agricultural Policy. Future funding will be used to ensure we have a successful and sustainable agriculture sector which delivers high quality food and a range of wider public goods for the people of Wales.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Further to WAQ71461, does the Minister have any intention of producing an updated report on the volume of milk used by Welsh dairies and if so, when does she intend to publish that information? (WAQ71575)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Lesley Griffiths: The Welsh Government has no plans to publish updates on the volumes of milk used by Welsh dairies.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What is the Welsh Government doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on Welsh dairy farms? (WAQ71576)
Answer received on 30 November 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): The Wales Dairy Leadership Board worked closely with Dairy UK, AHDB and the National Farmers Union in developing the 2015 Dairy Road Map. This sets out the strategic direction for the dairy sector, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Further to WAQ71462, will the Minister provide more detail on the 'preliminary studies' that were undertaken in relation to extending the shelf life of Welsh red meat, and will she outline what the outcomes of those studies revealed? (WAQ71577)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Lesley Griffiths: The overall objective of the ‘preliminary studies’ led by HCC and supported by the Welsh Government was to identify and encourage the adoption of measures that could be used to extend red meat shelf-life in a cost effective manner, while reducing product wastage from premature spoilage. Activities were undertaken in three stages over the three year period.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister outline what support the Welsh Government offers specifically to upland farmers? (WAQ71578)
Answer received on 30 November 2016
Lesley Griffiths: Farmers in the uplands of Wales benefit from the same support as is on offer to all other farmers in Wales.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Further to WAQ71467, what 'breed improvement strategies' have been established to generate long term genetic improvements in the Welsh ewe flock? (WAQ71579)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Lesley Griffiths: Breed improvement strategies aim to establish mechanisms to facilitate and encourage widespread uptake of genetic improvement to improve productivity and efficiency. These improvements make a permanent and cumulative contribution to the value of lamb from Wales.
Strategies which have been established include support for provision of genetic evaluation services through Signet, BASCO to breeders in Wales and the delivery of knowledge transfer programmes which demonstrate, encourage and support the uptake of performance recording in Welsh flocks.
Hybu Cig Cymru communicates with farmers on an ongoing basis on the importance of utilising measures of genetic potential as one of the key factors which should be considered when selecting rams and breeding females. Even though rams represent only a small percentage of the breeding flock they contribute fifty percent of the genetics, so their performance has a significant impact on the overall productivity and profitability of flocks in Wales. Selection of rams based on performance which combines growth and carcass characteristics with maternal traits therefore plays a crucial role in improving the performance of the Welsh ewe flock.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What mechanisms does the Welsh Government have in place to monitor food price inflation, volatility in commodity price and changing consumer tastes and attitudes? (WAQ71580)
Answer received on 30 November 2016
Lesley Griffiths: The Office of National Statistics produces regular updates on Producer Price Inflation: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/producerpriceinflation/oct2016
and Consumer Price Inflation:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/oct2016
The Welsh Government has tracked consumer tastes and attitudes through purchase of market research data from Kantar, with data in 2016 summarised in a presentation at: https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/sites/fooddrink/files/DEFRA%20Category%20Slides%20Wales%20GB%20-%20October%202016.pdf
The Food for the Future conference held in February this year detailed data provided by Kantar tracking consumer trends in health and nutrition with a specific insight into Welsh habits.
The Food for the Future report
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister provide an update on Recommendation 14 of the Welsh Dairy Review and outline what discussions she has had with the UK Government and other devolved nations in relation to the taxation of agricultural businesses? (WAQ71581)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Lesley Griffiths: My officials have met with officials in Defra to discuss these matters and are considering whether there may be further opportunities to seek changes in taxation rules to be benefit Welsh farmers.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister confirm the number of fully licensed landlords under Rent Smart Wales as of 23 November 2016? (WAQ71563)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): As of 23 November 2016, 4,008 landlords were fully licensed by Rent Smart Wales.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister confirm the number of license applications pending with Rent Smart Wales as of 23 November 2016? (WAQ71564)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
Carl Sargeant: A total of 10,881 licence Rent Smart Wales applications were pending as at 23 November 2016.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that faith groups help to inform and shape its strategies on tackling extremism? (WAQ71583)
Answer received on 2 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): The Welsh Government engages with a range of partners, including those faith groups represented on the Faith Communities Forum, which is chaired by the First Minister.
The Forum facilitates dialogue between the Welsh Government and the major faith communities on matters affecting the economic, social and cultural life in Wales.
In addition, there has been engagement with specific faith groups in Wales to discuss the issues of extremism and Islamophobia, content from which will be taken into account when developing the new curriculum for Wales.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): Will the Minister list details of all contingent liabilities entered into by the Welsh Government over the course of the last 10 years? (WAQ71562)
Answer received on 2 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): Details of the contingent liabilities entered into by the Welsh Government over the course of the last 10 years are published in the Welsh Government Annual Report and Accounts and are available via the Assembly website and/or the National Archive website.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister make a statement on the 49 per cent increase in Code of Conduct complaints made to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales with regard to community councils from 2014-15 to 2015-16, and advise as to how he will work with town and community councils, One Voice Wales and other organisations to seek to ensure this number is reduced for 2016-17 and beyond? (WAQ71569)
Answer received on 2 December 2016
Mark Drakeford: It is disappointing there has been an increase in community and town council complaints during 2015-16 after a small fall the previous year. Scrutiny of the figures shows a disproportionate number of complaints were associated with a small number of councils. The code of conduct guides councillors on appropriate standards, and includes an obligation not to make frivolous, vexatious or malicious complaints. The Welsh Government has recently made a number of amendments to the ethical framework which the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales acknowledges in his latest annual report will improve the effectiveness of the framework and reduce the number of complaints. Statutory responsibility for arranging training on the code of conduct for councillors, including community councillors, rests with local standards committees. In practice, this training is normally provided by monitoring officers. One Voice Wales also offers training on the code specifically for community and town councillors. Although all this support is important, individual councillors must take personal responsibility for the way they conduct themselves in public office.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What consideration is the Welsh Government giving to the role of religious education in helping to tackle extremism and how is this helping to shape the development of the new religious education curriculum emerging from the Successful Futures report? (WAQ71582)
Answer received on 30 November 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Kirsty Williams): Religious Education (RE) has and is continuing to have an important role in helping to tackle extremism in schools.
RE aims to help learners to explore fundamental questions relating to human experience, relationships and responsibilities, whilst also helping them to learn about beliefs based on both secular and religious values. It is not intended for RE to promote a particular faith or belief.
The National Exemplar Framework for RE for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales was published to support local authorities (through their Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education) to design agreed syllabuses that ensure consistency across Wales and seek to raise standards.
As you are aware the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 includes a new duty on schools and colleges to “have due regard, in the exercise of their functions, to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”, the UK Government published the Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales for specified public bodies, including education providers.
The Welsh Government subsequently updated the guidance document 'Respect and resilience' in January 2016.
This guidance supports the development of community cohesion and prevents extremism in schools and other educational settings in Wales, ensuring they are able to meet the legal requirements of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The guidance is non-age specific, covering the Foundation Phase, primary and secondary stages and provides clear, practical advice.
The reformed Welsh Baccalaureate introduced for first teaching in September 2015 also includes an option through the Global Citizenship Challenge to allow schools in Wales to address the issue of extremism through an accredited Challenge brief. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic a resource pack to accompany this challenge has been produced by the Getting on Together (GOT) Challenging Extremism programme.
Looking ahead, the design of the new curriculum is being taken forward by a network of Pioneer Schools. They are working together as a single national network of schools to co-design, consult, inform, support and build capacity in schools across Wales, working with an all-Wales partnership with Welsh Government, Estyn, Higher Education, business and other key partners.
Professor Graham Donaldson made it clear in ‘Successful Futures’ that RE should form part of the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience, and should remain a statutory curriculum requirement.
Over the coming weeks, a working group of Pioneer Schools will be established to begin designing the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience. They will be engaging with stakeholders and experts during this period and there will be more formal opportunities for interested parties to comment on proposals in relation to the new curriculum, by way of surveys or consultation, at strategic points during development.
The four purposes outlined in ‘Successful Futures’ will be central to the design of the new curriculum to ensure all our children and young people will be ethical, informed citizens who understand and exercise their human and democratic rights and responsibilities. We envisage the new curriculum will be available to schools and settings in 2018 and used to support teaching and learning by 2021.