Written Assembly Questions tabled on 25 May 2016 for answer on 2 June 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
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister confirm how many offices the Welsh Government maintains as representative bases for promoting its priorities outside of Wales, noting:
(i) the annual running costs for these offices over the last 3 years; and
(ii) the projected running costs for this financial year? (WAQ70292)
Answer received on 3 June 2016
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones):
Welsh Government has 15 representations located in 7 countries; Belgium, China, Ireland, India, Japan, United Arab Emirates and the United States,
Information on the running costs of Welsh Government's overseas estate for the financial years 2013/14 and 2014/15 are detailed in the annual State of the Estate report which is published in November each year. Recorded/Reported costs for 2015/16 are £493,303. Final 2015/16 spend will be reported in the State of the Estate Report to be published in November 2016.
Estimated Projected running costs for 2016/17 are £436,303
Annual running costs include:
Leased land and building
Estate Management
Fixtures and Fittings
Minor works
Office Cleaning
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): will the First Minister make a statement on the working arrangements for the 3 working groups/committees that have been set up with Plaid Cymru in relation to finance, constitution and infrastructure? (WAQ70293)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Carwyn Jones: The three groups will meet at intervals to be determined by them and they will develop appropriate agendas.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister confirm the list of special advisors that have been appointed by the Welsh Government and confirm the respective salary scales that each individual adviser has been appointed to? (WAQ70294)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Carwyn Jones: The Welsh Government makes an annual written statement covering this information.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister provide the names of the Ministers who will represent the Welsh Government in relation to the Plaid Cymru working groups/committees and also provide the names of the Plaid Cymru representatives? (WAQ70295)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Carwyn Jones: I will lead for the Welsh Government on the constitution group; the Cabinet Secretary for Finance will lead on the finance group and the Leader of the House on the legislation group. Plaid Cymru will, of course, name their own representatives.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the First Minister outline how the Welsh Government will ensure that all policies brought forward in the Fifth Assembly will be properly rural-proofed, to prevent the isolation of rural communities in Wales (WAQ70297)
Answer received on 3 June 2016
Carwyn Jones: Rural proofing remains a mandatory requirement for all policies and schemes developed by the Welsh Government and the recently refreshed guidelines and screening tool have been developed in consultation with stakeholders and experts. In the future I see issues such as proofing being covered in the scope of the requirements of the Well-Being of Future Generations Act.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm when the Transport/Highways Department of the Welsh Government last discussed the Dinas Powys by-pass with the Vale of Glamorgan Council and what status, if any, does this scheme have in the Welsh Government's future capital projects? (WAQ70280)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): Local authority highway schemes are a matter for the relevant local authority. We understand the local authority does not propose to take forward the scheme at this point.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ70240, will the Minister provide a breakdown of the enterprise zone boards' dedicated budgets and identify if any of this money is hypothecated for specific projects by the Welsh Government? (WAQ70281)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: Each of the Enterprise Zone (EZ) Boards has laid out their key priorities within their respective strategic plans at:
http://gov.wales/topics/businessandeconomy/growing-the-economy/enterprisezones/?lang=en (under respective zone).
Each EZ has been delegated a budget of up to £50,000 for FY16-17. This is not allocated to specific projects in advance but is used to enable the EZ Boards to respond swiftly and flexibly to carry out activities which deliver the key strategic priorities they have set. This remains subject to Welsh Government budgetary and procurement rules.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What is the latest estimated cost of delivering a north Wales metro system as announced by the First Minister and how has this cost been worked up? (WAQ70282)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): In relation to the First Minister's announcement of a north Wales metro, will the Minister make a statement on the progress of such a transport scheme for North Wales, particularly in relation to what resources, both staffing and money, have been allocated to this project? (WAQ70283)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: Development of the North Wales Metro concept is in the early stages. Officials are currently developing outline proposals and we will be setting out that vision within the next 100 days.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): In respect of the design work for the new Northern Access Road, will the Minister provide maps of the proposed route and costings for construction, and can the Minister confirm that all costs for construction will be met by the Welsh Government? (WAQ70284)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: The road is currently in the early stages of design and initial consultation with the Vale of Glamorgan Council has commenced. My officials will undertake a public consultation, jointly with the Local Authority, later this year and prior to the submission of a planning application.
It could prejudice the tender process and undermine achieving Value for Money if Welsh Government made public its initial budget costings, but it is intended that the full cost of the road will be met by Government. The housing land released by the road will however generate a financial return of much of the capital costs.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm what, as a percentage of UK GVA, he projects Welsh GVA to be by the end of the fifth Assembly in 2021? (WAQ70285)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: The Welsh Government does not make forecasts of Gross Value Added for either Wales or the UK as whole, both of which would be required to provide the information requested.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm the costings of the T9 bus service commissioned by the Welsh Government for the current financial year and supply passenger numbers for the last 3 years, with the total amount of Welsh Government support for this route? (WAQ70289)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: We have made available £455,780 to the Vale of Glamorgan Council for 2016-17 for the provision of the T9 Cardiff Airport Express bus service. The service carried 152,190 passengers in 2015-16; 98,595 in 2014-15 and 101,754 in 2013-14.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement in relation to the monies that have been made available to Cardiff Airport for route developments in the last three years and what monies will be available for the next two years? (WAQ70290)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: Since acquisition of Cardiff Airport in March 2013, the Welsh Government has provided the airport with a commercial loan facility of £23million, the purpose of which is to enable the airport to fulfil the objectives set out in its Business Plan which include route development and infrastructure improvements. An expansion of the loan facility is currently being discussed.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What assessment has the Welsh Government made of any implications in relation to the TTIP trade agreement on Welsh public services with particular reference to the Welsh NHS? (WAQ70291)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: Our views on the implications of the TTIP trade agreement are unchanged. We have always been clear that TTIP should not affect our ability to deliver public services, including the NHS in Wales.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm what Welsh Government resources have been allocated to upgrading the A40 in Pembrokeshire over the last 3 years and in particular what, if any, financial costs have been incurred in undertaking this work? (WAQ70302)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: We appointed two consultants to undertake an improvement options study on the A40 at a total cost of £142,924. We have also spent £341,152 to date in progressing the A40 Llanddewi Velfrey to Penblewin project as the next improvement scheme to be taken forward.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm the anticipated construction time for the black route should the Welsh Government proceed with its preferred option for the M4 relief road in spring 2018? (WAQ70303)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: If construction work starts in the spring of 2018, the new section of motorway could be open in 2021.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What has been the total amount of money made available to Cardiff Airport by the previous Welsh Government during the Fourth Assembly and what money has been allocated for this financial year? (WAQ70304)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Ken Skates: Since acquisition of Cardiff Airport in March 2013, the Welsh Government has provided the airport with a commercial loan facility of £23million, the purpose of which is to enable the airport to fulfil the objectives set out in its Business Plan which include route development and infrastructure improvements. An expansion of the loan facility is currently being discussed.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's bovine TB strategy with particular reference to the status of the previous Government's vaccination programme? (WAQ70286)R
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): We remain committed to deliver a Welsh TB eradication programme based on sound scientific evidence. The programme applies the basic principles of infectious disease control in terms of protecting clean herds, rapidly identifying infected herds, and dealing with TB breakdowns swiftly and effectively.
The supply of the BadgerBCG vaccine, which is used to vaccinate badgers, has been interrupted due to problems with its production.. Over the next few months we hope to have a clearer view on when vaccine will be available again.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How is the Welsh Government working with farmers to ensure effective land management to reduce the impact and instances of flooding, with particular reference to the Conwy Valley? (WAQ70299)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Lesley Griffiths: We promote natural flood risk management wherever it can provide real benefits to a scheme. Natural Resources Wales hold discussions with farmers and rural landowners around schemes to lower flood risk. A recent example of a scheme utilising farmland to prevent flooding downstream is at Pontarddulais, where NRW have negotiated the right to flood agricultural land to lower the flood risk to 246 properties downstream on the River Bont
Closer to the Conwy Valley the Welsh Government has invested £198K in the Elwy Habitat Improvement project. This project is on a landscape scale along a 7.5km stretch of the Afon Elwy between the villages of Llangernyw and Llanfair Talhaiarn during 2015. The project was developed to deliver critical improvements to the river catchment through targeted actions aiming to reduce erosion, create habitats, improve connectivity and test the natural features’ resilience to flooding.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How will the Minister ensure that no farmers face late basic payment scheme or Glastir payments over the course of the Fifth Assembly? (WAQ70300)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Lesley Griffiths: Rural Payments Wales has an excellent track record of making early payments to farm businesses. I fully expect them to return to early delivery of Basic Payment Scheme payments to farm businesses from December 2016 and annual Glastir claim payments from January 2017.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Further to WAQ70234, Will the Minister outline the scope of the review of the current Conwy Valley flood alleviation scheme, and confirm whether this is a different review to that currently being undertaken by Natural Resources Wales regarding the Boxing Day floods in Llanrwst? (WAQ70301)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Lesley Griffiths:
The NRW review of the current Conwy Valley flood alleviation scheme will look at the performance and the future management of flood risk within the whole of the valley. The focus will be on the current defences and embankment and will allow NRW to model changes to the defences and identify what impact these changes will have on water levels upstream at places like Llanrwst, Gwydir Castle and Gwydir Road. This modelling will also allow NRW to test different management scenarios and understand their impacts. NRW will shortly be appointing consultants to carry out this work which is expected to take approximately 9 months.
This review of the Conwy Valley is separate to the review in Llanrwst which is looking specifically at what happened in the village which resulted in properties flooding on Boxing Day 2015. This review is also being carried out by NRW and will be published shortly.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How will the Minister work with Welsh Farmers and producers, and other interested parties to ensure the promotion of Welsh food and drink, with particular reference to the Welsh Government strategy for tourism? (WAQ70305)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Lesley Griffiths: Food Division are working closely with Visit Wales to deliver the joint Food Tourism Action Plan for Wales 2015 – 2020. The Food Tourism Action Plan sets out clear objectives ‘to raise Wales’s profile as a high quality Food Tourism destination’.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): In respect of the Welsh Government's commitment to provide 30 hours of free childcare, will the Minister outline the timeline for delivery of this scheme and the likely costs? (WAQ70296)
Answer received on 8 June 2016
Carl Sargeant: Work is underway to develop a detailed delivery plan for the free childcare commitment.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister outline how he intends to review the local government settlement funding formula to ensure rural communities received a fairer share of funding, and to properly take into account the sparsity of services and geography of our more rural Local Authority areas? (WAQ70298)
Answer received on 3 June 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): The Local Government Settlement funding formula is developed in consultation with Local Government through the Distribution Sub Group (DSG). Each year, the DSG adheres to a work programme through which the formula is kept under a continual programme of review and improvement.
The work programme has been agreed annually with the Finance Sub Group of the Partnership Council for Wales. The current programme includes further work on the sparsity components of the formula, as well as work on other aspects that impact on deprivation and population elements. The key principle underpinning the formula is that it distributes the available funding on the basis of relative need. The various components of the formula are reviewed and updated in accordance with this principle. There is no guarantee that future development of the formula would result in an increase in the sparsity weighting within the formula.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government plans to work with Welsh universities to achieve a top 10 ranking in the UK for a Welsh university by 2021, with particular reference to the likely feasibility of these plans? (WAQ70287)
Answer received on 2 June 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Kirsty Williams): The Policy Statement on Higher Education published in June 2013 sets out the vision and priorities for higher education in Wales.
It is imperative that universities in Wales deliver the highest quality courses and best teaching standards for students so they have the skills and degree level qualifications they need to succeed in employment.
Universities are autonomous bodies and are not accountable to the Welsh Government for their performance. The role of monitoring institutions is undertaken by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW). HEFCW's Corporate Strategy includes a number of national targets for improvement and the Funding Council engages with, and monitors, the sector to encourage progress.
League tables are only one way of measuring the performance of a higher education institution, and are not particularly strong in reflecting the contribution and performance of universities in some of our key priority areas, such widening access and encouraging their wider role in society. The success of Welsh universities should not, therefore, be assessed solely by their performance in league tables, which choose selectively which metrics to measure.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on school governor appointments and provide a breakdown of vacancies that have gone unfilled for at least 6 months in primary and secondary schools by local education area? (WAQ70288)
Answer received on 2 June 2016
Kirsty Williams: The Government of Maintained Schools (Wales) Regulations 2005 set out the arrangements for the constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools, including maintained nursery schools in Wales. The existing model of school governance in Wales is constructed on the principle of stakeholder representation. Thus school governing bodies are constituted by individuals who are representative of designated stakeholder groups - teachers and other staff at the school, parents of pupils/students, the local authority and the wider community.
The Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) is used to collect this data from all schools in Wales; this means that we are only able to collect this information annually and are unable to provide a six monthly breakdown. The information currently held is based on the January 2015 data collection the January 2016 data collection has yet to be verified.
The link below is to the StatsWales website which provides a break down of the number of governors in Wales; by using the drop down menu you can see the data for each local authority, the category of school, gender of governors, number of Welsh speakers and vacancies carried. The data goes back as far as 2003/2004 and up to 2014/2015.