Answers issued to Members on 3 February 2009

[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

Contents

Questions to the First Minister

Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Questions to the Minister for Heritage

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Questions to the Counsel General and Leader of the House

Questions to the First Minister

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How much has the Welsh Assembly Government spent on special advisors, including salaries, expenses and all related costs for each year since 1999? (WAQ53180)

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How many special advisors has the Welsh Assembly Government employed for each year since 1999? (WAQ53181)

The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): The table below shows the number and total salary costs of Special Advisers for each year since the Assembly was set up:

* Order in Council amended the number of Special Advisors in October 2007 from 6 to 8.

**Costs as at 31 December 2008.

The costs appear low for 1999-2000. This is because they are not full year costs and the advisers employed during that period joined the Assembly at various dates through the year.

Any costs incurred by special advisors which have been reclaimed through expenses are not readily available and not included.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the First Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53237)

The First Minister: I am responding on behalf of the Cabinet.

The average response times are shown in the table below. Data are only stored for the previous three years and so is only available for 2006 onwards.

Notes

NA = Not Applicable

* Based on letters received from 28 January 2006.

** Over the 2007 election period a limited amount of correspondence was received by and recorded against outgoing Ministers although responded to by their successors.

*** Based on letters received between 1-29 January that have been answered. No average means the numbers are insufficient to perform the calculation.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the First Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53247)

The First Minister: I am responding on behalf of the Cabinet.

Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What assessment has the Minister made about the number of graduate jobs available in the Welsh economy? (WAQ53190)

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): There is no official definition of a 'graduate job’. Graduates are mostly employed in the top three occupational groups (managers, professionals and associate professionals). In the year to June 2008, these three occupational groups accounted for 38% of all employees in Wales. Between 2001 and the year to June 2008 there was a 20% increase in the number of employees in Wales in the top three occupational groups compared to a 16% increase across the UK. The increase in Wales accounts for 85% of the overall 100,000 increase.

Graduate destination figures (2006/07) also indicate job market conditions—of both Welsh domiciled qualifiers and qualifiers from Welsh Higher Education Institutions (HEIs):

Six months after graduation, over three-quarters had entered work, 5% were assumed to be unemployed, with the majority of the remainder entering study.

82% of employed Welsh qualifiers and 81% of employed qualifiers from Welsh HEIs were in permanent employment.

The retention rate was similar to that of English regions.

Jenny Randerson (Cardiff Central): What targets or predictions did the Welsh Assembly Government make for the number of jobs in techniums over the last five years and were these fulfilled? (WAQ53209)

The Deputy First Minister: The majority of original targets were set by European Structural Fund projects. These targets, with the exception of the fledgling Technium Pembrokeshire, have been met and in some cases exceeded.

Mike German (South Wales East): What discussions has the Minister or his officials had with the UK Government regarding the potential for business tax cuts? (WAQ53211)

The Deputy First Minister: The Secretary of State for Wales has attended all three Economic Summits and as a member of the National Economic Council has fed the concerns of businesses in Wales on fiscal issues directly to the UK Government.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How much of the money spent on the Trunk Road Interface programme is taken by consultants’ fees? (WAQ53221)

The Deputy First Minister: £11.378m is forecast to be spent on consultants during 2008/09 on schemes listed in the Trunk Road Forward Programme 2008.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How much of the money spent on Safe Routes in Communities is taken up by consultants’ fees? (WAQ53222)

The Deputy First Minister: Funding for Safe Routes in Communities schemes is allocated directly to local authorities. We do not hold any information centrally on the employment of consultants by local authorities.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53238) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53248) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister explain how schools are audited annually to assess the state of school buildings? (WAQ53193)

The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): All Local Education Authorities undertake building condition surveys of all their school stock. These are undertaken on 4/5 year rolling cycle.

Local authorities will have in place regular programmes of maintenance for their schools which will have been informed by their building condition surveys, which will identify all critical, essential and desirable work needed on an individual school basis. This information will form an important element of a local authority’s asset management plan.

As part of this process, authorities will also undertake annual surveys which will cover issues such as fire protection, glazing, electrical wiring, DDA, Legionella and asbestos surveys. Some LEAs operate Service Level Agreements with their schools for building maintenance/repairs and maintenance. As part of this type of scheme regular termly visits will be undertaken by the individual LEA’s technical services division.

Irene James (Islwyn): How many pupils are participating in the new Foundation Phase curriculum in each local authority area? (WAQ53218)

Jane Hutt: Since September 2008 all three and four-year-olds in an early years education place have been participating in the Foundation Phase. Latest information indicates that over 25,800 children in maintained schools are currently benefiting from the new curriculum. The table attached sets out the number of three and four-year-olds in schools in each authority.

In addition there are three and four-year-olds in funded non-maintained settings participating in the Foundation Phase. Currently there are 766 funded settings in Wales; however, the number of children in these settings is not currently held centrally.

Pupils aged 3 - 4 in classes delivering the Foundation Phase

Source: Local authority returns in September 2008

(a) pupils aged 3-4 in maintained schools as at 23 September 2008.

Many authorities operate multiple intakes for 3 year old pupils and any pupils starting in school after 23 September will not be included.

(b) the majority of pupils aged 3 in Powys are educated through funded provision outside the maintained school sector.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53243) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53251) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Does the Minister have any plans to provide advice on the recording of members’ votes in National Parks to ensure greater accountability? (WAQ53257)

The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing (Jane Davidson): The 3 Welsh National Park Authorities are single purpose local authorities within local government and operate similar governance arrangements to the 22 Unitary Authorities in Wales.

The recording of Members’ votes is not a usual practice, but Standing Orders usually contain a provision enabling a minimum number of Members to call for a recorded vote on any particular issue. In addition Standing Orders usually enable an individual Member to ask that a record be kept in the minutes of how the Member voted (or abstained). As a matter of course all local authorities, including the National Park Authorities, record the names of Members attending meetings, including when they arrived (if it was after the commencement of business) and when they left (again if it was before the end of the meeting).

This enables anyone to identify whether a particular Member was present when an item was discussed or a decision taken. In addition, all Authority meetings are held in public (except where a statutory exemption applies) and papers are published in advance on the National Park Authorities’ websites.

In light of the transparency in the system already, I have no plans to provide any specific advice on the subject at this time.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53239) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53249) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53240) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53250) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53242) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53252) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Heritage

Rosemary Butler (Newport West): How many people have taken advantage of free entry to museums in each local authority area in Wales since the policy was introduced? (WAQ53235)

The Minister for Heritage (Alun Ffred Jones): Free admission to Amgueddfa Cymru—National Museum Wales (AC-NMW) sites in Wales was introduced by the Welsh Assembly Government in April 2001, six months before a similar policy was introduced in England.

As the Welsh Assembly Government provides substantial funding for AC-NMW, it is fitting that the people of Wales and visitors to the area are able to access each of the seven sites free of charge. The policy has been a huge success: total visits to the Museum’s seven sites in 2007-08 were 1.67 million, an increase of 124% on the year 2000-01, the last year when admission charges were in place.

A number of visitor surveys have taken place. The most recent survey in 2006 looked at region of origin. In 2006 9% of AC-NMW visitors came from South East Wales, 28% from South Central Wales, 14% from South West Wales, 3% from North Wales and less than 1% from Mid Wales. The remaining 45% of visitors came from outside Wales or did not state their origin. An in-depth visitor survey is due to take place across AC-NMW’s sites in 2009.

Local museums are not included in the Welsh Assembly Government policy on free admissions. Each local authority and independent museum makes its own decision regarding whether an entry fee is levied. CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales division undertook a baseline survey in 2006 'Spotlight on Museums’. This showed that in 2005 there were over 1.7 million visits to local museums, an increase of 228,000 on 2004. The survey also showed that 66% of local authority museums and 34% of museums from the independent sector provide free entry. There is no consistent data showing where visitors to local museums come from.

Karen Sinclair (Clwyd South): Will the Minister make a statement on how many secondary school pupils have taken part in the Sports Council for Wales’ 5x60 programme in each local authority in Wales since the programme was introduced? (WAQ53259)

Alun Ffred Jones: The figures below have been provided by the Sports Council for Wales.

They show the total number of 5 x 60 sessions that have taken place in each local authority and attendance and are broken down by Key Stage and gender for the autumn term 2008 and academic year 2007-2008.

Note: Figures vary between local authorities as some schools joined up to the scheme at different times of the year.

Academic year 2007-2008

Note: Figures vary between local authorities as some schools joined up to the scheme at different times of the year

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53246) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53256) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

Brynle Williams (North Wales): What changes have been made to the European Commission’s policy on the implementation of compulsory electronic identification of sheep in Wales following your meeting with Commissioner Vassiliou on the 19th of January? (WAQ53183)

The Minister for Rural Affairs (Elin Jones): No changes. I continued to press Commissioner Vasilliou but she stressed the importance of a reliable system of traceability in the event of disease outbreak, although she did refer to the forthcoming Commission mission to the UK and hoped that this would go some way to assist UK implementing in full by 2012.

Brynle Williams (North Wales): What changes have been made to Welsh Assembly Government policy on the compulsory electronic identification of sheep following your meeting with Commissioner Vassiliou on the 19th of January? (WAQ53184)

Elin Jones: No changes, I will continue with my twin track approach, the next stage of which will be industry, supported by Government, using the Commission Services visit in February to highlight the practical difficulties they have implementing this Regulation.

I also intend publishing an interim report of the Welsh pilot later this Spring to inform the forthcoming consultation on the new rules.

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the removal and control of ragwort? (WAQ53220)

Elin Jones: Ragwort is highly toxic, and can cause severe liver damage and often death, if ingested either in its green or dried state, as in hay or silage. 'The Code of Practice to Prevent and Control the Spread of Ragwort’ provides information on how to identify ragwort, grassland management, suitability and efficacy of control methods including environmental considerations. Primary responsibility for controlling the spread of ragwort lies with the occupier of the land on which common ragwort is growing.

The complete eradication of ragwort is not desirable because, as a native plant, ragwort is very important for wildlife in the UK, and has many biodiversity benefits. The aim of the Code is to educate all owners of horses and livestock, landowners and occupiers of the necessity to prevent its spread where it presents a high risk of poisoning horses and livestock, or spreading to fields used for the production of forage. The Welsh Assembly Government is therefore currently working to raise public awareness of the dangers of ragwort when associated with grazing animals.

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister make a statement about GM free policy in Wales? (WAQ53232)

Elin Jones: It would be illegal for the Welsh Assembly Government to impose a blanket ban on GM crops. Our policy therefore, is to take a restrictive and precautionary approach to GM crop commercialisation as is possible, within the context of the UK and EU legislative framework.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53245) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53255) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Has any assessment been made of the social usefulness of public houses in Wales and, if so, will he give details of this? (WAQ53229)

The Deputy Minister for Regeneration (Leighton Andrews): Leighton Andrews: In 2007 the Department for Rural Affairs awarded a grant of £16,500 to the 'Pub is the Hub’ programme to undertake a research project to identify the potential for using rural pubs for the co-location of services which could improve their viability for example, combining pub with shop, pub with post office, housing a playgroup, prescription collection services etc. This report 'Pub is the Hub—a Rural Pub and Services Strategy for Wales’ is soon to be published.

We are aware that a number of pubs in Wales at present host a post office. Such arrangements complement the traditional network of post offices and ensure that customers have adequate and easy access to post office services.

Post Office Ltd has advised that there are a small number of pubs in Wales which act as direct access points to post office services. In addition, the car parks of two further public houses are used by Post Office Ltd’s mobile post office service.

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Has the Minister made any representations to the UK Government about the closure of public houses in Wales? (WAQ53230)

Leighton Andrews: No.

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Has the Minister made representations about VAT applying to off sales of alcohol but not on sales of alcohol in public houses, and the detrimental effect this is having on public houses in Wales? (WAQ53231)

The Minister for Social Justice and Local Government (Brian Gibbons): I have not made any representations about the effect of VAT on public houses.

In our new 10 year substance misuse strategy 'Working Together to Reduce Harm’, we are committed to reducing the harms associated with alcohol misuse. We are committed to pressing the case with the UK Government to introduce minimum pricing and/or to consider an increase in taxation. We are particularly keen to pursue the issue of minimum pricing as this would tackle the cheapest, discounted alcohol sold through off licences.

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Does the Minister have any plans to provide advice on the recording of members’ votes in local authorities to ensure greater accountability? (WAQ53258)

Brian Gibbons: The conduct of local authority meetings is provided for in Schedule 12 to the Local Government Act 1972. This provides that the names of members present at a meeting must be recorded and decisions must be minuted. There are no provisions requiring how individual members vote to be recorded. This is something which would be dealt with in local authorities’ standing orders.

There are no proposals to issue advice to local authorities on this matter. In general, meetings of local authorities are open to the public—other than when confidential matters are being discussed.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53241) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Minister has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53251) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.

Questions to the Counsel General and Leader of the House

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Counsel General has taken to respond to correspondence with Assembly Members in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53244) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53237.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the average time the Counsel General has taken to respond to written questions in the current year and what was the average time taken in each of the previous years from 2005 onwards? (WAQ53254) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53247.