Written Assembly Questions tabled on 27 March 2017 for answer on 3 April 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
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide information on the amount of financial support, if any, provided by the Welsh Government for the Defence Procurement, Research, Technology and Exportability event to be held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on 28 March 2017? (WAQ73264)
Answer received on 5 April 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): Welsh Government is not an official partner or sponsor of the 2017 Defence Procurement, Research, Technology and Exportability event.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the current roadworks being undertaken on the A55 between J22 and J23, and the measures that are being implemented to reduce delays to drivers whilst these works are being carried out? (WAQ73265)
Answer received on 31 March 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): These works are necessary to allow the construction of a new crossover in the central reservation to facilitate the future repair of defective expansion joints at Kneeshaw Lupton Overbridge near junction 23 for Llanddulas. We have had to put together this emergency package of works to minimise the impact on the A55 should the joints fail completely. Two Lane 2 closures are in place. The crossover works, which are being carried out to a really challenging programme by local contractors, will be complete by Wednesday 5 April at the latest. The works cannot be removed at the weekend because it is just too unsafe to leave a gap of over 200 metres in the central reserve. As the works will continue over the forthcoming weekend we are extending messages across the border to warn motorists to allow extra time for their journeys.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on works to upgrade the A55 at Junctions 15 and 16, to include accurate timeframes for consultation and the commencement of works? (WAQ73268)
Answer received on 31 March 2017
Ken Skates: We are in the final stages of appointing an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contractor which should be completed in April. Further information about public information exhibitions and a programme for delivery will be made available once an ECI Contractor has been appointed.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to increase the number of high-skilled jobs in north Wales, along with the concurrent development of relevant education provision, particularly in the STEM subjects? (WAQ73269)
Answer received on 5 April 2017
Ken Skates: The Advanced Materials & Manufacturing sector has a dedicated Equality & Diversity budget to enable businesses to take part in school STEM engagement projects that encourage young people, particularly girls, to consider STEM related careers. To date we have supported the Ford Saturday Club in Bridgend, an annual all girls cohort of the Airbus Industrial Cadets and the Raytheon Quadcopter challenge. These projects raise awareness of well paid career opportunities in skilled engineering roles within the sector.
Raytheon, with Welsh Government financial support, officially opened their Hangar 119 facility on 30 March 2017. The Company's expansion enables them to create highly skilled jobs for North Wales. Raytheon has created around 60 jobs in Broughton over the past 18 months and could need a further 200 over the next three years.
I recognise the teaching of STEM subjects in school is vital if we are to increase the flow of high-level skills into the Welsh economy. Our STEM in Education Delivery Plan (March 2016) sets out a range of actions in this area, linked to our education reform programme, including a new suite of science GCSEs introduced for first teaching in September 2016. Our reforms also include a new curriculum, currently under development, which will see a new Science and Technology Area of Learning and Experience.
A new National Network for Excellence in Science and Technology (NNEST) will better support our teaching workforce, with an investment of over £4 million. The NNEST will play a leading role in supporting teachers and learners aged 3 to 19 with a focus on professional learning provision, enhancing access to global research and so providing practitioners with up-to-date knowledge and skills.
Central to our work going forward, I am keen that we engage greater numbers of girls in STEM subjects. Building on the theme in our STEM in Education Plan, we are working to address the education actions in the Talented Women for a Successful Wales report, with improved gender balance in STEM subjects and STEM-related professional learning.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the findings of the recent House of Commons Library report that 13 of the 20 UK wards with the slowest average download speed for broadband are located in Wales? (WAQ73270)
Answer received on 5 April 2017
The Minister for Skills and Science (Julie James): We do not recognise the statistics on which the findings are based, there are some glaring anomalies. For example the statistics provided by the House of Commons give the superfast broadband coverage for Merthyr Tydfil as 45 per cent when we know that the Superfast Cymru project has provided access to over 98 per cent of eligible premises in the area.
To date the Superfast Cymru project has seen over 633,740 premises receive access to superfast broadband delivering average download speeds of over 70Mbps. These are premises that would otherwise not have received superfast broadband coverage under normal commercial operations.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the Welsh Government's response to the findings of the Older People's Commissioner for Wales that, in response to her recent survey, 63 per cent of older people found it 'sometimes' or 'always' hard to get an appointment at their GP surgery? (WAQ73266)
Answer received on 31 March 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): The latest statistics on access to GPs published on 22 February show that more appointments are available for people at more convenient times. In line with our commitment in Taking Wales Forward to continue to improve access to GP surgeries making it easier to get an appointment, we are engaged with GPC Wales on further improvements for all people across Wales.
The GP is not the only source of help and health boards are investing in the capacity and capability of the wider primary care team to work alongside GPs. Locally, primary care teams are working hard with patients and the public on when and how to access the right service from the right professional.
The findings of the Older People's Commissioner offer valuable insight in to the experience of older people in accessing services. I have asked health boards to use them to inform future improvement work and local conversations with patients and the public.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How does the Cabinet Secretary intend to address the £151m overspend forecast by health hoards in Wales this year? (WAQ73272)
Answer received on 31 March 2017
Vaughan Gething: I have made it clear that I consider these forecast overspends are unacceptable. I expect delivery from Health Boards and Trusts and will track the progress and outcome of their actions in order to stabilise and improve their position. These are matters of Board governance and accountability and will remain under scrutiny, including through use of the escalation framework where there are concerns. I have already demonstrated I will use these mechanisms where there are problems.
I will make a full statement on the actual outturns for NHS organisations once these have been confirmed, after their accounts have been audited and signed off by the Auditor General for Wales in June.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary outline how he will support Betsi Cadwaladr University Health board in developing plans to reduce patient waiting times in orthopaedic surgery? (WAQ73273)
Answer received on 5 April 2017
Vaughan Gething: I am aware that the health board has produced a plan to improve orthopaedic waiting times over the coming years. I expect the health board to work closely with the Planned Care Programme to ensure all possible opportunities are looked at to help reduce waiting times. We have provided the health board with additional funding this year to support performance and I expect to see improvements over the coming months.
In the meantime, in order to reduce the numbers waiting, as well as running additional lists internally the health board has commissioned services from other NHS organisations together with a number of procedures that will take place outside of the NHS with the independent sector.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the publication of the Future Landscapes Report? (WAQ73271)
Answer received on 5 April 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): I will be publishing the jointly prepared designated landscapes report in due course on behalf of the members and chair of the Future Landscapes Wales Programme.
Eluned Morgan (Mid and West Wales): To what extent is the Welsh Government making use of the UK Treasury guarantee in order to put in place multi-annual agri-environment schemes, funded via Rural Development Policy Common Agricultural Policy Pillar 2, that go beyond 2020? (WAQ73274)
Answer received on 31 March 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): In October 2016 the UK Treasury announced a guarantee to fund the EU element of all Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Pillar 2 agreements signed before the UK leaves the EU. This includes multi-annual agri-environment schemes.
On 28 March 2017 I announced I have committed the final tranche of funding under the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020. This commitment includes further funding for multi-annual agri-environment schemes going beyond 2020.
Payments relating to commitments made under the current Rural Development Regulations (CAP Pillar 2) can continue to 31 December 2023.
Eluned Morgan (Mid and West Wales): Given that the UK Government will shortly trigger Article 50, is the Welsh Government prepared to look again at the issue of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones , and whether an alternative approach to NVZ designations might be available via the Environment (Wales) Act 2016? (WAQ73275)
Answer received on 5 April 2017
Lesley Griffiths: Until we actually leave the EU, we are obliged to comply with all European law. We may well have to continue to do so even after we leave depending on the outcome of negotiations but this will help us to maintain environmental standards and protect human and environmental health.
As regards NVZs, I am considering the results of the recent consultation and working with the farming industry to consider options. I will be interested to hear people's views if they feel alternative approaches to those included in the consultation can achieve the same or better outcomes whilst satisfying the requirements of the Directive.
Eluned Morgan (Mid and West Wales): What modelling work has the Welsh Government undertaken to date on the impact of different Brexit scenarios on Welsh Agriculture? (WAQ73276)
Eluned Morgan (Mid and West Wales): Has the Welsh Government considered what impact leaving the single market and trading on World Trade Organisation rules would have on the level of trade in agricultural and food products, prices, outputs and the wider rural economy? (WAQ73277)
Answer received on 6 April 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): As a Government we are looking at a number of scenarios for trade conditions we may face once the UK leaves the EU single market to help assess possible impacts to the Sectors I represent across the ERA portfolio. This includes consideration of the impact of trading under World Trade Organisation rules.
Our engagement with our sectors particularly through the Roundtable and its working groups is a critical part of this work.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary held regarding support for the Swansea Community Farm in Fforest-fach? (WAQ73278)W
Answer to follow.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): How is the Cabinet Secretary working with schools and councils to ensure job security for teaching staff in the face of cuts to school budgets by local authorities? (WAQ73267)
Answer received on 31 March 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Kirsty Williams): The responsibility for the employment of teachers in schools lies with local authorities and governing bodies; Welsh Ministers do not have the authority to intervene. The governing body and local authority must each ensure that sufficient, suitable staff are employed or engaged to work at the school, to provide education appropriate for the ages, aptitudes, abilities and needs of the pupils.
It is for the governing body to decide the staffing structure for the school, determining the number of teacher and support staff posts, their grade and responsibilities. Local authorities make the decisions about where schools are, their size and where children are admitted. They oversee the whole system in their area and so it makes sense that they also decide how their schools are funded.
This is a complex picture and we should not accept that changes to the workforce are simply a response to funding. Each year, legitimately, there are changes to the workforce as a consequence of drivers such as school reorganisation, changes to pupil numbers, and priorities at a local, regional and national level.
For example, in the 10 years to 2016 there has been a reduction in both teacher and pupil numbers (about 2,000 less teachers and head teachers and about 18,000 less pupils) and the pupil teacher ratio has remained relatively stable (18.0 to 18.6).
Whilst funding clearly has an impact, and we have been entirely transparent about the extremely difficult financial settlement from the UK Government which is impacting on our public services in Wales, we are also proud of our investment in schools.
Within this context we have prioritised funding for schools within the funding we provide to Local Government in Wales and have set a Final Budget and Local Government Settlement for stability for 2017-18.
The Welsh Government has also committed £100million over the next five years to improve schools standards. This is in addition to our significant school improvement funding; including for example the £93million we are providing to support schools to reduce the impact of deprivation on our learners’ attainment in 2017-18 and the £133million we will be providing through the Education Improvement Grant for Schools.