03/07/2007 - Answers Issued to Members on 3 July 2007

Answers issued to Members on 3 July 2007

[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh. Contents Questions to the Minister for the Economy and Transport Questions to the Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Public Service Delivery Questions to the Minister for Sustainability and Rural Development

Questions to the Minister for the Economy and Transport

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): Will the Minister list the top 50 employers in Wales in terms of numbers employed according to his department? (WAQ50124)

The Minister for the Economy and Transport (Brian Gibbons): In accordance with the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, information collected from businesses for statistical purposes is bound by strict confidentiality provisions and details relating to individual employers cannot be disclosed.

Michael German (South Wales East): Will the Minister list all areas in Wales that have been reported as broadband 'not-spots’ to the Welsh Assembly Government, through the Wales Broadband Observatory? (WAQ50127)

Brian Gibbons: 982 registrations have been received from residential users, home businesses and businesses across Wales who have registered their demand for broadband through the Regional Innovative Broadband Support (RIBS) project’s not-spot brokerage facility.

The following table details 601 registrations broken down by post code, containing identified not-spot areas where 5 or more registrations have been received. (Latest information available)

Answers Issued to Members on 3 July 2007

Postcode	Area	No. of registrations
SA38 9	Capel Iwan	56
SY25 6	Ystrad Meurig	26
SY23 4	Trefenter	25
SY16 3	Adfa	24
SA44 5	Penrhiwlan	24
SY19 7	Llanbrynmair	23
SY21 0	Cefn Coch	22
SA48 7	Cilcennin	20
SA43 2	Cilgerran	20
SA67 8	Summerhill	19
SA33 6	Bronwydd Arms	18
SA20 0	Cilycwm	18
SA32 8	Golden Grove	18
SA32 7	Peniel	16
LL22 8	Gwytherin	16
SY23 3	Cwmrheidiol	15
SA19 7	Llandeilo	15
NP12 8	Newport	13
NP10 8	St Brides / Wentloog	13
SY25 6	Llandewi Brefi	13
LL65 4	Holyhead - various	13
LD3 0U	Trefeitha / Felinfach	13
SA48 8	Cilcennin	11
NP16 6	Itton	11
SA5 79	Swansea	17
SA19 8	Llanwrda	9
NP7 9E	Llanover	9
LL57 4	Bangor	8
SA68 0	Kilgetty	8
SA66 7	Clynderwen	8
LD3 0E	Brecon	8
SY22 5	Llanfyllin	7
SY16 3	Newtown	7
SA62 6	Haverfordwest	7
LD1 6Y	Llandrindod Wells	7
SY21 9	Welshpool	6
SA62 5	Haverfordwest	6
SA44 4	Llandysul	6
SA3 1P	Mumbles	6
NP15 1	Usk	6
LL32 9	Conwy	6
LL32 8	Henryd	6
LD3 0R	Brecon	6
SA33 5	Carmarthen	5
SA14 7	Llanelli	5
LL21 9	Corwen	5
CF23 9	Cardiff	5

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): What is the policy of the Welsh Assembly Government regarding how receipts from the sale of land at waterfronts in Wales should be reinvested in the local community? (WAQ50135)

Brian Gibbons: Self generated receipts from the sale of land and property are re-invested into DE&T’s wider economic development and regeneration priorities across Wales, according to project needs and timescales. This is the framework within which most Government Departments, local authorities and other public bodies operate.

Such receipts (which mainly arise from property sales and rents) fund an important portion of the DE&T expenditure budget each year. For example, DE&T’s commitment to the redevelopment of Barry Waterfront, with Associated British Ports, and the regeneration work that we are undertaking in the wider Barry area, with Barry Action, has already been partly financed by sales achieved elsewhere in Wales. If receipts were only used to fund projects or towns from which the receipts were generated, this would have a detrimental impact on the ability to flexibly apply resources and funds to secure new opportunities and to assist the less prosperous and lower value areas of Wales.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): How can the Welsh Assembly Government assist the Barry Regeneration Partnership Board to retain and reinvest land receipts as is the case in the Newport and Swansea regeneration companies? (WAQ50136)

Brian Gibbons: There are unique circumstances in the case of Newport. The establishment of the Urban Regeneration Company, Newport Unlimited, by the Welsh Assembly Government, necessitated a particular approach to ensure that the Company would have the ability to operate effectively when the initial funding contributions from the founding bodies (Newport Council, Welsh Assembly Government and the former Welsh Development Agency) had been exhausted. At SA1 in Swansea, the receipts from sales of land are not retained and reinvested in other projects. However, there is sufficient flexibility in the budget arrangements to fund some cases of essential expenditure (on servicing development plots) from the receipts achieved from the disposal of a particular site for development, but only within the same financial year. This reflects the particular circumstances of the SA1 project, where expenditure on infrastructure has proven necessary to prepare plots of land for sale.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): How much money will or has been received by (i) the Welsh Assembly Government and (ii) AGSBs (Assembly Sponsored Government Bodies) from the sale of land at the Barry Waterfront by Associated British Ports? (WAQ50137)

Brian Gibbons: Barry has benefited from very significant investment by the former Welsh Development Agency/DE&T and other regeneration partners over a sustained period of time, through numerous regeneration programmes and the ABP/WDA/DEIN Barry Joint Initiative in particular—estimated at over £40 million since 1994. A number of key projects have been undertaken, including Phase 1 of the Waterfront that has been comprehensively reclaimed, serviced and developed to a high standard. The WDA/DE&T has received approximately £14.5 million from land sales in connection with Barry Waterfront in the period 1994 to the current date. Future receipts will be determined in part by the discussions that are currently ongoing concerning the proposed sale of further land to the private sector.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): How will receipts from any sales of land at the Barry waterfront be spent by the Welsh Assembly Government? (WAQ50138)

Brian Gibbons: Please refer to the responses to WAQ50135 and WAQ50136.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): What representations have been made by the Welsh Assembly Government about how receipts from land sales at the Barry waterfront will be spent? (WAQ50139)

Brian Gibbons: Please refer to the responses to WAQ50135, WAQ50136 and WAQ50137.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): What consideration has the Minister given to providing funding to the Barry Regeneration Partnership Board over a longer period than one year? (WAQ50143)

Brian Gibbons: Barry has been identified as a 'key settlement’ within the emerging draft refresh of the Wales Spatial Plan. This is reflected in the forward programme of regeneration prepared by DE&T in consultation with its regeneration partners. The aim is to work together, through established mechanisms, including the Barry Regeneration Partnership Board, to jointly discuss and agree the future regeneration priorities for Barry over the next 3 to 5 years. By setting clear and realistic objectives that deliver meaningful outcomes, the plan is to translate these priorities into a joint action/business plan for the area. This will help identify the physical and financial resources required, together with the contributions that each of the partners (public, private and voluntary) will need to make to achieve the objectives of the plan.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): What funding has the Welsh Assembly Government provided to the Barry Regeneration Partnership Board for each year since 2003? (WAQ50144)

Brian Gibbons: Please also refer to the response to WAQ50137. The following Welsh Assembly Government funding has been provided to facilitate the regeneration of Barry over the period 2003 to 2007;

Physical Regeneration Fund (PRF) £1.993 million—including development funding for the Barry Commercial Area and implementation funding for the clearance and environmental improvement of the former Holiday Camp site and public realm and traffic management enhancement works at Thompson Street/Holton Road.

DE&T South East Region approximately £4.25 million—including investment in land reclamation, environmental enhancement, property acquisition and improvement and urban regeneration initiatives such as the comprehensive redevelopment of the Grade 2 Listed former Town Hall and Library building and its environs and the Entrepreneurship/Business Skills Centre.

Questions to the Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): Will the Minister make a statement on vacant school places in Cardiff? (WAQ50150)

The Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language (Carwyn Jones): The Single Education Plan published by Cardiff County Council in 2006 reported that in primary schools there were some 4,500 vacant places overall, and that in secondary schools there were approximately 4,200 vacant places. Cardiff County Council is expected to publish revised information showing numbers on roll alongside the capacity of schools by 31 July 2007. It is the duty of the LEA to plan school provision with due regard for efficiency and in the light of local knowledge.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): Will the Minister make a statement on reconfiguration of hospital services in Wales? (WAQ50158)

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): Will the Minister make a statement on NHS financing and management in Wales? (WAQ50159)

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): What plans does the Minister have to develop and improve Wales' health services? (WAQ50160)

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): What plans does the Minister have to ensure fair and equal access to health care? (WAQ50161)

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): What plans does the Minister have to ensure improved patients' experience? (WAQ50162)

Jonathan Morgan (Cardiff North): What plans does the Minister have to support social care? (WAQ50163)

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): I continue to work with leaders of NHS bodies, social service providers, staff organisations and other interested parties in Wales to secure a progressive consensus against which progress in improving patients’ and clients’ experience and ensuring access to health and social services can be secured. The Government has already signalled our intention to bring forward an NHS Redress Measure, using new Government of Wales Act 2006 powers. Our position on reconfiguration of services was set out in my answer to WAQ50030 on 14 June.

Irene James (Islwyn): Can the Minister provide a timeline for the new Redwood hospital being built in the Caerphilly Borough? (WAQ50164)

Edwina Hart: Partners in Caerphilly County Borough are fully engaged in developing an Integrated Health and Social Care Resource Centre in the north of the County Borough. Work to agree models of care between agencies has commenced and the steering group is considering the steps required to develop the business case. The resource centre is seen as a key enabler for the models of care to operate within the new Caerphilly Hospital and will therefore be in place before the opening of the new Hospital.

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Public Service Delivery

Gareth Jones (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide a breakdown, by local authority, of the £828 million provided to local authorities in the north by the Welsh Assembly Government for 2007/8? (WAQ50126)

The Minister for Social Justice and Public Service Delivery (Andrew Davies): The table below shows the funding for authorities in North Wales through the local government finance settlement totalling £827.2 million. These figures exclude specific Welsh Assembly Government grants.

Answers Issued to Members on 3 July 2007

Authority	Total (£ million)	% increase over 2006-07
Isle of Anglesey	88.9	3.1
Conwy	137.1	4.0
Denbighshire	125.4	4.7
Flintshire	170.7	4.2
Gwynedd	159.1	3.7
Wrexham	146.0	4.1
Total	827.2	4.0

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the Assembly Governments Support for children’s support workers in women’s aid refuges? (WAQ50166)

Andrew Davies: As part of the ongoing delivery of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Domestic Abuse Strategy, Welsh Women’s Aid were awarded £249,490 for 2007-08 onwards to provide a child worker co-ordinator and 7 regional child worker posts.

Questions to the Minister for Sustainability and Rural Development

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): Will the Minister make a statement on when applications made during 2007 to convert to Organic Farming under the Rural Development Plan will be approved? (WAQ50123)

The Minister for Sustainability and Rural Development (Jane Davidson): I hope to make an announcement on the Organic Farming Scheme very shortly.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): Will the Minister list the correspondence and meetings she or her predecessors have had regarding the Oldbury nuclear site since 2003? (WAQ50140)

Jane Davidson: On 23 June 2006 my predecessor, Carwyn Jones as Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside received a briefing from officials regarding Magnox nuclear power stations, including Oldbury.

On 30 May 2007 the First Minister received an e-mail from officials at the Welsh Assembly Government advising of a non-nuclear incident at the Oldbury site. The e-mail was received at a time when the First Minister held responsibility for the Environment portfolio.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): What discussions has the Minister had about the Oldbury nuclear site? (WAQ50141)

Jane Davidson: I have had no discussions about the Oldbury nuclear site.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): How much money did the Minister’s department and/or the Welsh Assembly Government set aside to deal with any costs related to any remedial work needed at the Brofiscin quarry for each financial year since 2000? (WAQ50142)

Jane Davidson: Remedial work is the responsibility of the owner/occupier of any contaminated land. Brofiscin is a 'special site’ which the Environment Agency has taken on the responsibility of identifying 'appropriate persons’ i.e. those with liability for remediation. Action is ongoing by the Agency to identify appropriate persons.

Welsh Assembly Government has provided funding via the Contaminated Land Capital Projects Programme. This money has been allocated to the Environment Agency and Local Authority for investigative work at Brofiscin.

Funding to date includes:

2005-06 - £274,334 (Agency)

2006-07 - £108,850 (Agency)

2007-08 - £172,350 (RCT)

In addition to the capital support available under the Wales Contaminated Land Capital Fund, £2 million per year was built into the baseline of the Revenue Support Grant from 2000-01 to assist local authorities in meeting their revenue expenditure needs under Part 2A.

Christopher Franks (South Wales Central): Will the Minister set out the minimum timescale within which Air Quality Action Plans can be consulted upon and implemented after a local authority discovers any levels of air pollution which exceed the statutory levels under the Air Quality regulations? (WAQ50146)

Jane Davidson: The Environment Act 1995 does not prescribe any timescale for preparing an action plan. However the Welsh Assembly Government expects them to be completed between 12-18 months following the designation of any Air Quality Management Areas. The consultation period is an integral part of the process to obtain feedback on the Local Authorities’ plans.