Written Assembly Questions tabled on 28 October 2016 for answer on 4 November 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 Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children
Sian Gwenllian (Arfon): Will the Minister make a statement on the proportion of children living in poverty who have access to Flying Start and those who don't? (WAQ71339)
Answer to follow.
Sian Gwenllian (Arfon): What analysis has there been of the access to and quality of provision of early language support for families unable to access Flying Start? (WAQ71340)
Answer received on 7 November 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): We have undertaken a mapping exercise to bring together policy initiatives across education, health, and social services in regards to speech, language and communication (SLC). The aim was to clarify the approaches available for those aged 0-25 across Wales and to identify effective interventions with options for implementation.
A report is being finalised ready for publication shortly.
Officials will consider the report’s findings with a view to developing a strategic and cohesive approach to the educational provision of SLC support for children and young people across Wales.
In relation to Flying Start, outreach enables local authorities to provide Flying Start services to families not residing in Flying Start areas. Local authorities will each have their own strategy for best utilising funds to ensure those most in need can be supported in this way.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Following comments made in Plenary on 19 October, can the Minister expand on what he meant by saying that "we carried out some serious work" on the childcare figures, and could he clarify who exactly carried out that work? (WAQ71341)
Answer received on 8 November 2016
Carl Sargeant: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government was referring in the main to work undertaken by the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) and Frontier Economics. The First Minister asked PPIW for independent advice on the development of options for extending support for childcare in Wales, particularly the potential impact of extending the Welsh Government’s provision of free childcare for three to four year olds. The report was published in February 2016.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ71229, will the Minister elaborate in detail on the nature of the alleged procedural breach emanating from the procurement exercise? (WAQ71336)
Answer received on 7 November 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): The alleged procedural breaches were in relation to the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and general principles of EU law.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ71229, will the Minister elaborate on the exact purpose of the procurement exercise? (WAQ71337)
Answer received on 7 November 2016
Mark Drakeford: To award a contract relating to Furniture, Fittings, Space Planning Design and Interior Design on behalf of the Welsh Government, the National Assembly for Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) .
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ71229, will the Minister name the unsuccessful bidder who challenged the award decision, and can he also name the company which was successful in the procurement exercise? (WAQ71338)
Answer received on 7 November 2016
Mark Drakeford: Triumph Furniture Limited challenged the award decision. Richard H Powell and Partners Limited was the successful bidder.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister outline the money spent on the 'Schools Challenge Cymru' programme, also detailing the outcomes achieved including the successes and failures of the scheme? (WAQ71335)
Answer received on 4 November 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Kirsty Williams): Schools Challenge Cymru was developed as a temporary intervention to accelerate improvement in our most challenged schools. Funding to support the third year of the programme exists in the budget to March 2017 and Pathways to Success schools' improvement plans have been developed in this context.
In terms of the money spent on Schools Challenge Cymru, I am unable to provide an overall figure for expenditure as the programme is still underway. Having said that, in the first academic year of delivery £16.1m was spent, and in the second academic year approximately £17.5m was spent. Delivery of the third year is underway and the funding model remains dynamic so that priorities can be addressed as they emerge. Given this fluidity, final funding allocations for the third year are not yet available. The money spent on the programme reflects the levels of support identified by: Pathways to Success Schools and their Advisers to support their journeys of improvement; and, regional education consortia to build capacity for improvement more widely in the system.
When considering the outcomes that the programme has delivered, improvements in attainment are often the key indicators that are reported on publicly. With that in mind, after one year of support the majority of schools improved their attainment of the Level 2 inclusive. Verified results following the second year of the programme are not yet available but will be published in December.
However, exam success is only one indicator that should be considered when assessing the benefits of the Challenge. An independent evaluation has therefore been looking at a wider range of measures in order to consider the programme's impact. Fieldwork was undertaken in Pathways to Success schools from May to July 2015 and an interim evaluation report was published on the 20 July 2016. Please see attached link:
http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/evaluation-schools-challenge-cymru/?lang=en
This report focused largely on early implementation of the programme and confirmed that the majority of schools reported their participation in the programme as having a positive impact for their school. A second wave of fieldwork was undertaken from May to July 2016, the results of which are currently being analysed. This analysis will incorporate the verified GCSE results when they are available, with a further report being published in Spring 2017. This report will consider, in greater depth, the outputs and outcomes associated with the programme.
I will be reflecting on the verified GCSE results in December and the findings from the independent evaluation, in order to embed lessons learned and inform the development and delivery of policy going forward, including the £100m pledge to raise school standards.