Written Assembly Questions tabled on 29 July 2015 for answer on 5 August 2015
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
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What discussions has the First Minister had with the Prime Minister about new guidelines issued last month to GCHQ staff that the Wilson doctrine does not apply to the interception of communications of Members of the European Parliament or devolved assemblies? (WAQ69048)
Answer received on 5 August 2015
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones):
I wrote to the Prime Minister about this on 24 July. I await his reply.
To ask the Minister for Natural Resources
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What consideration has the Welsh Government given to issuing guidance to local authorities to assist in the control of seagull populations in Wales? (WAQ69054)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
The Minister for Natural Resources (Carl Sargeant):
Welsh Government provides advice to Natural Resources Wales and Local Authorities on the bird species protected by law including those species which can be controlled under licence.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Does the Welsh Government intend to review the list of protected species in Wales and what consideration has the Minister given to removing seagulls from the list? (WAQ69055)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Carl Sargeant:
Herring gull and Black-headed gull are amongst the birds that appear on the list of species and habitats of principal importance for conserving biodiversity in Wales as required under the NERC Act 2006 (s.42).
Welsh Ministers may review and update this list in consultation with Natural Resources Wales, based on the latest scientific evidence. Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Bill will supersede the existing duty.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What action is the Welsh Government taking to address seagull nuisance in Wales? (WAQ69056)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Carl Sargeant:
There is provision in legislation to licence the removal or destruction of certain gulls, nests and eggs on grounds of public health and safety. This work can be undertaken by authorised persons under the terms of a licence issued by Natural Resources Wales.
Advice is available from Local Authorities on measures that can be taken to reduce negative impacts of gull activities.
To ask the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): What is the procedure for local authorities to take over abandoned/part finished housing projects in their local areas in order to boost the supply of affordable housing? (WAQ69044)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Lesley Griffiths):
A Local Authority may apply to the Welsh Government for an order to be made. The Local Authority will need to demonstrate there is a compelling case, in the public interest, for the abandoned housing project to be compulsorily purchased and other methods have been tried. The Local Authority will need to show it has clear intentions for the use of the property or land and it has the necessary resources available to go through with the CPO.
Another option is for Local Authorities, in conjunction with Housing Associations, to use their Social Housing Grant allocation to look at how abandoned housing projects could be completed if they are considered a strategic housing priority and are situated in areas of housing need.
Mark Isherwood (North Wales): Why did the Welsh Government only provide local authorities with a week's notice by formally writing to them on 7 July stating that right to buy discounts would be reduced on 14 July, despite legislation being passed in June? (WAQ69049)
Answer received on 5 August 2015
Lesley Griffiths:
The Welsh Government consulted for a three month period in January on proposals to reduce the maximum discount on the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire in the short term and to end the rights in the longer term. Following analysis of the results, I made a statement on 3 June about reducing the discount, which was published on the Welsh Government's website.
The Order made on 4 June via the negative procedure, came into force on 14 July. Local Authorities were kept in touch with developments during the process and the timing for changes to the maximum discount. The purpose of the letter on 7 July was to ensure they had arrangements in place to deal with applications made after the change
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the steps to monitor the implementation of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 by local authorities? (WAQ69057)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Lesley Griffiths: There is no formal monitoring on a day to day basis but we are taking steps to assess how the legislation is working in practice after the 12-month point, which in the case of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 will be in October 2015. This will build on and draw together information received to date.
Most recently, my officials wrote to all Local Authorities on 30 July requesting an update on the following:
- The development of a fees policy (and a copy if available)
- Number and percentage of new site licenses issued to date
- Number of sites refused a site license under the new legislation
- Any difficulties in the interpretation and / or implementing the new legislation
- A timeline for when Local Authorities expect to have licensed all applicable sites in their area
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills
Angela Burns (Carmathen and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister confirm that the maximum penalty for taking a child out of school during term-time is £120? (WAQ69046)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis): A fixed penalty notice is issued for regular non attendance at school. The penalty is £60 if paid within 28 days of receipt of the notice rising to £120 if paid after 28 days but within 42 days of receipt of the notice. If the penalty is not paid in full by the end of the 42 day period the local authority must either prosecute or withdraw the notice.. If a local authority proceeds with prosecution it would be for a magistrate to determine the amount of the fine. Local authorities have powers to prosecute parents if their child fails to attend school regularly. This could result in a fine of up to £2,500 or imprisonment up to a maximum of 3 months, or both.
Aled Roberts (North Wales): Is the Minister able to provide the sources of funding for redundancy settlements for staff in each of the four regional education consortia for the periods 2013-14 and 2014-15? (WAQ69050)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Huw Lewis:
The National Model for Regional Working, which was co-constructed with the sector and which has been progressively implemented from April 2014, makes no change to the statutory responsibilities of local authorities. In line with the Model, local authorities provide the core funding to deliver their school improvement services on a regional basis through the four consortia.
Following the initial transition from 22 local authority based school improvement departments to the current four regional partnership arrangements, any need for redundancies within the consortia will be determined on the basis of delivering service improvements. Therefore, any one-off redundancy settlements for staff in the consortia will have been funded by local authorities, either as part of their core contributions or through permanent efficiency savings gains.
Aled Roberts (North Wales): Will the Minister provide an itemised breakdown of how the £3.96 million allocated to the four regional education consortia for capacity building has been spent? (WAQ69050)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Huw Lewis:
We have not yet received final, validated figures for expenditure of capacity-building funds in the 2014-15 academic year. These are due in the next month.
To give you partial financial information at this stage would not provide you with a fair representation of consortia activity during the academic year. I will write to you early in the autumn term with an itemised breakdown of spend once the figures are confirmed.
To ask the Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): What is the top speed expected of the new British Rail Class 800 trains under
a) diesel and;
b) electric power
between:
a) The Severn Tunnel and Cardiff;
b) Cardiff and Swansea; and
c) Swansea and Carmarthen?
(Please provide six figures in the answer) (WAQ69043)
Answer received on 5 August 2015
The Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): The Great Western Electrification Programme and Intercity Express Programme are schemes specified and managed by the Department for Transport, whom you may wish to contact for technical data related to the speed of class 800 trains
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): What assessment has the Welsh Government carried out regarding the impact on SMEs in Wales who pay salaries through dividends following the changes announced in the UK Government's summer budget around taxing dividends? (WAQ69042)
Answer received on 5 August 2015
Edwina Hart: This is a non-devolved matter.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): What is the current referral waiting time for women suspected of having breast cancer who are referred a) urgently and b) by the non-urgent route by their GP in Powys Teaching Health Board? (WAQ69041)
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): Of the patients suspected of having breast cancer who are referred via the non-urgent/routine in the Powys Teaching Health Board, how many go on to be diagnosed with breast cancer? (WAQ69045)
Answer received on 5 August 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Sercives (Mark Drakeford): This information is not collated by the Welsh Government.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister confirm that he has provided new funding to Hywel Dda Health Board to improve autism services and if so, what is the amount? (WAQ68047)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Mark Drakeford: In May, I announced £7.65m will be invested in child and adolescent mental health every year; this includes £2m to develop local services for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of neuro-developmental conditions, including autism, autistic spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders in children.
Funding has been distributed to health boards according to the size of their under-18 populations – for Hywel Dda University Health Board this equates to £235,972 every year to develop services for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The health board has also been allocated a grant to support and develop professionals involved in the assessment and diagnosis of adults on the autistic spectrum.
Mark Isherwood (North Wales): What guidance or direction has the Welsh Government issued to health boards regarding the provision of new NHS beds in a community setting, where community hospital beds have previously existed? (WAQ68052)
Mark Isherwood (North Wales): Will the Welsh Government permit a health board to open new NHS beds in a community setting where community hospital beds have previously existed? (WAQ68053)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Mark Drakeford:
The Welsh NHS is focused on the provision of services, the vast majority of which do not require a hospital bed.
It is for clinicians to determine the most appropriate, evidence-based care for their patients and where that treatment is best delivered, taking into account their individual circumstances. This may be in a hospital, community setting or in their own home and will involve the provison of beds when clinically necessary.
The primary care plan for Wales, which is supported by a primary care workforce plan, sets out the Welsh Government's aim to ensure more care, which is currently provided in hospitals, is available in local communities in primary care services, closer to people's homes.
The primary care plan for Wales is available here:
http://gov.wales/docs/dhss/publications/150218primaryen.pdf
The primary care workforce plan is available here:
http://gov.wales/docs/dhss/publications/150717reporten.pdf
To ask the Minister for Public Services
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister provide an update on when a Veterans ID Card will be implemented in Wales and details of the scheme? (WAQ69058)
Answer received on 10 August 2015
Leighton Andrews:
I consulted with the Armed Forces Expert Group last year and I am implementing their preferred option which was to promote the Defence Privilege Card. A promotion campaign started in November 2014 and finished on Armed Forces Day in June. The card take-up increased significantly over the period of the campaign and I will continue to work in partnership with the Defence Discount Service to further increase take-up.