Written Assembly Questions tabled on 30 January 2013 for answer on 6 February 2013

R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.
W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

(Self identifying Question no. shown in brackets)

To ask the First Minister

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the First Minister provide a list of all visits abroad by Ministers in relation to their cabinet responsibilities since September 2012 and all planned visits until the end of July 2013 and the purpose of each visit. (WAQ62110)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister detail all costs associated with the two day trade mission to Ireland, including travel, accommodation and subsistence. (WAQ62114)

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): What consideration has the Major Events Unit given to supporting a Welsh bid to host the UCI world cycling championships. (WAQ62116)

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): What consideration has the Major Events Unit given to supporting a Welsh bid to host the British national road race and time trial cycling championships. (WAQ62117)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister provide details of all flights due to be taken by Welsh Ministers in 2013 and the airports they will be flying from. (WAQ62126)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Further to the First Minister’s answers to WAQ62036 & WAQ62037, and since the 3 occasions detailed in WAQ61155, how many times has the First Minister met with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) during the Fourth Assembly (a) within Welsh Government premises and (b) outside Welsh Government premises and can the First Minister confirm (i) on what dates and (ii) at which locations these meetings took place. (WAQ62129)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister confirm how many Welsh Ministers regularly use official Welsh Government cars to travel to work. (WAQ62130)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister detail how many meetings have taken place in the Welsh Government Headquarters in London since it was opened in July 2012. (WAQ62133)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister detail which businesses he had meetings with during his trade trip to the Republic of Ireland with any commercially sensitive information redacted. (WAQ62135)

To ask the Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science

Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Further to WAQ61993, will the Minister confirm the number of meetings she has personally held to date in relation to the Circuit of Wales project, the date of those meetings and what was discussed in relation to the project. (WAQ62089)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister a) detail the airports (UK and international) in which the Welsh Government currently purchases advertising space; and b) provide a breakdown of cost per airport and type of advertising. (WAQ62115)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What work is the Welsh Government undertaking to develop the cruise market in Wales. (WAQ62118)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide figures, for the past 5 years, for the amount the Welsh Government has spent promoting Wales in each of the following locations:

a) England

b) Scotland

c) Northern Ireland

d) Republic of Ireland (WAQ62119)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm whether any money has been spent to promote Wales at 6 Nations matches in Edinburgh, Paris and Rome. (WAQ62120)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What assessment has been made of the tourism potential of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. (WAQ62131)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister detail how many meetings she has had with Secretary of State for Wales David Jones MP since the start of the Fourth Assembly. (WAQ62132)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister detail how many meetings she has had with former Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan MP since the start of the Fourth Assembly. (WAQ62134)

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills

Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Will the Minister make a statement on the importance of attracting International students to Welsh Universities given the decline in Higher Education applications from home students. (WAQ62109)

Aled Roberts (North Wales): What action is the Minister taking to monitor the impact of the Pupil Deprivation Grant in schools across Wales. (WAQ62111)

Aled Roberts (North Wales): Will the Minister provide detail on how the extra funding through the Pupil Deprivation Grant is being spent by schools to support pupils from poorer backgrounds. (WAQ62112)

Aled Roberts (North Wales): What guidance has the Minister issued to schools in Wales in relation to the use of funding through the Pupil Deprivation Grant. (WAQ62113)

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister make a statement on the progress of the SEN trials currently being carried out in seven areas across South Wales and one in North Wales. (WAQ62128)

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What assessment has the Minister made of the figures supplied by the UCAS: 2013 Cycle Applicant Figures – January Deadline; that shows Wales as the only country and region of the UK which has experienced a decline in applications to UK Higher Education institutions between 2012 and 2013. (WAQ62121)

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): How many teaching days does the Minister anticipate will be lost as a consequence of teachers attending the GCSE Maths and English Workshop being offered by Education London Ltd. (WAQ62122)

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Further to his answer to WAQ61999 and WAQ62000 will the Minister confirm which two schools submitted action plans but have not yet been awarded additional support of £10,000; and the reasons for this. (WAQ62123)

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Further to his answer to WAQ61999 and WAQ62000, will the Minister confirm the four schools which did not submit action plans. (WAQ62127)

To ask the Minister for Finance and Leader of the House

Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Will the Minister detail any meetings she has had with equalities groups in the last six months. (WAQ62090)

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

William Graham (South Wales East): Will the Minister detail how Families First links into the Early Years Flying Start Programme as detailed in the Families First: Programme Guidance. (WAQ62091)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): How many operations have been cancelled due to unavailability of medical and / or nursing staff over the past 5 years. (WAQ69092)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): How many complaints about quality of care in hospitals has each health board received for each of the past 5 years; and how many of these complaints have been upheld. (WAQ69093)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): What has been the staff sickness rate for each LHB for the past 5 years. (WAQ69094)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): How many nursing posts have there been for each band in each LHB for every year of the past 5 years. (WAQ69095)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): How many ‘Dignity and Essential Care inspections’ has Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) carried out; and (i) how many of these inspections have raised concerns over safe staffing levels; and (ii) how many of these inspections have revealed concerns over the quality of patient care. (WAQ69096)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): How many inspections of hospitals in Wales has Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) carried out each year over the past 5 years; and (i) how many of these inspections have raised concerns over safe staffing levels; and (ii) how many of these inspections have revealed concerns over the quality of patient care. (WAQ69097)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion): What guidance has been issued to Health Boards over safe staffing levels in hospitals. (WAQ69098)

To ask the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What assessment has the Welsh Government undertaken to look at the local impact of the ‘bedroom tax’ in each local authority. (WAQ62099)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What specific measures has the Welsh Government taken to mitigate the impact of the ‘bedroom tax’. (WAQ62100)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What studies has the Welsh Government undertaken into the ability of the private rented sector to meet the expected increase in demand that will follow housing benefit changes. (WAQ62101)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): How many meetings has the Minister had with representatives of the financial sector (e.g. Council of Mortgage Lenders) concerning possible support that the Welsh Government could provide to prevent repossession of homes. (WAQ62102)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What guidance has the Minister issued to the police and police authorities regarding the expected increase in homelessness and the possible impact in these services. (WAQ62103)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): How many people / households were helped each year during the running of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme. (WAQ62104)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): How many meetings has the current Minister for Housing had with officials in Westminster regarding housing benefit changes and homelessness. (WAQ62105)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): What guidance has the Welsh Government issued to local authorities regarding (a) compliance with existing homelessness legislation; (b) preparing for the expected increase in homelessness applications as the Westminster Government’s changes to housing benefit take effect. (WAQ62106)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): How much total funding have housing and / or welfare rights organisations received from the Welsh Government for each year over the past 5 years. (WAQ62107)

Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Will the Minister make a statement on the role that local councils play in creating a sporting legacy in Wales after the success of the Olympic and Paralympic games. (WAQ62108)

To ask the Minister for Local Government and Communities

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister make a statement on the progress of the Scrutiny Support Programme and how it relates to senior council officer pay increases. (WAQ62124)