​Written Assembly Questions tabled on 29 November 2016 for answer on 6 December 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 First Minister
Steffan Lewis (South Wales East): What representations has the Welsh Government made to the UK Government on post Brexit WTO schedules and quotas? (WAQ71592)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones): The Welsh Government has made clear to the UK Government that uninterrupted full and unfettered access to the single market is the top priority, and that we must avoid businesses in Wales being harmed by the introduction of new tariffs, quotas or other barriers to trade. It would cause unacceptable damage to the economy in Wales for the UK to fall off the cliff edge onto default WTO tariff schedules with the EU.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Dai Lloyd (South Wales West): Following the introduction of the new junior doctor contract in England, will the Minister outline the impact on the specialty of histopathology in Wales, and provide his response to potential recruitment and retention issues? (WAQ71594)
Answer received on 6 December 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): It is important to recognise that the new contract applies in England only at this stage, and work is underway to assess the implications for junior doctors in Wales. Until this work is complete I am unable to confirm precisely what the implications will be for individual trainee specialties in Wales, except to say that they will likely vary between specialities. The position of histopathology trainees is a good example of where complex modelling and analysis work is required in order for NHS Employers to understand the full range of implications the new contract in England presents for medical trainees in Wales.
The contract modelling and analysis work is being carried out by the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership and I expect to receive their conclusions by February/March next year. I have also been holding regular meetings with BMA Wales to discuss next steps and to understand how our junior doctors feel about the imposition of new terms and conditions on their colleagues in England. I will ensure that the needs and aspirations of the trainees in some of our smaller specialties, like histopathology, are taken fully into account as these discussions continue.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Dai Lloyd (South Wales West): Will the Minister outline actions the Welsh Government has undertaken in response to recent investigations at Kittle Hill Poultry Farm in Gower, and will she clarify whether the Welsh Government intends to legislate in order to make Wales a 100 per cent free range country? (WAQ71593)
Answer received on 8 December 2016
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): I will write to you and a copy of the letter will be placed on the internet.
Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales): What actions does the Minister propose to take in light of the EU Commission's proposal that the northern bass fishery should be restricted to recreational angling and commercial hook and line fishing in 2017? (WAQ71595)
Answer received on 8 December 2016
Lesley Griffiths: The European Commissions proposals on sea bass will be the subject of negotiation at the European Fisheries Council later this month (12-13 December) where the final package of catch restrictions for 2017 will need to be agreed. I will be attending the Council and contribute to the negotiations, alongside UK Government Ministers and my counterparts from the Northern Ireland Executive and Scottish Government.
In November, I hosted in Cardiff a meeting of fishing industry representatives and other stakeholders alongside UK and other Devolved Administrations Ministers to help inform the UK approach to the December Council negotiations. Prior to the December negotiations, I will be having more detailed discussions with representatives from the Welsh recreational and commercial fishing sectors in order to hear their latest views on the Commission's proposals in regard to fishing for Sea Bass in 2017.
The Welsh Government's position is for a carefully managed and low impact commercial sea bass fishery which can operate alongside a thriving recreational sector as part of our goal of ensuring the sea bass fishery moves to a fully sustainable basis in Wales. The measures agreed for 2017 must strike a fair balance of protecting the economic interests of all sectors in Wales and also the coastal communities which depend on sea bass fishing.