Written Assembly Questions tabled on 30 September 2014 for answer on 7 October 2014
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 Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to the Welsh Government's announcement of £3 million of spending on Cardiff Airport route development, will the Minister confirm whether any of this funding will be allocated to existing routes and if so how much and to which routes? (WAQ67779)
Answer received on 3 October 2014
The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): The £3 million repayable allocation to Cardiff Airport will be used to support its route development strategy. The funding is aimed at increasing capacity so may involve expanding existing routes or attracting new routes. Cardiff Airport is in active discussion with a number of airlines which are commercially sensitive.
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister detail how much money is allocated to English-medium Primary schools for the purpose of Welsh-language teaching, given that many teachers have complained that a great deal of money is spent on Welsh-language provision at primary school level and yet the number of fluent Welsh speakers remains low? (WAQ67773)
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): On what basis does the Minister allocate money to English medium Primary schools for the purpose of Welsh language teaching and how does the Minister measure the outcome of spending on Welsh language teaching at English- medium primary schools? (WAQ67777)
Answer received on 6 October 2014 (WAQ67773/7)
The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis): Local Authorities are responsible for school funding in Wales and as such the Welsh Government cannot provide the funding breakdown you request. The majority of funding for schools is distributed via the Local Government Settlement, Revenue Support Grant (RSG) to Local Authorities. The RSG is unhypothecated and the Welsh Government considers that Local Authorities are best placed to judge local needs and circumstances and to fund schools accordingly. The RSG is based on a number of indicators including pupil numbers at a Local Authority level, however there is no particular indicator used in the distribution formula which reflects the issue of language.
Once the RSG has been distributed to Local Authorities, it is the responsibility for each individual Local Authority to set budgets for their schools in accordance with the Authority's funding formula. The School Funding (Wales) Regulations 2010 requires 70% of funding for schools budgets to be distributed on the basis of pupil numbers. Authorities have the discretion to distribute the remaining 30% on the basis of a range of factors in order to take account of individual school circumstances. Local Authorities must consult their schools budget forums and all schools in their area when setting their funding formula.
In accordance with the regulatory framework, local authorities may take into account in their funding formula whether a pupil is being educated through the medium of Welsh. Once funding is distributed it is for the headteacher and governing body of each school to determine how the school's budget should be spent to best reflect their individual needs and circumstances.
The Welsh language is an integral part of our culture and society and the Welsh Government has a statutory duty to support Welsh and promote its use.
Standards in Welsh second language education in primary schools are not as high as they should be and we are working to address these issues. The Welsh Government also remains concerned that the current approach to the teaching and learning of Welsh second language is unsatisfactory. Significant changes are needed in the long term to enable pupils in English-medium schools to succeed in Welsh language acquisition and enable them to use Welsh beyond the classroom.
However, there is significant enthusiasm and goodwill towards the Welsh language and we want to support those who want to learn and those who teach the language. There are a number of projects and grants which are targeting improvements to standards and attainment in Welsh second language. Many of these are included in the Welsh second language action plan published in July 2012. These will continue throughout the course of the current review of the National Curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales.
Any potential changes to the Welsh second language curriculum as a consequence of the review of the National Curriculum and assessment arrangements, will reflect our commitment to improve standards in Welsh second language to enable young people to become competent Welsh speakers in future.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What is the Minister doing to support English-medium primary schools to teach the Welsh language through more efficient methods, given a comment from a primary school head teacher that many English medium primary school teachers are struggling to teach Welsh because intensive language courses provided for teachers do not have long-term benefits on teaching? (WAQ67774)
Answer received on 8 October 2014
Huw Lewis: The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring Welsh is taught effectively in all schools across Wales and published a Welsh second language Action Plan in July 2012. The plan outlines a range of projects and programmes aimed at improving the teaching and learning of Welsh in English-medium primary schools.
An independent review of the Welsh Government's Welsh-language Sabbatical Scheme, published in January 2014
(http://wales.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/welsh-medium-education-strategy/?lang=en),
showed the intensive training provided had a range of positive impacts on teaching Welsh. The study showed that teachers from English‑medium primary schools who participated in the Scheme between January 2011 and December 2012 and who took part in the review were able to deliver an additional one hour per week on average after returning to their schools. Participation also resulted in wider benefits that cannot be quantified, such as raising the profile of Welsh across the school or increasing the use of the language beyond structured Welsh lessons.
The Welsh in Education Grant provides funding through the regional consortia to support activities on a regional, local and school level aimed at improving the teaching and learning of Welsh. Activities aimed at practitioners working in English-medium primary include training on specific aspects of teaching Welsh as a second language as well as ongoing support for Sabbatical Scheme participants on their return to schools to ensure the lasting impact of the Scheme.
In July 2012, an independent Review Group, chaired by Professor Sioned Davies, was established to consider what changes should be made to Welsh second language teaching and learning to enable more learners to use Welsh outside the classroom, in their communities and in future employment. The One language for all report will form an important part of the evidence base as Professor Graham Donaldson undertakes a review of the National Curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Any potential changes to the Welsh second language curriculum will reflect the Welsh Government's commitment in the Welsh-medium Education Strategy to improve standards in Welsh second language to enable young people to become competent Welsh speakers in the future.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): In relation to WAQ67663, will the Minister list all the meetings he has had with student representatives regarding the Financial Contingency Fund? (WAQ67775)
Answer received on 8 October 2014
Huw Lewis: My officials have met NUS Wales about the future of the Financial Contingency Fund and they will continue to talk to student representatives and Higher Education Institutions about the arrangements for Welsh HEIs to run their own discretionary hardship funds from academic year 2015/16. I will discuss the new arrangements during my normal round of meetings with the NUS and the universities.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What is the Welsh Government's position on encouraging primary schools to offer modern language provision if they have the budget and the resources available to do so, in light of the fact that a primary school head teacher has received a complaint from a secondary school that children knew too much French and were not enjoying their lessons, as a result of receiving French classes in year 6? (WAQ67776)
Answer received on 6 October 2014
Huw Lewis: I welcome the news that some children are starting secondary school with a higher level of understanding in French than expected after leaving primary school. I think this is something we should celebrate and I would like to commend the teachers involved in making this happen and also the children for their hard work.
The Welsh Government has published comprehensive non-statutory guidance for Modern Foreign Languages at key stages 2 and 3 which is available on the Learning Wales website.
On 12 March 2014, I appointed Professor Graham Donaldson to undertake a comprehensive, independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Professor Donaldson is tasked with putting forward recommendations for a clear vision for education in Wales which includes consideration of the place of MFL in our curriculum. Professor Donaldson will report his findings and recommendations to me early next year.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What is the Minister doing to support primary schools in the delivery of extra-curricular modern foreign language learning? (WAQ67778)
Answer received on 6 October 2014
Huw Lewis: The Welsh Government has published non-statutory guidance on teaching of Modern Foreign Languages at Key Stage 2. We are also working with CILT Cymru and education consortia to improve the delivery of MFL in all schools. This is being done by promoting best practice, sharing resources, providing continuing professional development and utilising links with businesses.
My officials are establishing new links with the Goethe Institute, German Embassy, Institute Francaise, Alliance Francaise, Conserjeria de Educacion and the Instituto Italiano di Cultura to enhance existing activities designed to promote MFL at all levels of learning.
The Welsh Government is also continuing to fund the Confucius Institute in 2014-15 through the British Council International Education Programme, which supports the Wales China Schools Project and will deliver 15 new Confucius Classrooms including four which will be delivered in primary schools.
On 12 March 2014, I appointed Professor Graham Donaldson to undertake a comprehensive, independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales, which includes consideration of the place of MFL in our curriculum. Professor Donaldson will report his findings and recommendations to me early next year.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister give an individual update on progress made to date on each of the nine recommendations made by the Health and Social Care Committee's 2013 report into stillbirths in Wales? (WAQ67780)
Answer received on 3 October 2014
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): A progress report on the nine recommendations has been submitted to the Health and Social Care Committee in September. Please see attached copy.