Written Assembly Questions tabled on 30 November 2015 for answer on 7 December 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 Minister for Natural Resources
Suzy Davies (South Wales West): Will the Minister confirm when he will publish the report that he stated he would request on 7 October "from NRW on the process of how they seek to achieve a resolution with other partner organisations" regarding Cwm Ivy and Llanmadoc? (WAQ69517)
Answer received on 10 December 2015
The Minister for Natural Resources (Carl Sargeant): I do not intend to publish the report submitted by Natural Resources Wales relating to recent developments at Cwm Ivy. I have attached a copy for your information, which you are free to share with others.
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister confirm that it is not Welsh Government policy to close sixth forms in schools and introduce a tertiary system for Welsh students? (WAQ69513)
Answer received on 4 December 2015
The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis):
I can confirm that it is not Welsh Government policy to close sixth forms in schools and introduce a tertiary system. However, we have introduced tertiary arrangements when appropriate.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): In light of Pembrokeshire County Council's proposals for sixth form provision in Haverfordwest, will the Minister confirm that school reorganisation is a matter solely for the local authority to determine? (WAQ69514)
Answer received on 4 December 2015
Huw Lewis: It is for local authorities to plan provision for their area in the light of their local knowledge and with due regard for effectiveness and efficiency. If a local authority decides that a change is necessary to school provision, then statutory procedures are normally required. These include consultation and the publication of notices that provide interested parties with an opportunity to have a say on matters that will affect them. Whilst the majority of final decisions on school changes now rest with local authorities, some proposals require a decision by the Welsh Ministers, for instance those solely involving the addition or removal of sixth forms.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister provide Pearson UK's full verdict on West London Vocational Training College's Cardiff campus following its inspection of the campus in October? (WAQ69515)
Answer received on 11 December 2015
Huw Lewis:
Pearson visited the College on 21 October following an approach from my officials. Its representative reported some concerns about the lack of student registrations with Pearson at that juncture and inaccurate prospectus information, but no recommendation was made to remove the course validation. Pearson's written report is required as evidence by South Wales Police and cannot be released until the investigation is concluded.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Who provided the information on the "unusual student recruitment trends and patterns" at West London Vocational Training College's Cardiff campus to the Minister and will he disclose this data? (WAQ69516)
Answer received on 9 December 2015
Huw Lewis:
The Student Loans Company alerted BIS officials (who then involved my officials) that high numbers of students were registered at the College across the London and Cardiff campuses.
The HND and HNC in Business courses were specifically designated on 4 June this year for its campus in Cardiff. By 19 August, data from the Student Loans Company showed that there were 189 applications to the College, 95 students living in Cardiff, 94 students living in the London area, although all applications related to the London Campus. The information then available suggested that the Welsh domiciled students were correctly applying via Student Finance Wales for student finance to study these courses. The high start up numbers and concerns about where these students were actually studying were the reasons a review was undertaken.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): How much has the Welsh Government spent to date on the tuition fee grant since the start of the fourth assembly in 2011? (WAQ69518)
Answer received on 9 December 2015
Huw Lewis:
The following table shows the Tuition Fee Grant awarded for the Academic Years 2011/12 to 2015/16
(£ million)
| 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | |
| Final | Final | Final | Final | Provisional | |
| Tuition Fee Grant awarded | 25.2 | 108.9 | 167.5 | 237.6 | 264.2 |
Source: Student Loans Company
To ask the Minister for Public Services
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What is the response of the Welsh Government to the view of the leader of Newport City Council that reform of local government in Wales has been "lemming-like"? (WAQ69512)
Answer received on 4 December 2015
The Minister for Public Services (Leighton Andrews): Our proposals for the reform of Local Government in Wales will deliver net savings of up to £650m over ten years and will pay for themselves in two to three years. We have consulted extensively on our proposals in three White Papers, and are consulting now on the Draft Local Government (Wales) Bill. Our approach has been open and transparent.