Written Assembly Questions tabled on 4 November 2015 for answer on 11 November 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
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What consultation has the Welsh Government undertaken with farmers and farming unions regarding the revised basic payment scheme? (WAQ69375)
Answer received on 11 November 2015
The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans): The decision to implement a Flat Rate Payment by 2019, together with a Redistributive Payment, was taken after extensive stakeholder and industry engagement followed by a formal 12 week public consultation exercise.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide figures for the average basic payment scheme received by farmers in Wales in 2014/15, and what the projected average BPS payment to be received by farmers in Wales in 2015/16 will be? (WAQ69376)
Answer received on 11 November 2015
Rebecca Evans: The average Single Payment Scheme payment in 2014 was €16,150. Applications for Basic Payment Scheme payments are being validated. We will only know the average Basic Payment Scheme payment when validation of applications is complete. The estimated average Basic Payment Scheme payment, based on the information available to date is forecast to be €16,037.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What assessment did the Minister make regarding the impact on lowland and marginal land farmers when finalising the revised basic payment scheme? (WAQ69377)
Answer received on 11 November 2015
Rebecca Evans: The decision was taken after full consideration of all consultation responses and examination of all options. There is no payment option to suit everybody and the final decision had to be made in the best interests of Welsh agriculture as a whole and within the fixed CAP budget. The chosen option offers the best balance of meeting our policy and operational requirements on the one hand, and addressing feedback from the stakeholder consultation on the other. We have undertaken detailed data modelling which has been shared with the industry.
To ask the Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): Will the tender process for the Wales and Borders rail franchise be published before the Welsh Assembly election in May 2016? (WAQ69381)
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): Will there be an extension of the current Wales and Borders rail franchise when the current franchise ends in 2017? (WAQ69382)
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): Will the specification of the next Wales and Borders rail franchise be published before the Welsh Assembly election in May 2016? (WAQ69384)
Answer received on 10 November 2015
The Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): The current Wales and Borders rail franchise is due to end in October 2018. We are currently working on the transfer of franchising powers and will confirm the timeline for procuring the next franchise in due course.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What discussions has the Minister held with local authorities regarding qualifications and training for staff involved in the management and removal of asbestos from public buildings? (WAQ69378)
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What discussions has the Minster held with Conwy County Borough Council regarding the management and removal of asbestos from public toilet facilities in Conwy? (WAQ69379)
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What discussions has the Minster held with local authorities regarding the management and removal of asbestos from public toilet facilities in Wales? (WAQ69380)
Answer received on 11 November 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): Legislation relating to the control of asbestos in all public buildings is made under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which is not devolved. All building owners and employers have legal responsibilities to manage asbestos in their buildings. It is a matter for local authorities to comply with the requirements of this Act.
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): When will the "Crisis in Care 'Concordat'", as referenced in the Together for Mental Health annual report 2013/14, be published by the Minister? (WAQ69383)
Answer received on 10 November 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford):
The Crisis Care Mental Health Concordat will be published in December
Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): How many additional trained counselling professionals will be required to deliver the Welsh Government's commitment to reducing waiting times for mental health treatments? (WAQ69385)
Answer received on 17 November 2015
Mark Drakeford: The National Psychological Therapies Management Committee has produced an action plan to help health boards develop and commission a workforce with the right skills to deliver psychological therapies. This includes using existing expertise, additional recruitment and training to increase capacity and reduce waiting times.
To support the delivery of this plan, the Welsh Government has invested £650,000 to train existing staff to deliver psychological therapies. In June, I announced further recurrent funding of £1.9m to support the expansion of psychological therapies for adults and £1.1m for children and young people.