Written Assembly Questions tabled on 5 June 2015 for answer on 12 June 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 First Minister
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ 68661, will the First Minister confirm under what type of contract Mr David Goldstone is employed with the Welsh Government? (WAQ68753)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68669, will the First Minister confirm how many advisers have been employed or contracted to give advice to the Welsh Government on the same terms or basis as Mr David Goldstone, giving figures for the fourth Assembly term, including names and roles? (WAQ68755)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68661, will the First Minister confirm whether Mr David Goldstone has the authority to direct and instruct civil servants in the undertaking of their roles? (WAQ68758)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68661, will the First Minister confirm to whom Mr David Goldstone reports within the Department of Economy, Science and Transport? (WAQ68761)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68661, did Mr David Goldstone's appointment meet the Nolan principles of public appointments and, if so, will the First Minister provide details of when the appointment was made? (WAQ68764)
Answer received on 15 June 2015
First Minister (Carwyn Jones): Mr David Goldstone was appointed to advise the Department of Economy, Science and Transport in 2012. His role was not a public appointment. He was employed under a consultancy contract in accord with the Welsh Government’s Standard Terms and Conditions for consultancy appointments. His contract was managed by the Head of Property. Mr Goldstone did not have authority to direct or instruct civil servants.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68669, will the First Minister confirm the total value of public expenditure on property deals during the fourth Assembly where Mr David Goldstone has given advice, including a breakdown for each financial year? (WAQ68754)
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68669, what was the largest individual property deal that Mr David Goldstone advised the Welsh Government on during the fourth Assembly, in terms of a) property sold and b) property acquired? (WAQ68763)
Answer received on 15 June 2015
Carwyn Jones: Expenditure on and receipts from property transactions are subject to separate governance arrangements not involving advice from Mr David Goldstone.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68661, will the First Minister provide a breakdown of the payments made to Mr Goldstone in each of the last three financial years? (WAQ68756)
Answer received on 15 June 2015
Carwyn Jones: Details of payments to Mr David Goldstone over the last three financial years are as follows:
| Fees | Expenses | |
| 2014/15 | 2,865.00 | 1,151.71 |
| 2013/14 | 6,458.24 | 3,040.60 |
| 2012/13 | 6,825.00 | 3,351.15 |
To ask the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister note the total amount of funding that remains available in the Homebuy scheme? (WAQ68750)
Answer received on 16 June 2015
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Lesley Griffiths):
The Welsh Government Homebuy scheme is funded through the Social Housing Grant Programme. Local Authorities determine local priorities for their Social Housing Grant allocation. It is the responsibility of each Local Authority to determine if the Homebuy scheme is a strategic priority.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister note the total amount of funding that remains available in the Welsh Government's Help to Buy scheme? (WAQ68751)
Answer received on 15 June 2015
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Lesley Griffiths): As of 31 March 2015, of the £103.5 million made available through the Help to Buy - Wales Shared Equity Loan Scheme, £67.8 million of applications have been approved for completed and upcoming sales
To ask the Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a list of all property deals in a) Cardiff and b) Swansea on which Mr David Goldstone provided advice during the fourth Assembly, both in terms of disposal and acquisition? (WAQ68752)
Answer received on 15 June 2015
The Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): Expenditure on and receipts from property transactions are subject to separate governance arrangements not involving advice from Mr David Goldstone.
To ask the Minister for Finance and Government Business
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm what money the Welsh Government has spent on food, drink and other refreshments at the Cardiff Hilton Hotel in each of the last four financial years, with a breakdown by department? (WAQ68757)
Answer received on 11 June 2015
The Minister for Finance and Government Business (Jane Hutt): The current systems operated by the Welsh Government do not separately identify the breakdown of costs at the level requested. To provide this information would require a manual review of every invoice and procurement card transaction received from the Hilton Hotel Group as a whole. Therefore, the information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm the total expenditure by Welsh Government on room hire at the Cardiff Hilton Hotel during each of the last four financial years, with a breakdown by department? (WAQ68760)
Answer received on 11 June 2015
Jane Hutt: The current systems operated by the Welsh Government do not separately identify the breakdown of costs at the level requested. To provide this information would require a manual review of every invoice and procurement card transaction received from the Hilton Hotel Group as a whole. Therefore, the information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68664, will the Minister provide details of the issues on which Mr David Goldstone gave advice to the health and social services department during the fourth Assembly? (WAQ68759)
Answer received on 23 June 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): I will write to you and a copy of the letter will be placed on the internet.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to WAQ68664, will the Minister confirm the last date on which Mr David Goldstone gave formal or paid advice to the health department and the date upon which he first gave formal or paid advice to Welsh Government? (WAQ68762)
Answer received on 23 June 2015
Mark Drakeford: I will write to you and a copy of the letter will be placed on the internet.