Written Assembly Questions tabled on 8 December 2015 for answer on 15 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 Communities and Tackling Poverty
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): What steps is the Welsh Government taking to provide additional protection of village pubs if community groups would take over as an alternative to closure? (WAQ69566)
Answer received on 15 December 2015
The Minsiter for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Lesley Griffiths): Many communities regard their local pub as a community asset. The Welsh Government agrees pubs can provide a focal point for communities and as such we have included them in the work we have done on Assets of Community Value.
On 7 December I published a Written Statement on Assets of Community Value. This provides an update on the responses to the Protecting Community Assets consultation which closed on 11 September. The Written Statement can be found at:
http://gov.wales/about/cabinet/cabinetstatements/2015/communityvalue/?lang=en
The full report on the Protecting Community Assets consultation responses can be found at:
As stated in the Written Statement, I will not commit a future Welsh Government to specific action on this issue. I know there is cross party support for a Welsh solution, however, this is now a matter for the new administration post May 2016
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's work on safeguarding local community assets? (WAQ69567)
Answer received on 16 December 2015
Lesley Griffiths: On 7 December I published a Written Statement on Assets of Community Value. This provides an update on the responses to the Protecting Community Assets consultation which closed on 11 September. The Written Statement can be found at:
http://gov.wales/about/cabinet/cabinetstatements/2015/communityvalue/?lang=en
The full report on the Protecting Community Assets consultation responses can be found at:
As stated in the Written Statement, I will not commit a future Welsh Government to specific action on this issue. I know there is cross party support for a Welsh solution, however, this is now a matter for the new administration post the May 16 election.
To ask the First Minister
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide the total number of business leads generated for each of the Welsh Government's 14 offices abroad during 2014/15/and in 2015/16 to date? (WAQ69568)
Answer received on 22 December 2015
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones): In any one year the Welsh Government's offices abroad collectively have contacts with hundreds of companies in pursuit of business leads.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide the 2014/15 total running costs for each of the Welsh Government's 14 offices abroad and for 2015/16 to date? (WAQ69569)
Answer received on 16 December 2015
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones):
Information on the running costs of Welsh Government's overseas estate for the last full financial year – 2014/15 – are detailed in the annual State of the Estate report (also noted in the table below), which was published in November. Recorded/Reported costs for April 2015 to November 2015 are provided in the table below. Final 2015/16 spend will be reported in next year's State of the Estate Report.
Welsh Government overseas locations and costs
| Sites | Agreement | Annual Running Cost 2014/15 * | Reported/Recorded Running costs April to November 2015 * |
| Bangalore, India | Co-located in Deputy High Commission | 18000 | 12000 |
| Beijing, China | WG direct lease | 16588 | 11,976 |
| Brussels, Belgium | WG direct lease | 247951 | 170813 |
| Chicago, USA | Co-located in British Consulate, Chicago | 9000 | 6000 |
| Chongqing, China | WG direct lease | 26781 | 17276 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Co-located in the British Embassy, Dubai | 18163 | 12000 |
| Dublin, Ireland | Co-located in the British Embassy Dublin | 9000 | 6000 |
| Mumbai, India | WG direct lease | 25981
| 15844 |
| New Delhi, India | Co-located in British High Commission | 9000 | 6000 |
| New York, USA | Co-located in British Consulate New York | 27000 | 18000 |
| San Francisco, USA | Co-located in British Consulate, San Francisco | 9000 | 6000 |
| Shanghai, China | Co-located in the British Centre (British Council, FCO and other British partners) | 31519 | 10269 |
| Tokyo, Japan | WG direct lease | 59397 | 36943 |
| Washington, USA | Co-located in British Embassy, Washington | 18000 | 18000 |
*Annual running costs include:
Leased land and building
Estate Management
Fixtures and Fittings
Minor works
Office Cleaning