Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of staffing levels in Welsh Assembly Government Sponsored Public Bodies in each year since 2006? (WAQ53348)

The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): Staffing levels for each of the executive Assembly Government Sponsored Bodies in the years in question are given in the table below.

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
AGSB	2006	2007	2008
Arts Council of Wales	94.5	92.5	96.0
Care Council for Wales	52.5	55.5	71.0
Countryside Council for Wales	547.5	451.5	402.0
Environment Agency (Wales)	1,086.0	1,122.5	1,058.0
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales	46.5	47.5	50.0
Local Government Boundary Commission	4.0	4.5	5.0
National Library of Wales	283.0	282.0	291.0
National Museum of Wales	526.5	549.0	598.0
Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales	31.0	31.5	32.5
Sports Council for Wales	175.5	188.5	183.0
Wales Centre for Health	11.0	18.0	17.0
Welsh Language Board	74.0	74.5	76.0

Note: These figures have been provided by the bodies themselves and reflect the number of permanent employees, quoted as full time equivalents, as at 31 March each year. They do not include temporary or seasonal staff.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): How much has been spent on all travel costs for Welsh Assembly Government officials since 1999 and will the First Minister give a yearly breakdown? (WAQ53363)

The First Minister: I refer you to my answer to WAQ52947, WAQ53007, WAQ52957, WAQ52967, WAQ52977, WAQ52997, WAQ53017, WAQ52987, WAQ53027 and WAQ53037.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the First Minister provide details of the amount of money the Assembly Government spends each year in answering questions under the Freedom of Information Act? (WAQ53365)

The First Minister: The Assembly Government’s Access to Information Unit does not collate information on the amount of money spent on answering requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): How many requests to the Welsh Assembly Government under the Freedom of Information Act have been rejected in each year since the Act came into effect, and on what grounds was each request rejected? (WAQ53330)

The First Minister: The Assembly Government has published on its internet site reports on the implementation of open government legislation and policies during 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Assembly Government plans to publish a report covering 2008 by the end of April 2009. The reports for 2005, 2006 and 2007 do not include aggregate information on the use of legal exemptions to the requirement to release information because this was not available. However, responses to requests for information are published on our Disclosure Log and, where information has been exempted from disclosure, a full explanation is included. Aggregate information can be collated for 2008 following the development of our internal monitoring system and will be included in the report for 2008.

Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Other than during the recent economic summits, when did the Minister last meet representatives of the Confederation of British Industry? (WAQ53349)

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): I met representatives of the Confederation of British Industry at the CBI Dinner on 11 December 2008.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Other than during the recent economic summits, when did the Minister last meet representatives of the Trades Union Congress? (WAQ53350)

The Deputy First Minister: I met representatives of the Wales TUC on 19 November 2008.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): How many contracts have been won by Welsh companies to supply the London 2012 Olympics and will the Minister list those companies? (WAQ53367)

The Deputy First Minister: We are aware that Welsh businesses have won 5 contracts to supply the London 2012 Olympics, however not all businesses wish to divulge the details due to the nature of the work undertaken.

Currently there are 1,143 Welsh businesses who have registered on the London 2102 CompeteFor website, and during January 2009 seventeen Welsh businesses were short listed for contracts.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the total value to date of the contracts awarded to Welsh companies to supply the London 2012 Olympics? (WAQ53368)

The Deputy First Minister: We are aware that two companies from Wales have won contracts valued over £10M namely Rowecord Holdings of Newport and Fairfield Mabey of Chepstow. Other businesses which have won contracts to supply London 2012 Olympics have not disclosed the value of the contracts to the Welsh Assembly Government.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What representations has the Minister made on behalf of Welsh companies to the organisers of the London 2012 Olympics to promote Welsh businesses? (WAQ53369)

The Deputy First Minister: The First Minister met with Chair of the London Organising Committee Lord Coe and the Chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority John Armitt in June 2008. He also spoke at a London 2012 Construction Industry Roadshow event in Wales last year where he encouraged Welsh companies to get involved in the Games project.

My planned meeting with John Armitt and visit to the Olympic Park site is being rescheduled after recent bad weather led to the cancellation of the visit in February. My officials continue to liaise with the Olympic Delivery Authority and CompeteFor to ensure that Welsh businesses have every opportunity to compete for London 2012 Olympic contracts.

Janice Gregory (Ogmore): Will the Minister provide details (including amounts, purposes and conditions) of the grants the Welsh Assembly Government has made to Rockwool Limited since 2003? (WAQ53374)

The Deputy First Minister: Rockwool was offered Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) of £5 million in June 2003. The company was expected to make capital investment of £24 million. The project would have safeguarded 174 jobs and created 60 new jobs.

In July 2006 the company requested that the Welsh Assembly Government revise the offer as the project had changed. On this occasion the company was offered £4.75 million RSA to make capital investment of £34 million, create 30 new jobs and safeguard 174 jobs. The £250k grant reduction was to take account of the reduced number of jobs projected.

The company again contacted officials in February 2008 requesting that the offer be further revised as the project had changed for the third time. The revised offer of £5 million to make capital investments of £72 million, to build a new production line to increase capacity which would create 110 new jobs and safeguard 174 jobs was made. The offer of assistance was accepted on 2 February 2009. No claims for payment of grant have been made to date.

The project was expected to run for 3 years. However, due to the economic down turn and the fact that the construction industry is suffering badly during the recession, the company believes it will take longer to achieve the agreed targets. They have indicated to us that they are still committed to creating and safeguarding the relevant number of jobs but over a longer period.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How much of the funding for the Trunk Roads Interface Programme is spent on consultants for walking and cycling? (WAQ53378)

The Deputy First Minister: Allocations to construct new cycleways to improve accessibility and safety have been made from the 2008/2009 Trunk Road Cycling Budget and A55 Tunnels Programme Budget. During this year approximately £100,000 has been spent on design and investigation costs by consultants.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): In bids to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Safe Routes to Communities fund how much money have Local Authorities claimed for consultants fees? (WAQ53379)

The Deputy First Minister: No consultants fees have been identified in the Safe Routes in Communities bids submitted for funding in 2009-10.

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of apprentices in Wales in each year since 1999? (WAQ53346)

The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): Information provided as requested.

Trends in work-based learning—FMA, MA and MSD numbers in training

1999-00 to 2007/08

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
	March 1999	March 2000	March 2001	March 2002	March 2003	March 2004	July 2004	March 2005	July 2005	March 2006	July 2006	March 2007	July 2007	July 2008 PROVISIONAL
Foundation Modern Apprenticeships	3,900	8,100	9,900	10,925	10,935	11,485	11,525	11,680	13,940	17,810	18,490	17,770	14,340	14,480
Modern Apprenticeships	9,200	9,000	8,700	9,820	10,875	12,950	13,385	12,540	12,865	13,750	13,385	13,130	11,365	10,805
Modern Skills Diploma	.	.	.	930	1,330	1,475	1,495	1,535	1,560	1,875	1,960	1,945	1,555	1,225

Coverage: All learners on work-based learning programmes (at those WBL providers, including FE institutions, which obtained Wales TEC, ELWa or DCELLS funding)

Notes:

1. The FMA figures to March 2001 are those for National Traineeships, prior to the re-designation of the equivalent of this programme type as Foundation Modern Apprenticeships.

2. . = not applicable.

3. Rounded to nearest 5 learners, apart from data to March 2001 which are rounded to the nearest 100.

4. Number in training is taken at the end of the former statistical training year in March or the newer statistical training year in July.

5. Counts up to July 2004 are of training episodes which may be very slightly higher than the numbers of learners on a given date.

6. Counts from March 2005 onwards are of distinct learners.

Sources:

Statistical Release SDR 17/2002 up to 2000-01

NTD (National Trainee Database) for 2001-02 to 2003-04

LLWR (Lifelong Learning Wales Record) post-16 database version: 2 February 2006 for 2004/05

LLWR (Lifelong Learning Wales Record) post-16 database version: 12 March 2007 for 2005/06

LLWR (Lifelong Learning Wales Record) post-16 database version: 21 April 2008 for 2006/07

LLWR (Lifelong Learning Wales Record) post-16 database version: 23 October 2008 for 2007/08

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of 16 year olds who have left school without any formal, recognised qualification in each year since 1999? (WAQ53357)

Jane Hutt: The information requested is in table below:

Number and Percentage of pupils aged 15 leaving full time education without a recognised qualification, 1999-2008 (a)

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Year	Number leaving full time education without a recognised qualification	Percentage of puplis leaving education without a recognised qualification
1999	1,322	3.7
2000	1,226	3.5
2001	1,122	3.0
2002	1,113	3.0
2003	1,064	2.8
2004	1,080	2.8
2005	833	2.2
2006	807	2.1
2007	682	1.7
2008	604	1.5

(a) Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year

(b) Prior to 2005 the data relates to pupils in maintained, special and independant schools and the figure for leaving full time education include those who entered Work Based Learning. From 2005 figures relate to pupils in maintained, special and independant schools and pupil referral units and the figure for leaving full time education exclude those who entered Work Based Learning.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of young people in Wales not in education, employment or training in each year since 1999? (WAQ53358)

Jane Hutt: The following table shows estimates of the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) from 1999 to 2006.

These estimates are derived from population estimates, education data sources and the Annual Population Survey (APS).

Estimated number of young people not in education, employment or training in Wales (a)

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Age band	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
16-18	12,400	11,200	13,300	13,500	15,000	13,400	12,300	12,000
19-24	37,600	38,600	39,400	38,400	36,100	36,700	40,400	43,200

Source: Office for National Statistics, Higher Education Statistics Agency, Welsh Assembly Government

(a) During 2008 the quarterly Labour Force Survey (which forms the APS) was re-weighted. NEETs estimates for Wales prior to 2004 have not yet been revised to take into account this re-weighting but analysis indicates that the impact of these revisions is small. Therefore, comparisons before and after 2004 should be treated with caution due to this re-weighting and other methodological changes introduced from 2004.

Further information can be found in the statistical release: h ttp://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/post16ed2008/hdw20080729/?lang=en

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of children in Wales gaining a grade A* to C in maths in each year since 1999? (WAQ53359)

Jane Hutt: The information is in the table below:

Pupils obtaining a GCSE at grade A*-C in mathematics, 1999-2008 (a)

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Year	Number of puplis obtaining grade A*-C	Percentage of entries obtaining a grade A*-C
1999	15,875	47.2
2000	16,069	47.5
2001	17,287	48.7
2002	17,432	48.6
2003	17,889	48.7
2004	18,974	50.5
2005	19,477	52.0
2006	20,631	53.8
2007	21,315	54.1
2008	21,669	54.5

(a) Results shown are for entries of pupils of all ages. In a small number of cases where a pupil has sat more than one examination in the same GCSE both results would be counted.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the First Minister provide an update of the Assembly Government's planned pilot scheme for free laptops for school children and what assessment has so far been made of the cost of the initiative? (WAQ53364)

Jane Hutt: We are currently finalising proposals for the One Wales laptops pilot project for discussion with stakeholders. We are also working with schools who are already engaged in laptop projects in order to help develop guidance and support materials. The costs of the project will be based on the provision we have previously announced: £300,000 in 2009-10 and £400,000 in 2001-11.

Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of households on local authority waiting lists for social housing in Wales in each year since 1999? (WAQ53338)

The Deputy Minister for Housing (Jocelyn Davies): The information requested is not collected centrally by the Welsh Assembly Government. Individual local authorities in Wales should hold information on the number of households waiting to be placed in social housing within their area.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of pensioner households in Wales classified as being in fuel poverty in each year since 1999? (WAQ53339)

The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing (Jane Davidson): Figures on the number of pensioner household in Wales classified as being in fuel poverty are not available annually. However fuel poverty estimates for 2004 were modelled by BRE on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government. BRE also modelled overall fuel poverty estimates for 2005 and 2006; though these figures did not provide any detail on pensioner households.

Fuel poverty statistics, modelled using the 2004 Living in Wales Property Survey, estimated that of the 134,000 households in fuel poverty in Wales around 58,000 (43 per cent) were pensioner households.

A further Living in Wales Property Survey was undertaken in 2008 with initial results due to be published at the end of this year.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of households in Wales classified as being in fuel poverty in each year since 1999? (WAQ53340)

Jane Davidson: Figures on the number of household in Wales classified as being in fuel poverty are not available annually. However, fuel poverty estimates for 2004 were modelled by BRE on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Fuel poverty statistics, modelled using the 2004 Living in Wales Property Survey, estimated there were around 134,000 households in Wales in fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty statistics for 2005 and 2006 were estimated using the same model as that for the 2004 estimates, but with predicted fuel price and income changes for 2005 and 2006. These estimates show there were between 166,000 and 167,000 households in fuel poverty in 2005 and between 243,000 and 250,000 in 2006.

A further Living in Wales Property Survey was undertaken in 2008 with initial results due to be published at the end of this year.

Huw Lewis (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney): What discussions has the Minister had with river users, specifically anglers, on access to waterways? (WAQ53372)

Jane Davidson: I have had a number of discussions with relevant interest groups, including angling organisations, on this issue. This includes discussions at the launch of the Water Recreation Strategy at Llandegfedd Reservoir in June 2008, meetings with the Welsh Salmon and Trout Association and with the Welsh Canoeing Association, as well as a round table meeting with angling, canoeing and other outdoor recreation interests in January 2008.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister make a statement on the Community Infrastructure Levy and how she intends to apply it in Wales? (WAQ53393)

Jane Davidson: Provision is made in the Planning Act 2008 for the introduction of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), aimed at ensuring that the costs incurred in providing infrastructure to support the development of an area can be met, either in part or whole, by landowners who have benefited from an increase in land value. The provisions provide a general framework; the detail of the CIL’s scope and operation will be determined by Regulations.

As the levy is in the nature of a tax, responsibility for making the Regulations is not devolved to Welsh Ministers. The provisions will be taken forward on an England and Wales basis by the Department of Communities and Local Government, informed by public consultations. The CIL will be discretionary and it will be for each local planning authority to decide whether to take forward the provisions as they will be the charging authority.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By local planning authority and in each year since 1999, how many local planning authority decisions led to an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate by applicants or their agents? (WAQ53394)

Planning Appeals received by the Planning Inspectorate in Wales 2003-2008

(by local planning authority)

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
LPA	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Anglesey	16	19	21	14	37	12
Brecon Beacons NP	4	7	10	19	12	15
Blaenau Gwent	6	12	9	13	19	4
Bridgend	26	42	36	40	51	14
Caerphilly	33	45	46	38	58	29
Cardiff	50	70	74	52	80	50
Carmarthen	31	44	50	64	78	50
Ceredigion	19	22	37	36	31	21
Conwy	16	34	40	59	59	32
Denbigh	21	31	29	29	38	15
Flint	34	55	67	77	77	31
Gwynedd	27	28	30	33	54	20
Merthyr Tydfil	14	20	20	14	19	19
Monmouth	38	46	33	45	62	40
Newport	34	39	59	48	73	69
Neath Port Talbot	16	17	24	19	51	18
Pembrokeshire Coast NP	16	14	7	6	11	14
Pembroke	21	23	41	51	57	32
Powys	24	26	25	27	31	24
Rhondda Cynon Taf	48	61	60	90	120	62
Snowdonia NP	16	13	7	18	11	8
Swansea	81	72	114	111	161	88
Torfaen	17	29	29	26	34	12
Vale of Glamorgan	49	51	54	71	67	46
Wrexham	33	30	35	34	54	19
Total	690	850	957	1034	1345	744

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By local planning authority and in each year since 1999, how many appeals resulted in a local planning authority being overturned? (WAQ53395)

Jane Davidson: The Planning Inspectorate do not have the information you seek for the time period to which you have referred but the details they have been able to provide on planning appeals determined in respect of the period 2003- 2008 are in the attached table. The number of planning appeals which resulted in the decision of the local planning authority being overturned are indicated in the columns headed 'Allowed’.

Planning Appeals Decided by the Planning Inspectorate in Wales 2003-2008 (by local planning authority)

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Year	2003	2004	2005
	Decision	Total	Decision	Total	Decision	Total
Local Planning Authority	Allowed	Dismissed		Allowed	Dismissed		Allowed	Dismissed
Anglesey	2	14	16	6	13	19	4	17	21
Brecon Beacons NP	0	4	4	2	5	7	2	8	10
Blaenau Gwent	2	4	6	3	9	12	3	6	9
Bridgend	9	17	26	13	29	42	6	30	36
Caerphilly	13	20	33	16	29	45	13	33	46
Cardiff	22	28	50	27	43	70	25	49	74
Carmarthen	5	26	31	11	33	44	20	30	50
Ceredigion	5	14	19	7	15	22	8	29	37
Conwy	5	11	16	10	24	34	11	29	40
Denbigh	8	13	21	6	25	31	10	19	29
Flint	12	22	34	13	42	55	28	39	67
Gwynedd	9	18	27	11	17	28	9	21	30
Merthyr Tydfil	4	10	14	8	12	20	12	8	20
Monmouth	15	23	38	17	29	46	8	25	33
Newport	15	19	34	20	19	39	26	33	59
Neath Port Talbot	4	12	16	3	14	17	4	20	24
Pembrokeshire Coast NP	8	8	16	5	9	14	2	5	7
Pembroke	8	13	21	5	18	23	9	32	41
Powys	12	12	24	8	18	26	9	16	25
Rhondda Cynon Taf	19	29	48	25	36	61	22	38	60
Snowdonia NP	8	8	16	2	11	13	2	5	7
Swansea	38	43	81	32	40	72	45	69	114
Torfaen	10	7	17	12	17	29	8	21	29
Vale of Glamorgan	13	36	49	9	42	51	17	37	54
Wrexham	11	22	33	13	17	30	9	26	35
Total	257	433	690	284	566	850	312	645	957

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Year	2006	2007	2008
	Decision	Total	Decision	Total	Decision	Total
Local Planning Authority	Allowed	Dismissed		Allowed	Dismissed		Allowed	Dismissed
Anglesey	3	11	14	19	18	37	1	11	12
Brecon Beacons NP	3	16	19	3	9	12	3	12	15
Blaenau Gwent	5	8	13	7	12	19	1	3	4
Bridgend	10	30	40	19	32	51	7	7	14
Caerphilly	23	15	38	18	40	58	9	20	29
Cardiff	20	32	52	33	47	80	15	35	50
Carmarthen	22	42	64	29	49	78	18	32	50
Ceredigion	6	30	36	8	23	31	6	15	21
Conwy	30	29	59	23	36	59	11	21	32
Denbigh	5	24	29	10	28	38	6	9	15
Flint	30	47	77	23	54	77	11	20	31
Gwynedd	13	20	33	21	33	54	7	13	20
Merthyr Tydfil	8	6	14	8	11	19	5	14	19
Monmouth	18	27	45	28	34	62	21	19	40
Newport	16	32	48	27	46	73	27	42	69
Neath Port Talbot	5	14	19	11	40	51	6	12	18
Pembrokeshire Coast NP	3	3	6	4	7	11	3	11	14
Pembroke	20	31	51	14	43	57	13	19	32
Powys	6	21	27	7	24	31	8	16	24
Rhondda Cynon Taf	28	62	90	46	74	120	28	34	62
Snowdonia NP	6	12	18	6	5	11	3	5	8
Swansea	40	71	111	67	94	161	27	61	88
Torfaen	7	19	26	8	26	34	4	8	12
Vale of Glamorgan	12	59	71	17	50	67	19	27	46
Wrexham	14	20	34	14	40	54	8	11	19
Total	353	681	1034	470	875	1345	267	477	744

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By local planning authority and in each year since 1999, what was the average length of time taken to determine a planning application from the time of submission? (WAQ53396)

Jane Davidson: No data is collected on the average length of time taken to determine a planning application from the time of submission. However, the Welsh Assembly Government collects quarterly data on the overall performance of each local planning authority in handling specific types of planning applications within certain timescales.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): In each year since 1999, what was the average length of time taken to determine a planning application which was subject to an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate? (WAQ53397)

Jane Davidson: The information kept by the Planning Inspectorate is based on financial year rather than calendar year and the average times taken for planning appeals determined by Planning Inspectors since 2001/2002. The average times for each type of procedure followed for the appeals are provided in the table below.

Average times taken for planning appeals determined by planning inspectors (weeks)

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
	Hearings	Inquiries	Written
2001-2002	15.80	25.49	11.39
2002-2003	16.65	31.39	11.56
2003-2004	16.61	24.78	13.50
2004-2005	17.69	27.36	14.39
2005-2006	17.33	24.74	13.63
2006-2007	19.26	27.23	14.70
2007-2008	19.63	28.85	15.03

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): How many Welsh households are registered with Floodline? (WAQ53398)

Jane Davidson: There are over 43,000 properties currently registered for Floodline Warnings Direct in Wales.

Floodline Warnings Direct has traditionally been delivered as an opt-in warning system, though in 2006, the Environment Agency began the automatic registration of properties at high flood risk of flooding.

This process has been limited by problems in accessing personal data, including ex-directory telephone numbers. The Environment Agency is working with the telecommunication industry to address these issues and in December 2008 I announced additional funding for the developmental costs needed to extend the Floodline Warnings Direct to properties with ex-directory numbers in Wales.

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the average length of time taken for the Assembly Government to pay its bills to suppliers/contractors in each year since 1999? (WAQ53336)

The Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery (Andrew Davies): We do not have the information to answer this question. For the periods where records are retained (we keep data for seven years), the processes of the Welsh Assembly Government (and previously the National Assembly for Wales) reported against a prompt payment performance target of paying 95% of invoices within 30 days. This was the public sector benchmark until the current benchmark of 10 days was introduced in October 2008. The old systems in operation through most of the period since 1999 did not have the data or reporting functionality to be able to compile the information requested.

A report would have to be created specially to answer this question in respect of 2008/09. This takes time and it has not been possible to achieve this since the question was tabled, but updated information has been commissioned. The most recent data we have are as follows:

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
	All invoices (including grants)	Suppliers & Contractors only (excluding grants)
August 2008	6.65 days	6.73 days
September 2008	5.89 days	7.83 days

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies in each year since 2006? (WAQ53347)

Andrew Davies: Since the mergers in 2006 the number of executive Assembly Government Sponsored Bodies (AGSBs) has remained constant at 12. Those AGSBs that continued following the mergers are listed below:

Arts Council of Wales

Care Council for Wales

Countryside Council for Wales

Environment Agency Wales

Higher Education Funding Council for Wales

Local Government Boundary Commission

National Library of Wales

National Museum of Wales

Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales

Sports Council for Wales

Wales Centre for Health

Welsh Language Board

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Further to the Welsh Assembly Government commitment to bring forward capital projects across Wales in response to the current economic downturn, will the Minister please confirm (a) which capital projects have been brought forward, (b) where they are located and (c) the total cost of each project? (WAQ53370)

Andrew Davies: We are bringing forward £23million of capital expenditure into this financial year, which will be targeted at delivering labour-intensive capital schemes in line with our discussions at the Economic Summits.

There are 3 broad programmes of work that will benefit from this. These are:

• £9 million of investment in small capital works at schools, colleges and universities across Wales. This is helping to address backlog maintenance issues;

• £10 million of investment in accelerating social housing programmes across Wales. This is helping to meet the housing needs of people across Wales and is also providing work for the construction industry in these difficult economic times. In addition, £2 million is being invested in physical adaptations to homes so that they are suitable for vulnerable people; and

• £2 million for accelerating work on creating a Low Carbon Region in the Heads of the Valleys area as part of a SCIF project.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): How many patients were treated in NHS hospitals on mixed sex wards in each year since 1999? (WAQ53337)

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): This information is not held centrally.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Does the Minister expect to review the current arrangements for applications for new pharmacies in Wales and, if so, when? (WAQ53371)

Edwina Hart: I have agreed to make amendments to the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 in respect of the provision of pharmaceutical services in rural areas which:

require the registration of dispensing doctor practices
augment the class of person able to appeal a decision on the rurality of a location
introduce the concept of 'reserved locations’
make provision in relation to new applications to dispense by doctors;
make provision in respect of additional premises and the relocation of dispensing practice premises
make provision for minor relocation of premises
make provision for practice amalgamations
make transitional provisions.

I expect draft regulations to be completed for consultation with the key stakeholders by the end of February 2009.

I am currently giving consideration to the establishment of a Task and Finish Group to look in more detail at the whole issue of the delivery of pharmaceutical services in Wales. I expect such a group to report back to me within 6 months of its establishment.

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment? (WAQ53375)

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): What use does the National Health Service make of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments? (WAQ53377)

Edwina Hart: Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) is a clinical method of providing additional oxygen to body tissues where increasing the amount of oxygen enhances the healing process. HBOT involves the patient breathing 100% oxygen inside a treatment chamber at a pressure greater than sea level.

The NHS in Wales funds this treatment for all patients requiring emergency and urgent treatment for decompression illness, air and gas embolism and carbon monoxide poisoning. Elective treatment is governed by a Health Commission Wales commissioning policy, which defines eligibility and is based on international evidence for the clinical and cost effectiveness of HBOT.

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): What Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment facilities exist in Wales? (WAQ53376)

Edwina Hart: NHS funded patients in South Wales receive treatment at a Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) facility opened by The Diving Diseases Research Centre (DDRC), which is a single chamber currently located at St Joseph’s Hospital in Newport. It has DDRC medical and nursing support which deals with patients approved for treatment that would normally have had to travel for extended treatment to the Medical Centre in Plymouth. NHS funded patients in North Wales can receive treatment at an HBOT centre on the Wirral or through Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By NHS body, what was the total number of complaints received in each of the past 5 years and what were the reasons for the complaints? (WAQ53411)

Edwina Hart: The table published as further information to WAQ53411 provides a breakdown of the types of complaints made against individual LHBs and NHS Trusts across Wales for year ending 31st March 2004 until 31st March 2008.

More openness and awareness of the complaints process hopefully means that people feel more able to complain than in the past if they are dissatisfied with any services provided.

If you compare the number of complaints in relation the millions of patients who access A&E and out-patients as well as the millions of patients registered with a GP, this puts the number of complaints into some context.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By NHS body, in each of the past 5 years, how many employees were dismissed and what were the reasons for dismissal? (WAQ53412)

Edwina Hart: This information is not available centrally because disciplinary matters are the responsibility of individual employers.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister provide an update on the future of Abergele Hospital? (WAQ53413)

Edwina Hart: I will be writing to AMs next week, updating them on the future of Abergele Hospital.

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): Will the Minister provide a full breakdown of response times for all category A calls in Torfaen where the ambulance did not arrive within 8 minutes? (WAQ53416)

Edwina Hart: The Welsh Assembly Government monitors emergency response times to Category A (immediately life-threatening calls) within 8, 9 and 10 minutes for each Unitary Authority and these are published, on a monthly basis, on the StatsWales website:

h ttp://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/ReportFolders/reportfolders.aspx

Table 1 below shows a breakdown of emergency response times to Category A calls in Torfaen during the month of December 2008.

Table 1: Emergency responses to Category A (immediately life-threatening calls) in Torfaen, December 2008.

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Within minutes	Number	Cumulative percent
8	75	17.9%
8-9	19	22.5%
9-10	18	26.8%
10-11	17	30.9%
11-12	16	34.7%
12-13	11	37.3%
13-14	16	41.1%
14-15	7	42.8%
15-16	6	44.3%
16-17	12	47.1%
17-18	14	50.5%
18-19	10	52.9%
19-20	7	54.5%
20-21	12	57.4%
21-22	4	58.4%
22-23	9	60.5%
23-24	3	61.2%
24-25	3	62.0%
25-26	8	63.9%
26-27	9	66.0%
27-28	4	67.0%
28-29	1	67.2%
29-30	3	67.9%
30+	134	100.0%

Source: Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Questions to the Minister for Heritage

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the amount of money spent by Visit Wales on marketing in relation to the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor resort? (WAQ53352)

The Minister for Heritage (Alun Ffred Jones): It is not Visit Wales’s role to market the 2010 Ryder Cup. Visit Wales does use the fact that Wales is hosting such a prestigious world class event to enhance and add value to Visit Wales’s core marketing activity.

Visit Wales does not have a dedicated budget for the Ryder Cup.

In 2008-09 Visit Wales spent £800,000 on its 'Golf as it should be’ Campaign which benefits strongly from association with the Ryder Cup. Since 2003 that campaign has helped to boost the number of dedicated golf visitors from around 30,000 to around 87,000 in 2007. Visit Wales ran the 'Cart across Wales’ campaign to coincide with the 2008 Ryder Cup in Kentucky. That campaign generated over 400,000 unique visitors to the dedicated Campaign site.

The Welsh Assembly Government provides funding of £3.5 million annually to Ryder Cup 2010 Wales Ltd to fulfill Wales’s commitments to the successful bid to host the event. A proportion of that funding is used in marketing and PR related activity.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the amount of money spent by Visit Wales on marketing in relation to the 2009 Ashes cricket test match at the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff? (WAQ53353)

Alun Ffred Jones: It is not Visit Wales’s role to market the Ashes cricket test match. Visit Wales does use the fact that Wales is hosting such a prestigious world class event to enhance and add value to Visit Wales’s core marketing activity.

The Welsh Assembly Government is sponsoring the event at a cost of £1.2 million over 2007-08 to 2009-10.

Visit Wales is playing an active role on an Ashes steering group formed to ensure that the benefits to Cardiff and Wales are maximized.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the amount of money spent by Visit Wales on marketing in the UK in each year since its creation? (WAQ53355)

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the amount of money spent by Visit Wales on marketing overseas in each year since its creation? (WAQ53356)

Alun Ffred Jones: The Marketing spend for Visit Wales both within the UK and Overseas since its creation is set out in the table below. The figures include Assembly Government Budget spend, EU funding and Commercial revenue sources.

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Figures in £m	2006/07	2007/08	2008/09
UK	7.9	8.1	9.3
Overseas	3.2	3.0	2.6
Other (1)	5.4	5.7	5.7
TOTALS	16.5	16.8	17.6

(1)Other—this includes a wide range of activities and related funding that impact to some degree on marketing eg. Funding—Regional Tourism Partnerships, quality grading schemes, market research, visitwales.com and support for events.

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

Huw Lewis (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney): What plans does the Welsh Assembly Government have to encourage angling across South East Wales? (WAQ53373)

The Minister for Rural Affairs (Elin Jones): I am fully supportive of the development of a sustainable angling sector throughout Wales delivering meaningful socio-economic benefits. The Wales Fisheries Strategy launched in July 2008 and the Implementation Plan, due to be launched in the summer, will set out a framework that will help achieve this.

Recent initiatives to encourage angling in South East Wales have included introducing youngsters to the sport through the Torfaen Angling Participation Project and Fishing In Safe Hands Merthyr Project. Access has been improved for all anglers in and around Cardiff Bay and Blue Lake at Ebbw-Vale has been developed to provide disabled access.

I have recently opened Pontymoel fish pass on the River Lwyd near Pontypool, which permits access to valuable spawning sites for migratory fish for the first time in 200 years. This project was made possible by significant Assembly Government grant aid, which along with other grant aided habitat restoration work throughout Wales will have obvious benefits for angling in the future.

The Assembly, along with its partners promote angling via the Fishing Visit Wales website and a revised version of the All Wales Angling Guide, which includes locations in South East Wales, is being prepared for release later this year.

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of children in Wales classified as living in poverty in each year since 1999? (WAQ53341)

The Minister for Social Justice and Local Government (Brian Gibbons): The official figures on households below average income are from the Department for Work and Pensions. The estimates for the number of children living in poverty (that is, living in households with an income of less than 60 per cent of median income after housing costs) are only published to the nearest 100,000.

The latest figures show that there are approximately 200,000 children living in poverty in Wales. This rounded figure has remained unchanged from 1999 to 2007. The percentage of children living in poverty over this period has fallen from 36 to 29 per cent.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the proportion of local government funding provided through a) the local government settlement from WAG, b) raised in council tax, and c) raised in business rates in each year since 1999? (WAQ53361)

Brian Gibbons: Details of the proportion of local government funding provided through the local government settlement (revenue support grant); Council Tax raised; and Business (Non-Domestic) Rates for years 1998-99 to 2008-09 are contained in table 1 below.

Table 1: Breakdown of Local Government Funding, Total Welsh Unitary Authorities, 1998-1999 to 2008-2009:

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Year	Re-distributed non-domestic rates	Revenue Support Grant	Amount to be collected from council tax
1998-1999	19.2%	62.3%	18.5%
1999-2000	19.5%	61.8%	18.6%
2000-2001	18.5%	62.1%	19.3%
2001-2002	18.8%	62.4%	18.9%
2002-2003	16.4*	64.3%	19.3%
2003-2004	15.6%	64.8%	19.6%
2004-2005	15.4%	64.4%	20.1%
2005-2006	14.6%	64.7%	20.8%
2006-2007	14.7%	64.8%	20.5%
2007-2008	15.2%	64.2%	20.6%
2008-2009	16.2%	63.0%	20.9%
11-year Proportion	16.5%	63.6%	19.9%

Source: LGF Statistics, WAG.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the increases/decreases in uniform business rates in each year since 1999? (WAQ53362)

Brian Gibbons: The enclosed table shows the non domestic rates multiplier for each year since 1999. In accordance with the local Government Finance Act 1988 the multiplier normally increases in line with the preceding September’s retail price index increase, except for years when there is a revaluation, when it is reduced to ensure that the revaluation does not result in an overall increase in yield from non domestic rates.

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
Year	NDR Multiplier
1999-00	44.3
2000-01	41.2
2001-02	42.6
2002-03	43.3
2003-04	44.0
2004-05	45.2
2005-06	42.1
2006-07	43.2
2007-08	44.8
2008-09	46.6
2009-10	48.9

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the number of people prosecuted for council tax arrears in each local authority and in each year since 1999? (WAQ53360)

Brian Gibbons: Prosecutions for non-payment of council tax take place in the magistrate’s courts. Court matters are non-devolved; they remain the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. The Welsh Assembly Government does not therefore collect these statistics.

The latest information we have is for England and Wales for 2006/2007 and is attached. I will ask my officials to enquire whether the information you have requested is available and will write to you to let you know the outcome.

Grossing Methodology

For certain financial information, data have been obtained via the CLG’s QRC4, NNDR3 and CTB1 forms for English authorities and from the WAG’s CTC and NDR forms for Welsh authorities (see page 8 for details). For non-financial data, it has been possible to 'gross’ for missing or incomplete data for all classes of authority. The totals of the non-financial data have been derived by attributing the same level of increase among the class average for responders, to the figure reported by the authority in the previous year. Where these figures are also missing, the data are derived by scaling to the par capita class average. All the tables in this commentary are based on 'grossed’ data.

Recovery of taxes

The efforts of local authorities to improve their cash flow and the difficulties they encounetr are illustrated by the figures shown for enforcement action, which are detailed in Summary Tables 2a and 2b.

Table 2a - Recovery 2006-2007

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
	England	Wales	Total England and Wales
	London Boroughs	Metropolitan Districts	Unitary Authorities	Non-Metropolitan Districts
Council Tax
Number of accounts raised at time of initial billing	2,592.928	3,803,082	3,202,683	8,640,964	773,804	19,013,462
Number of reminders (including final notices)	2,345449	2,178,611	1,920,345	4,376,112	477,002	11,297,519
Number of summonses	653,391	758.569	513,295	1,033,133	123,022	3,081,410
Number of liability orders	465,366	552,694	358,665	725,884	78,422	2,181,031
Number of attachment of earnings orders	15,121	106,620	61,826	111,645	9,490	304,702
Number of applications for deductions from income support	25,289	79,062	48,376	84,599	10,112	247,438
Number of cases referred to bailiff to levy distress	315,721	335,777	217,799	385,695	62,111	1,317,102
Number of cases referred to bailiff where goods are removed	2,815	123	100	2,495	25	5,559
Number of charging orders	1,115	231	131	698	21	2,196
Number of commital summonses issued	2,945	11,554	5,795	12,490	1,485	34,269
Number of arrest warrants granted	3,345	11,401	4,633	9,907	1,558	30,844
Number of commital orders obtained and postponed	1,072	4,619	1,089	3,829	171	10,780
Number of persons commited to prison and who served a prison term	6	67	100	221	1	395
Number of persons commited to prison but did not serve a prison term	41	256	33	64	5	399
Number of insolvencies commenced by the authority	2,371	3,411	758	2,970	428	9,938
NNDR
Number of hereditaments	280,520	359,846	262,790	785,863	102,084	1,791,103
Number of reminders (including final notices)	267,487	248,183	154,377	406,040	47,630	1,123,717
Number of summonses	61,125	64,012	37,256	82,996	6,917	252,306
Number of liability orders	40,766	43,415	23,873	49,124	6,506	163,684
Number of cases referred to bailiff to levy distress	29,404	24,577	16,616	28,117	5,430	104,124
Number of referred to bailiff where goods are removed	103	136	57	190	13	500
Number of charging orders	5	-	1	1	-	7
Number of commital summonses issued	116	674	294	596	70	1,750
Number ofarrest warrants granted	209	521	192	342	175	1439
Number of commital orders obtained and postponed	74	60	38	135	2	309
Number of persons commited to prison and who served a prison term	-	2	7	-	600	-
609Number of persons commited to prison but did not serve a prison term	4	4	-	-	-	8
Number of insolvencies commenced by the authority	378	368	106	623	86	1,561

Table 2b - Reovery 2002-2003 to 2006-2007

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
England and Wales	2002-2003	2003-2004	2004-2005	2005-2006	2006-2007
Council Tax
Number of accounts Raised at Time of Initial Billing	19,022,382	19,674,782	19,861,897	20,306,604	19,013,462
Reminders	58%	57%	54%	55%	59%
Summonses	16%	16%	15%	14%	16%
Liability Orders	11%	10%	10%	10%	11%
Number of Cases Referred to Bailiff to Levy Distress	6%	6%	6%	6%	7%
NNDR
Number of Hereditaments*	1,744,737	1,744,737	1,756,288	1,756,288	1,791,103
Reminders	60%	61%	53%	60%	63%
Summonses	16%	16%	23%	14%	14%
Liability Orders	10%	10%	9%	9%	9%
Number of Cases Referred to Bailiff to Levy Distress	6%	6%	6%	5%	6%

*Please note that 2002-03 and 2003-04 data for Number of Hereditaments are based on 1.4.2002; 2004-05 and 2005-06 data are based on 1.4.2005 and 2006-07 are based on 30.9.2007

Table 2b shows that reminders were sent out for over half of the council tax and NNDR accounts raised for 2006-07. This is reflected in the levels of enforcement, with summonses issued for around one in six accounts and liability orders for one in nine.

Arrears and cash collected

Table 3a summarises arrears at 31st March 2007, split between council tax and NNDR. Table 3b provides an analysis of cash collected over the last five years.

Table 3a - Arrears at 31st March 2007

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009
	England	Wales	England and Wales
	London Boroughs	Metropolitan Districts	Unitary Authorities	Non-Metropolitan Districts
Council Tax
Gross Arrears Outstanding for the year 2006-07 (£’000)	143,908	154,132	100,840	204,252	30,660	633,792
Net Amount Collectable (£’000)	2,966,749	3,335,802	2,990,442	10,260,750	924,142	20,477,886
Arrears as a percentage of Net Amount Collectable (%)	4.9%	4.6%	3.4%	2.0%	3.3%	3.1%
Cumulative Arrears as a percentage of Net Amount Collectable (%)	15.7%	13.3%	9.0%	4.6%	7.2%	8.6%
NNDR
Gross Arrears Outstanding for the year 2006-07 (£’000)	247,478	152,720	109,277	164,971	29,735	704,182
Net Amount Collectable (£’000)	4,586,409	3,282,020	2,892,872	6,692,494	721,118	18,174,913
Arrears as a percentage of Net Amount Collectable (%)	5.4%	4.7%	3.8%	2.5%	4.1%	3.9%

16/02/2009 - Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009

Answers issued to Members on 16 February 2009

Questions to the First Minister