Written Assembly Questions tabled on 14 October 2014 for answer on 21 October 2014
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
Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): Will the Minister outline what steps residents can take to seek redress after their properties have been damaged by dampness due to the inappropriate installation of energy efficiency schemes promoted and funded by the Welsh Government? (WAQ67883)
Answer received on 21 October 2014
The Minister for Education and Skills (Carl Sargeant): The Welsh Government's energy efficiency programme that includes Nest and Arbed has complaints procedures in place.
Residents' complaints relating to Nest where cavity wall insulation (CWI) or external wall insulation (EWI) has been installed should be directed to:Lee Parry at British Gas, Head of the Nest scheme. Lee.Parry@britishgas.co.uk.
Nest will review the circumstances for each resident and where appropriate seek redress for the resident through the 25 year guarantee Nest installers are required to hold with agencies such as the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) or with the Solid Wall Guarantee Agency.
Any residents with complaints relating to Arbed regarding CWI or EWI should contact the relevant scheme manager;
Melin Homes in South Wales at enquiries@melinhomes.co.uk; or
Willmott Dixon for North Wales properties at arbed@swea.co.uk.
The scheme manager will obtain details of the warranty held by the Arbed approved installer for the work undertaken.
Residents with problems relating to home energy efficiency improvements undertaken as part of schemes managed by local authorities with funding from Welsh Government should contact their local authority.
There are other domestic energy efficiency schemes being delivered in Wales that are not funded by Welsh Government. These include work being delivered by energy suppliers or installers as a result of commitments under the UK Government's Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) or through the UK Government's Green Deal initiative and Green Deal Home Improvement Fund. For any complaint relating to UK Government initiatives residents firstly need to contact the installer carrying out the work. Should a resident be unable to get redress this way then the resident should contact the Energy Savings Advice Service (ESAS) on 0300 123 1234.
However, if a scheme is not Government backed, then redress would normally be provided via a guarantee scheme as detailed below;
Cavity Wall Insulation Guarantee Scheme
Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Scheme
Swiga http://www.swiga.co.uk/
MIcrogeneration Certification Scheme
http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/
Gas Safe http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/
Fensa http://www.fensa.co.uk/
William Powell (Mid and West Wales): Further to WAQ67707, will the Minister confirm the date on which monthly data collected by the Food Standards Agency concerning the number of animals slaughtered by non-stun methods in Wales will be first published? (WAQ67884)
Answer received on 21 October 2014
The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans): We have no plans at this time to publish the data due to the sensitivities surrounding the publication of commercial data; Welsh Government will review the data and consider its publication at an appropriate time in the future.
Abattoirs in Wales are required to record the number of animals slaughtered on a daily basis. There is no legal obligation to gather specific non-stun data from abattoirs in Wales. However, this data has been commissioned from the FSA to inform the Welsh Government on the numbers of animals slaughtered by the non stun method in Wales. This method of slaughter is permitted under the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2014.
William Powell (Mid and West Wales): Further to WAQ67707, will monthly data collected by the Food Standards Agency concerning the number of animals slaughtered by non-stun methods in Wales provide a breakdown as to the practices involved; and regarding the number of individual species slaughtered by such methods? (WAQ67885)
Answer received on 21 October 2014
The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans): No, they will not. Only the number of species slaughtered by non stun methods is included in the data provided by the FSA.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister make a statement on the future of Welsh Government funding for the CALL (Community Advice and Listening Line) mental health helpline for Wales? (WAQ67882)
Answer received 21 October 2014
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): Welsh Government provides funding for the CALL (Community Advice and Listening Line) helpline, which is hosted by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. There are no plans to withdraw this funding.