Answers to the Written Assembly Questions for answer on 22 October 2009

[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

Contents

Questions to the Minister for Heritage

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

To ask the Minister for Heritage

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What assistance does the Welsh Assembly Government provide to enable Welsh Male Voice Choirs to tour abroad. (WAQ55010)

Answer issued on 23 October 2009

Arts funding from the Heritage budget is channelled through the Arts Council of Wales (ACW). In accordance with the arms length funding principle it is for ACW to determine its own priorities and how much funding organisations or individuals might receive, taking into account competing demands on its budget. ACW via Wales Arts International (WAI) works to support the promotion and development of professional practice across all art forms, including supporting international opportunities through programmes and funding schemes.

Wales Arts International (WAI), the British Council and Llangollen International Eisteddfod have developed a Music Encounters project to encourage choral leaders to develop further contacts and to investigate a wider field of potential support. Choirs seeking to develop collaborations with international counterparts can also apply to WAI’s International Opportunities Fund. Other sources of funding include Visit Wales and the European and External Affairs Division who have contracted choirs for specific events, such as Only Men Aloud’s performance at the Smithsonian Festival.

More broadly on our international arts presence, I have recently responded to the recent report by the NAfW Communities and Culture Committee - Promoting Welsh Arts and Culture on the World Stage and work is in hand to take forward the accepted recommendations.

To ask the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister detail the current policies in place to permit, or otherwise, the drug testing of students in schools. (WAQ55011)

Answer issued on 23 October 2009

This is a matter for the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.  Currently, the Welsh Assembly Government has no plans to introduce a drug testing policy in Welsh schools but we continually monitor developments in England.

In 2002,  the Welsh Assembly Government launched Circular 17/02  'Substance Misuse: Children and Young People’, available on the internet at www.learning.wales.gov.uk. This provides good practice guidance to teachers and youth workers on making effective substance misuse policy, educating children and young people about the dangers of substance misuse and dealing with incidents of substance misuse.

We also continue to fund and develop the All Wales Schools Core Liaison Programme.  This includes the police working with PSE teachers to teach children and young people about the dangers of drug and alcohol misuse.  This is currently being delivered in nearly all primary and secondary schools in Wales.

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on how many drug tests have been initiated by Welsh schools (WAQ55012)

Answer issued on 23 October 2009

I am not aware of any drug tests having been initiated by Welsh Schools.