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Written Assembly Questions tabled on 17 July 2015 for answer on 24 July 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): Will the First Minister provide a list of property companies and or consultants employed to advise the Welsh Government since 2011, providing the year start and ending of employment, plus the overall spend per year on such advice? (WAQ69006)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

The First Minister (Carwyn Jones) : 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 invoice and procurement transactions received across Welsh Government as a whole. Therefore, the information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How many task and finish groups has the Welsh Government set up during the fourth Assembly, to be provided by Ministerial portfolio responsibilities and including the title for each group, year of creation and conclusion of work? (WAQ69015)
 
Answer received on 5 August 2015

First Minister: I will write to you and a copy of the letter will be put on the internet
 

To ask the Minister for Natural Resources

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the protection of playing fields and recreation areas from being earmarked for development in the Local Development Plan process? (WAQ69020)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

The Minister for Natural Resources (Carl Sargeant):

National planning policy on playing fields, recreation areas and the preparation of Local Development Plans is contained in Planning Policy Wales, TAN 16 Sport, Recreation and Open Space and Policy Clarification Letter (CL-02-11). The content of a LDP is the responsibility of the local planning authority taking into account national planning policy.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What steps is the minister taking to implement the recommendations of Dr Elin Jones's report? (WAQ69017)

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister publish the response of the Welsh Government to all of the recommendations of Dr Elin Jones's report on the story and history of Wales? (WAQ69018)

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): In which way does the Minister intend to implement the recommendations of Dr Elin Jones's report in light of accepting Professor Donaldson's recommendations? (WAQ69019)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis)

Dr Elin Jones's report and its recommendations were taken into account as part of the wider review of the Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements for Wales conducted by Professor Graham Donaldson.

On 30 June, I announced my support for the development of a new curriculum by accepting, in full, the recommendations contained within Professor Donaldson's Successful Futures report. This includes embedding the four purposes of the curriculum and designing six Areas of Learning and Experience and three cross curriculum responsibilities.

I am committed to Professor Donaldson's intention that "Each of these Areas of Learning and Experience should include, where appropriate, both a Welsh dimension and an international perspective in line with the recommendations of the independent review of the Cwricwlwm Cymreig, history and the story of Wales " (1).

Working with the sector, in line with the principles set out in the report will be crucial. That is why I have invited consortia to work with their schools across Wales – primary, secondary and special – to apply to be Pioneer Schools.  These schools will work as part of an all-Wales partnership to design and develop the new curriculum for Wales.  I will announce successful pioneer schools in the autumn.

(1)Page 38 – Successful Futures

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What will be the Barnett consequential for Wales of the planned saving of £2.5bn in England by 2020-21 arising from the decision to replace maintenance grants with maintenance loans for students in England? (WAQ69027)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Huw Lewis

The financial impact of the UK Government decision to replace maintenance grants with loans will be dependent on the wider outcome of the UK Spending Review in November 2015.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What measures are in place to ensure that the objectives of previous grants contained in the Education Improvement Grant are not lost? (WAQ69028)

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What measures are in place to monitor the use of the Education Improvement Grant by local authorities? (WAQ69030)

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What measures are in place to ensure that local authorities meet their statutory responsibilities in using the Education Improvement Grant, to, for example, maintain the statutory Foundation Phase ratios? (WAQ69033)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Huw Lewis:

In establishing the Education Improvement Grant for Schools (EIG), we have drawn together a number of related funding streams with shared or related outcome objectives, to create a simpler, more flexible and less bureaucratic outcome-focused system. These new arrangements will better enable schools to concentrate on what matters most, improving educational outcomes for learners.

The EIG supports the strategic objectives in Qualified for Life, the Welsh Government's long-term vision for the education of 3-19 year old learners in Wales. The EIG is issued to regional education consortia and is delivered within the context of their school improvement business plans through the National Model for Regional Working. Consortia challenge advisers provide the key means of support and challenge to schools. The grant, in accordance with its terms and conditions, must also link to statutory school development plans to ensure the funding is aligned appropriately to their priority improvement areas. In this way, we can ensure the EIG reflects national, regional and local priorities and its focus remains relevant and appropriate, both now and in future.

My officials are working with local authorities and consortia to further develop a number of aspects of the Education Improvement Grant for Schools. This includes developing an outcomes framework to be in place for the second year of the grant, which will further maintain the grant's focus on our key priorities whilst ensuring sufficient flexibility to enable local and regional priorities to be addressed, depending on their particular needs.

As part of the grant terms and conditions, consortia, local authorities and Welsh Government will agree a series of outcomes and outcome measures, against which consortia and local authorities will be held to account. Local authorities are required to audit the grant using their internal audit arrangements. There are specific terms and conditions for the grant which govern how much of the total funding must be delegated to schools and how much can be used for administrative and management purposes. Under the National Model for Regional Working, consortia and local authorities will also provide update reports to their Joint Committees against their delivery of school improvement support. 

In moving to an outcome focused arrangement, there is additional flexibility for schools, local authorities and consortia to determine how best to deliver their services and required improvements. They are best placed to understand the needs of their learners and are able to target resources at areas of greatest need. The grant enhances and supports a number of statutory responsibilities vested in local authorities. Local authorities know their responsibilities and are answerable to their electorates for the decisions they make. I fully expect each and every local authority to discharge its statutory duties appropriately, whether that is directly or through working in partnership, such as through the delivery arrangements of the National Model for Regional Working. Schools and local authorities are held to account by Estyn.

Specifically, in terms of the Foundation Phase, I fully expect schools to continue to work towards the ratios as they have done in the past. The Foundation Phase is a fundamental element of the curriculum and will continue to play a key role as we develop the new curriculum. There are specific requirements within the terms and conditions of the grant governing this.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Is the Minister still committed to spending 1 per cent extra per year on schools? (WAQ60934)

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Does the 1 per cent extra funding for schools apply to schools that do not receive additional funding through Schools Challenge Cymru and the Pupil Deprivation Grant? (WAQ69032)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Huw Lewis:

Protecting frontline spending on schools is a Welsh Government priority and our commitment to protect funding for schools by 1% above the rate of change to the Welsh block overall remains firm. Despite the challenging financial climate, we have delivered on our commitment, providing an additional £106million for schools over the course of the Assembly term. In this way we have been able to protect schools from the worst of the reductions.

The additional funding as part of the protection commitment is delivered through the Local Government Settlement Revenue Support Grant and Education and Skills Budgets. Whilst local authorities are responsible for determining school budgets, the additional protection funding is for the benefit of, and applied to all schools.

In addition, through the Pupil Deprivation Grant we have significantly increased funding to tackle the impact of deprivation on educational attainment with more than £82million for schools in 2015-16, and through our 21^st Century Schools programme we have put in place the biggest capital investment programme our schools system has ever seen with nearly £2billion committed for capital projects between now and 2023.

Most importantly, standards are rising. The performance of our Free School Meals pupils is at an all-time high and more learners than ever are getting 5 good GCSEs.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): From what budget expenditure lines was funding for the pupil deprivation grant for 3-5 year olds obtained? (WAQ69031)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Huw Lewis

Funding for the pupil deprivation grant for 3-5 year olds was provided from Welsh Government reserves as part of the 2015-16 budget.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Does the Minister have any plans to rectify the lack of transparency identified by the Welsh Government chief statistician, who stated that it is impossible to make a comparison between education spending in Wales and England because of the change in pattern that's happened in England? (WAQ69035)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Huw Lewis:

Education expenditure per pupil in Wales remains transparent and is routinely published. During 2015-16 it was budgeted to be £5,526 per pupil. The issues around comparison with England are as a consequence of changes to their education system. Due to the different means of funding education in England a comparable figure is currently not available but analytical staff remain in contact with colleagues in DFE and DCLG in England to monitor this position. There are currently no plans to change the way that the education system is funded in Wales.

The differences between England and Wales have been highlighted in the Chief Statistician's update no 4:

http://gov.wales/docs/statistics/2015/150511-chief-statisticians-update-issue-4-en.pdf

As a more recent update to this article, schools in England continue to convert to academies on a monthly basis. For example, a further 141 schools have converted since 1 April 2015.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): When will the Minister publish his review of the impact of fixed penalty notices for school absence after a year of implementation? (WAQ69022)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Huw Lewis:

During the plenary debate on 23 October 2013 I advised that there would be a full review of how the policy is being implemented after two years, which will allow for the collection of sufficient data to inform the review.  The requirement for Local Authorities to have in place their Codes of Conduct so that they could issue fixed penalty notices was from September 2014 so, to clarify, a review will not be undertaken until September 2016 at the earliest.

To ask the Minister for Finance and Government Business

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on offices of the Welsh Government in West Wales since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69008)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on offices of the Welsh Government in South Wales since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69009)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on offices of the Welsh Government in Mid Wales since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69010)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on the Merthyr offices of the Welsh Government since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69011)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on the Aberystwyth offices of the Welsh Government since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69012)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on the Llandudno Junction offices of the Welsh Government since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69013)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has been spent on the Cathays Park offices of the Welsh Government since 2010, providing the spending per year broken down into capital building costs, furnishings and IT/electrical equipment? (WAQ69014)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

The Minister for Finance and Government Business (Jane Hutt):

Details of expenditure on capital building cost and furnishings for the regions and locations specified, for each full financial year beginning 2010/11, are provided in the following tables.

The figures provided under the heading 'capital building costs' include all aspects of our office refurbishment projects, including typically the costs of design, planning, demolition, refit, installation and final finishes. The separate figures for 'furnishings' include the costs of providing desks, chairs, meeting tables, storage cabinets and other small items. It is also inclusive of associated design, space planning and installation services. The figures for IT equipment, include typically the cost of printers, monitors, network computers and servers, laptops, telephone handsets, keyboards and associated audio visual equipment.

Information on IT equipment is not held in the same format and total expenditure on IT and other electrical equipment for each year beginning 2010/11 is provided in the final table.

Aggregated expenditure Information for each region shown in the tables above includes, where applicable, spend on the specific locations shown separately in the following tables.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much Welsh Government/European Union money has been made available to enterprise zones in Wales including how much per year per zone has been provided since their creation? (WAQ69016)

Answer received on 24 July 2015

Jane Hutt:  From inception of Enterprise Zones in 2012 to the end of financial year 2013/14, £48,557,612 of Welsh Government/European Union money has been made available for Welsh Government supported projects within Enterprise Zones in Wales.  The split of spend per Zone is detailed in each Zone's Strategic Plan currently being published at: http://gov.wales/topics/businessandeconomy/business/enterprisezones/?lang=en. 

During financial year 2014/15 £26,439,084 of Welsh Government/European Union money has been made available to Enterprise Zones in Wales.  A breakdown of data by Zone is intended for publication during summer 2015.

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What advice has the Minister received regarding the clinical impact  of changing the catchment area of Withybush Hospital, which will divert GP admissions and ambulance transfers from Cardigan, Narberth, Kilgetty, Saundersfoot and Tenby to Glanwgili Hospital, Carmarthen? (WAQ69021)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): This is a matter for Hywel Dda University Health Board. It has been clear that the changes are a temporary measure to enable Withybush Hospital to care safely for people and maintain the medical intake and emergency and urgent care centre.

Local clinicians are fully engaged in this process and the Welsh Ambulance Service has been engaged from an early stage. It is meeting daily with the health board to evaluate the impact.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What funding levers and inspection frameworks have been used to encourage schools, colleges and universities to better support pupils/students with mental health problems as outlined in the Welsh Government's Together for Mental Health delivery plan 2? (WAQ69023)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

Mark Drakeford:

The Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes (WNHSS) was launched in September 1999 to encourage the development of local healthy school schemes within a national framework. 

Indicators for the WNHSS National Quality Award were issued in 2010.  These look for a whole-school approach in seven health topics, including mental and emotional health and wellbeing. Schools are independently assessed for the award after nine years' involvement in the scheme. More than 99% of maintained schools are actively involved in the WNHSS and, as of July 2015, 82 have been awarded the National Quality Award.

A task and finish group was set up in 2010 to look at extending the schemes into the pre-school sector and the Healthy and Sustainable Pre-School Scheme National Award Criteria was issued in September 2011. This includes mental and emotional health, wellbeing and relationships. As of May 2015, 606 pre-school settings are actively involved in the scheme.

A task and finish group was also set up to produce recommendations for the development of healthy and sustainable further and higher education settings. A framework has been produced, which contains criteria across six health topics, including mental and emotional health and wellbeing. This is currently being developed into an online resource by Public Health Wales and will be supported by guidance.

We have also taken steps to support children and young people experiencing emotional difficulties through the development of counselling services - £4.5m was transferred to the revenue support grant in April 2013 to support counselling services.

The recently-published Donaldson review makes it clear that mental health and wellbeing should become a core part of the school curriculum.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister publish mental health and wellbeing data collected as part of the Together for Mental Health: Delivery Plan 2 for Communities First areas and Flying Start participants? (WAQ69025)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

Mark Drakeford:

Together for Mental Health includes a number of outcome measurements, including deprivation and Flying Start indicators, which are routinely monitored and published.

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): How is mental health and wellbeing put at the centre of anti-poverty policy and interventions such as Communities First and Flying Start as outlined in Together for Mental Health: Delivery Plan 2? (WAQ69026)

Answer received on 29 July 2015

Mark Drakeford: Together for Mental Health commits us to working with Communities First and Flying Start to increase resilience and take preventative action in the most deprived areas of Wales. Actions to promote positive, resilient mental health have also been incorporated into the Welsh Government’s Tacking Poverty Action Plan.