Answers issued to Members on 28 March 2008
Answers issued to Members on 28 March 2008
[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Contents
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport
Irene James (Islwyn): Does the Welsh Assembly Government intend to conduct any Highway improvements on the trunk roads than run through the Islwyn Constituency (A467, A472) during the life of this Assembly Term? (WAQ51541)
The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): Responsibility for the highways network in Wales is divided between the Welsh Assembly Government who maintain trunk roads and motorways and the local authorities who maintain the local road network. The A467 and A472 are not trunk roads and are therefore the responsibility of the local highway authorities.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of Broadband in the Felinfach area of Brecon and Radnorshire? (WAQ51542)
The Deputy First Minister: I am committed to seeking ways of working with the industry to address broadband notspots, including the Felinfach area. This is of course dependent on commercial, technical and funding considerations will apply.
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): How is the Welsh Assembly Government working with the Wales Council for the Blind to provide services for sight impaired people in Wales? (WAQ51536)
The Minister for Social Justice and Local Government (Brian Gibbons): The Welsh Assembly Government has a good record providing services for sight impaired people and has funded the Welsh Eye CareInitiative, which is intended to preserve sight through the early detection of eye disease and to give help to those who have low vision and whose sight is unlikely to improve. As a Government, we are keen to build on this success by working closely with our partners in the voluntary sector, including the Wales Council for the Blind.
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Will the Minister outline the importance of specialist I.C.T. assessment services for sight impaired people in Wales? (WAQ51537)
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): How is the Welsh Assembly Government looking to support existing I.C.T. assessment services for the sight impaired after March 2008? (WAQ51538)
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): How is the Welsh Assembly Government looking to support the training of further I.C.T. assessors to assist the sight impaired after March 2008? (WAQ51539)
Brian Gibbons: It is important that the Welsh Assembly Government takes account of specialist I.C.T. assessment services when deciding how best the needs of people with sight impairment can be met.
In May 2003, The Welsh Assembly Government considered an application for funding from the Wales Council for the Blind to develop an ICT assessment service for visually impaired people. Following further discussions, in November 2005 the Welsh Assembly Government agreed to fund an eighteen month pilot to investigate the potential opportunities available from specialist I.C.T assessment services.
The pilot project has since been extended twice, first in April 2007 and again in March 2008. The purpose of these extensions was to enable the Wales Council for the Blind to build on the lessons learnt during the initial phase of the pilot, to undertake evaluation of the project’s outcomes, and to pursue accreditation for the trained assessors.
A further bid is now being considered by my officials to fund co-ordination, updating assessors with relevant computer hardware and software, provision of free assessments for unsupported individuals, and funding of assessor time to install equipment and software, and to give basic guidance on its use.