29/01/2014 - Written Assembly Questions and Answers

Published 13/06/2014   |   Last Updated 24/03/2015

Written Assembly Questions tabled on 22 January 2014 for answer on 29 January 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)

 

To ask the First Minister

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Further to WAQ65563, will the First Minister confirm whether the final total cost of the Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery came in within its budget of £150,000? (WAQ66309)

Answer received for publication on 24 January 2014

The First Minister (Carwyn Jones): Yes.

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the First Minister state a) how many staff are employed within the Knowledge and Analytical Services Team, and b) their associated pay scales? (WAQ66329)

Answer received for publication on 23 January 2014

Carwyn Jones: Staffing within the Welsh Government is a matter for the Permanent Secretary. I have asked him to write to you separately with the information you have requested.

 

To ask the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central): With regards to the key performance indicator (KPI) for investment in Enterprise Zones, will the Welsh Government be publishing disaggregated figures so that the public can see the proportion of a) private and b) public sector capital and revenue investments made into Welsh Enterprise Zones, or will only the aggregated figure be given? (WAQ66310)

Answer received for publication on 24 January 2014

The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): I will be reporting against the published indicators which aggregate performance across the Enterprise Zones.

 

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills

Leighton Andrews (Rhondda): What assessment has been made by the Minister’s department of local authority Welsh in Education Strategic Plans since the passage of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013; and is the Minister satisfied with local authority plans to comply with its provisions on measuring parental demand for Welsh-medium education? (WAQ66311)

Answer received for publication on 28 January 2014

The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis): The Welsh in Education Strategic Plans and Assessing Demand for Welsh-medium Education (Wales) Regulations 2013 arising from the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, came into force on 31st December 2013.  As a result, all local authorities have prepared and submitted a Welsh in Education Strategic Plan as required for implementation from April 2014.  These are currently being assessed by officials to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements including the need to conduct a Welsh medium assessment as set out in Regulation 3 (1), (2) and (3).

 

Leighton Andrews (Rhondda): Are there are any revenue implications for the Welsh Government from the UK Government’s decision to sell the student loan book announced in the Autumn Statement ? (WAQ66312)

Answer received for publication on 28 January 2014

Huw Lewis: I do not believe that there will be any resource revenue implications for the Welsh Government from the UK Government’s decision to sell its student loan book.  We will however need to carefully consider any implications arising from the sale in England for the book value of our loan book in Wales.  Discussions will continue to take place between Wales and Business Innovation and Science (BIS) to assess whether there are any implications for Wales and the appropriate accounting treatment of these.

I can confirm that the Welsh Government has no plans to sell the loan book in Wales.

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state a) the number of girls undertaking a biology A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14, and b) the percentage of girls achieving a grade C or higher in this A-level subject for each year the figures are available? (WAQ66313)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state a) the number of girls undertaking a chemistry A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14, and b) the percentage of girls achieving a grade C or higher in this A-level subject for each year the figures are available? (WAQ66314)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state a) the number of girls undertaking an engineering A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14, and b) the percentage of girls achieving a grade C or higher in this A-level subject for each year the figures are available? (WAQ66315)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state a) the number of girls undertaking a maths A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14, and b) the percentage of girls achieving a grade C or higher in this A-level subject for each year the figures are available? (WAQ66316)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state a) the number of girls undertaking a physics A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14, and b) the percentage of girls achieving a grade C or higher in this A-level subject for each year the figures are available? (WAQ66317)

Answer received for publication on 28 January 2014( WAQ66313/4/5/6/7)

Huw Lewis: The data for the five questions above are in the table below. Data are only collected when a pupil enters an examination in a subject. Data is not yet available for 2013/14.

Entries and Achievements by girls aged 17 in A level Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Maths or Physics Wales (a) ​ ​ ​ ​
 Number of girls entering ​Percentage of entries achieved at grades A*-C ​
Subject2012201320122013
Biology1,1581,14672.272.9
Chemisry76775580.182.1
Engineering (b)00..
Maths1,1171,08288.686.0
Physics22819273.271.4

Source: Welsh Examinations Database

=not applicable ​ ​ ​ ​

(a) Includes all maintained and independent schools with pupils aged 17. Does not include Further Education Colleges

(b) There is only one GCE A level qualification in engineering available for use in schools in Wales. All other engineering qualifications available to schools are vocational (e.g. BTEC)​

 

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the percentage of co-educational schools in Wales that had girls undertaking a biology A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14? (WAQ66318)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the percentage of co-educational schools in Wales that had girls undertaking a chemistry A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14? (WAQ66319)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the percentage of co-educational schools in Wales that had girls undertaking an engineering A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14? (WAQ66320)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the percentage of co-educational schools in Wales that had girls undertaking a maths A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14? (WAQ66321)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the percentage of co-educational schools in Wales that had girls undertaking a physics A-level in Wales in i) 2011-12, ii) 2012-13 and iii) 2013-14? (WAQ66322)

Answer received for publication on 28 January 2014 (WAQ66318/19/20/21/22)

Huw Lewis: The data for the five questions above are in the table below. Data are only collected when a pupil enters an examination in a subject. Data are not yet available for 2013/14. 

Entries at co-educational schools by girls aged 17 in A level Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Maths or Physics, Wales (a) ​ ​
 Percentage of Co-educational schools entering girls into each subject: ​
Subject20122013
Biology82.782.9
Chemistry74.975.6
Engineering (b)0.00.0
Maths86.982.9
Physics48.247.2
Source: Welsh Examinations Database ​ ​

(a) Includes all maintained and independent schools with pupils aged 17. Does not include Further Education Colleges

(b) There is only one GCE A level qualification in engineering available for use in schools in Wales. All other engineering qualifications available to schools are vocational (e.g. BTEC)

 

To ask the Minister for Finance

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Further to the response to WAQ65472, will the Minister identify a) the travel costs, b) the accommodation costs and c) the cost in civil servant time for each listed international event, show or fair? (WAQ66323)

Answer received for publication on 4 February 2014

The Minister for Finance (Jane Hutt AM): Your question has already been asked previously and you have received confirmation that this is being dealt with through Freedom of Information request ATISN 8045.

To ask the Minister for Natural Resources and Food

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the total cost to the Welsh Government of his trade mission to the USA and Canada? (WAQ66324)

Answer received for publication on 21 March 2014

The Minister for Natural Resources and Food (Alun Davies): The costs of the visit were met by Hybu Cig Cymru.

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the total travel and accommodation costs to the Welsh Government of his recent trade mission to the USA and Canada? (WAQ66325)

Answer received for publication on 27 January 2014

Alun Davies: As HCC met the costs of the visit there were no travel or accommodation costs to the Welsh Government

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state the costs to Hybu Cig Cymru in accompanying him on his recent trade mission to the USA and Canada? (WAQ66326)

Answer received for publication on 27 January 2014

Alun Davies: This is a matter for Hybu Cig Cymru

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Further to the response to WAQ65472, will the Minister identify a) each show, fair or event listed that was also attended by Hybu Cig Cymru, and b) the monetary costs to Hybu Cig Cymru of attending these events? (WAQ66327)

Answer received for publication on 29 January 2014

Alun Davies: These are matters for HCC.

 

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Further to the response to WAQ65472, will the Minister identify for each show, fair or event listed that was also attended by Hybu Cig Cymru, a) the number of attendees and b) the number of stands? (WAQ66328)

Answer received for publication on 29 January 2014

Alun Davies: These are matters for HCC.