Written Assembly Questions tabled on 21 May 2014 for answer on 29 May 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 First Minister
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the First Minister release an itemised list of all gifts and hospitality received by Welsh Government Ministers since 2011? (WAQ67101)
Answer received on 3 June 2014
Please refer to the page "Information Further to Written Assembly Questions (WAQ67101)"
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the First Minister disclose all training courses – along with their individual costs - attended by Welsh Government Ministers and staff during:
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15? (WAQ67102)
Answer received on 28 May 2014
The First Minister (Carwyn Jones): No central record is kept of training courses attended by Ministers. 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 Culture and Sport
Leanne Wood (South Wales Central): What representations has the Minister received regarding the closure of libraries in Rhondda Cynon Taf? (WAQ67098)
Answer received on 28 May 2014
The Minister for Culture and Sport (John Griffiths): I and my officials at CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales division have received a number of letters and e-mails highlighting concern regarding the closure of public libraries in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
To ask the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Given that the first Welsh Rural Observatory Rural Services survey in 2004 suggested the potential for mobile and drop in services to be operated in more isolated communities to provide welfare services and support, and the most recent 2013 report states that there is no evidence of any improvement, will the Minister outline what support is been offered to address this situation? (WAQ67091)
Answer received on 3 June 2014
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Jeff Cuthbert): Welsh Government recognises the issues facing people from low income households living in rural areas and is committed to maintaining access to mainstream financial services to tackle the problem of financial and social exclusion. A review of advice services has been undertaken in light of the Welfare Reform changes and legal aid reform. Welsh Government officials have worked closely with the Independent Advice Providers Forum in Wales to ensure that some of the key proposals are further developed to provide a sound basis for taking forward work to implement some of the recommendations of the Review. This includes work to develop in more detail the Forum’s proposals in relation to National and Local Advice Networks; quality standards and funding for front-line services (including discrimination advice) that includes consideration of the needs of people living in the more rural parts of Wales
In 2013/14 £936,330 was provided to support generalist front-line advice services and to implement the work required to get to a longer term plan for the shape of advice services in Wales from 2014 onwards.
£193,283 was available in 2013/14 to support specialist discrimination advice.
Further funding of £1million is being made available in 2014/15 to organisations providing free advice services. This funding will be based on the growing need for services that offer help with welfare benefits, debt and money management, housing and discrimination. Independent and not-for-profit advice providers, many of which have seen their budgets cut, can apply for this grant to help them to continue providing advice services to everyone, including those people living in rural areas.
Welsh Government provides £2.2 per annum to Citizens Advice Cymru for the benefit take-up programme 'Better Advice: Better Lives'. This funding is being made available for three years from 2012/13 to 2014/15.
Funding of £2.4 million is available between 2013 up until March 2015 to support a project to be delivered jointly by Citizens Advice Cymru and Communities First to provide outreach debt advice in 36 Communities First Clusters across Wales.
Welsh Government’s digital inclusion programme, Communities 2.0, is helping individuals and community organisations make the most of the latest digital technologies. This includes assisting benefits claimants to gain the internet skills they need to search and apply for jobs, and take advantage of the other numerous opportunities that the internet offers.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): How will the Future Generations Bill deliver biodiversity improvements? (WAQ67118)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Jeff Cuthbert): The Welsh Government recognises that, in 2014, Wales faces a number of complex challenges. Many of these are a legacy from the past, but it is important that this generation does not leave them as challenges for the next. For example, we need to make our environment and our communities more resilient to the major environmental problems we face including addressing declining biodiversity. To tackle these challenges, we must think differently and we must act collectively.
It is vital that the connections between issues such as social justice, economic prosperity and environmental resilience are recognised. Action to address these key challenges needs a joined up approach across all the three pillars of sustainable development. Biodiversity is dependent on ecosystems that need integrated action in the social, economic and environmental spheres if they are to be enhanced and preserved.
We intend for the Future Generations Bill (working title) to set ambitious long term goals, describing the economic, social and environmental well being of the Wales we want. Progress towards these goals will help the Welsh public service collectively tackle issues such as biodiversity decline.
To ask the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister provide information by Local Authority area as to the number of community and town council areas which are not served at all by bus services? (WAQ67093)
Answer received on 28 May 2014
The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): We do not hold this information.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister provide information by Local Authority area as to the number of community and town council areas which are not served by peak hours (7-9am, 3-6pm weekdays) bus services? (WAQ67094)
Answer received on 28 May 2014
Edwina Hart: We do not hold this information.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline what support the Welsh Government is providing to support Dial a Ride services, outlining the financial support by local authority for 2011, 2012, 2013 and the current year to date? (WAQ67095)
Answer received on 28 May 2014
Edwina Hart: The Welsh Government does not hold this level of information for each year that you have requested.
William Graham (South Wales East): Will the Minister provide an update on the Superfast Cymru Open Market Review? (WAQ67099)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
Edwina Hart:
The market facing element of the review has now been completed and we are planning to commence a public consultation shortly. Details of the consultation will appear on the Welsh Government website.
William Graham (South Wales East): Will the Minister outline any further plans for rolling out broadband support in urban areas, as Superfast Cymru may not be the most appropriate solution in these areas? (WAQ67100)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
Edwina Hart: The Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology hopes to issue a statement on this matter shortly.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister provide an update on progress being made towards establishing a by-pass for Rhayader? (WAQ67110)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
Edwina Hart: I intend to publish a new National Transport Plan in 2015 which will set out my priorities and programme for delivery for the period 2015 to 2020.
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister confirm what provision there is for improving the computer and online literacy skills of over 65 year olds in north west Wales? (WAQ67104)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
The Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology (Ken Skates): Adult Community Learning (ACL) provision is available across Wales.
Each year local authorities submit ACL Service Delivery Plans to the Welsh Government setting out their planned provision for the year ahead, in line with the priorities set out in the
Delivering Community Learning in Wales
. In addition to their general provision, local authorities specifically highlight their planned provision for older learners (those aged 65 and over).
According to their Service Delivery Plans for 2013/14, a number of IT/online courses are available in North West Wales, delivered by the local authorities, Grwp Llandrillo Menai College or the WEA in venues such as local libraries or college outreach centres. Examples of specific courses for the over 65s include: “IT Bite back using the internet”; “Family History Online”; “Click First – How to search the internet”; and “Digi Mon, Internet for the Home”.
In preparing their Service Delivery Plans local authorities are advised to work with their Older People’s Coordinators, so that provision can be better planned and developed to meet the needs of the over 65 age group.
The Welsh Government will soon be commissioning the 2014/15 Service Delivery Plans and this year local authorities will be asked to focus provision on addressing the following priority areas which are key to supporting our overarching priority of Tackling Poverty
Adult Numeracy and Literacy
Digital Literacy
ESOL
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): What advice is the Minister providing to school governing bodies to enable them to compare their school with national figures when analysing gender based progression rates in schools? (WAQ67105)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
Huw Lewis: In September last year I introduced mandatory training for school governors in key areas which includes training in understanding and scrutinising school data to challenge school performance.
Comprehensive performance gender analyses are provided to schools in Wales to help governors with this challenge role. For example, summaries of performance of boys and girls for core subjects, compared to local authority as well as national figures, are provided for inclusion in the governors’ annual reports and school prospectuses.
Following these, more detailed ‘All Wales Core Data Sets’ describe the contextual background of the school and provide gender difference analyses for key performance indicators and subjects. Analyses include trends over time, and comparisons with national and local authority data as well as with schools facing a broadly equivalent level of challenge (family schools). Schools can therefore see the strengths and weaker areas for different groups of pupils. The Core Data Sets should inform discussions between head teachers, governors and all those involved in the school self evaluation process.
The award winning My Local Schoolwebsite is an on-line resource that is openly accessible. It also provides gender analyses. Over 500,000 page views have been recorded since its launch.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister provide details, for each of the last three years, split by Local Authority and the national average, of the percentage of girls progressing to study A-levels? (WAQ67106)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis): The information requested is in the table below.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister provide the ratio of male and female entries into each of the following A-Level subjects: English, Maths, Biology, Economics, Psychology and Physics, providing the information for each of the last three years, by Local Authority area, as well as a national average figure? (WAQ67107)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
Huw Lewis: The information requested is in the attached spreadsheet named
WAQ67107
.
Please refer to the page "Information Further to Written Assembly Questions (WAQ67107)"
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister provide totals and the national average for each of the last three years, split by Local Authority, of the percentage of boys and the percentage of girls progressing to study A-Level Physics? (WAQ67108)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
Huw Lewis: The information requested is in the tables below.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline what specific action the Welsh Government is taking to address the issue of gender imbalance in post 16 education? (WAQ67109)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
Huw Lewis: Post-16 education providers are required, as part of their conditions of funding, to ensure that all services delivered using funds provided by the Welsh Ministers are used in a non-discriminatory way and promote equality of opportunity for all learners.
Whilst there are more females studying at post-16, women are traditionally under represented in certain sectors such as construction and engineering and over represented in some lower paid sectors. This is being addressed through the Programme for Government and Strategic Equality Plan which contains action to help more women to access employment in Wales and to be supported once in employment.
Addressing negative perceptions about STEM subjects and to challenging gender stereotyping is important. It is also important to note that we are making good progress in some subjects. There is no notable gender differential at ‘A’ level in Chemistry and Biology. However the take up of ‘A’ level Physics, by girls, remains stubbornly low.
As part of our work to improve standards in schools I want to see an increase in the take up of sciences at ‘A’ level - with particular emphasis on girls’ progression to ‘A’ level Physics. We are working with the Institute of Physics and Techniquest to develop proposals aimed at increasing the number of girls taking ‘A’ level Physics.
To ask the Minister for Finance
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister confirm what powers the Welsh Government has to ensure that Local Authorities complete the recommendations made in their procurement Fitness Health Checks? (WAQ67103)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
The Minister for Finance (Jane Hutt): I issued my Wales Procurement Policy Statement in December 2012, containing the 9 principles by which I expect public procurement to be carried out in Wales. Principle 1 requires organisations to undertake procurement fitness checks and report progress against their associated action plans. Every Council has confirmed their commitment to adopt the principles of the WPPS.
The fitness checks have provided an assessment of the current level of procurement maturity of each Local Authority and my officials are supporting the sector to address the actions identified in their procurement improvement plans. Support will be provided to all Councils, but there is a particular focus directed to Councils that fall below a satisfactory level of performance to ensure their action plans are in place and delivered.
The PSLG Procurement Board is responsible for the delivery of the procurement reform agenda in Wales and will be closely monitoring progress and providing me with regular updates.
To ask the Minister for Housing and Regeneration
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister confirm what timetable he will be working to in reviewing Technical Advice Note 8, as he committed to do in Plenary on 7 May 2014? (WAQ67117)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
The Minister for Housing and Regeneration (Carl Sargeant): All TAN are consistently kept under review. Any changes considered applicable would be brought forward at the appropriate time. I have no current plans to amend TAN 8.
To ask the Minister for Local Government and Government Business
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline the funding that has been provided by the Welsh Government to each Welsh Local Authority over each of the last 3 years to protect and develop playing fields? (WAQ67092)
Answer received on 2 June 2014
The Minister for Local Government and Government Business (Lesley Griffiths): No specific funding has been provided to Local Authorities for this purpose.
To ask the Minister for Natural Resources and Food
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of the percentage of community and town councils that receive a regular door to door collection for recycled waste and provide this information by local authority area? (WAQ67096)
Answer received on 4 June 2014
The Minister for Natural Resources (Alun Davies): This information is not held centrally.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister detail what advice his department has provided Local Authorities to clarify the Refuse Disposal Act 1978 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 where they appear to offer contradictory advice? (WAQ67097)
Answer received on 29 May 2014
Alun Davies: The relevant section of the Refuse Disposal Amenity Act 1978 was repealed in April 2012. The Welsh Government communicated this information to the Welsh Local Government Association in February 2012.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Does the Welsh Government undertake and publish an audit of how its work contributes to halting biodiversity loss across all its departments and agencies? (WAQ67111)
Answer received on 3 June 2014
Alun Davies: The Welsh Government undertook a biodiversity audit across all its departments in 2011. The audit will be repeated in conjunction with the establishment of a cross departmental group to take forward actions under the Nature Recovery Plan. The audit will be published.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): What are the clear lines of responsibility for Welsh Government departments and agencies on the halting of biodiversity loss? (WAQ67112)
Answer received on 3 June 2014
Alun Davies: Under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 every public authority has a duty to have regard to conserving biodiversity when carrying out their functions.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): How much funding within each ministerial department’s budget is set aside to deliver innovative initiatives to halt biodiversity loss in Wales? (WAQ67113)
Answer received on 4 June 2014
Alun Davies: Within my Department I have allocated the following funds this year which contribute to innovative initiatives towards halting and reversing the decline in biodiversity, as well as delivering multiple benefits for the economy and society in general. These funds may be delivered in collaboration with other Ministerial departments.
Nature Fund: £6 million
Resilient Ecosystems Fund: £1.5 million
Tidy Towns: £2.39 million
Environment Wales: £1.025 million
Joint Nature Conservation Committee £656,000 – Welsh Government contribution to the work that JNCC does at a UK level in respect of terrestrial and marine biodiversity.
Funding for Natural Resources Wales and Glastir falls under my portfolio giving significant opportunity to benefit biodiversity and wider benefits through the development of our area based approach to natural resource management.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the actions proposed in the national Natural Resource Policy be completed in time to delivery 2020 biodiversity targets? (WAQ67114)
Answer received on 4 June 2014
Alun Davies: The first statutory National Natural Resource Policy is intended to be in place by 2017, subject to the successful passage of the Environment Bill through the Assembly. The National Natural Resource Policy will provide the long-term strategic framework to inform the management of our natural resources including delivery against biodiversity targets. In addition, this Autumn I will be publishing a Nature Recovery Plan which will set out the actions we will take forward to tackle the decline of biodiversity in Wales and deliver against our 2020 goals. We have also recently announced how we will be prioritising additional investment through the Nature Fund this financial year to tackle the decline of biodiversity by supporting innovative and collaborative approaches within the seven Nature Action Zones.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Given the need to exercise public financial prudence, why has the Welsh Government deemed it necessary to subsidise Prosiect Gwyrdd by £4.2 million per annum for 25 years, particularly given the Viridor waste plant bid was described as “excellent value for money”? (WAQ67115)
Answer received on 3 June 2014
Alun Davies: The Welsh Government is not subsidising Prosiect Gwyrdd. The Welsh Government is joint investor. The local authorities have achieved excellent value for money through competitive dialogue procurement.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister confirm whether the figure of £4.2million to subsidise Prosiect Gwyrdd annually is in anyway inflated given it is predicated on rising intakes of waste to the incinerator irrespective of economic or population growth? (WAQ67116)
Answer received on 29 July 2014
Alun Davies: The Welsh Government is not subsidising Prosiect Gwyrdd and the figure is not inflated. The estimated tonnages requiring treatment by the local authorities take account of economic and population growth.
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): How is the Welsh Government promoting leadership within local authorities in Wales in regards to meeting its biodiversity targets? (WAQ67119)
Answer received 3 June 2014
Alun Davies: The Welsh Government expects each Local Authority to appoint a Biodiversity Champion from its membership, to provide leadership and ensure that Authorities are compliant with the NERC Act (2006) Biodiversity Duty, Habitats Regulations and other biodiversity related legislation.