Answers issued to Members on 29 July 2009
[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Contents
Questions to the First Minister
Questions to the Deputy First Minister for the Economy and Transport
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs
Questions to the First Minister
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the First Minister list how many (a) actors, (b) musicians and (c) other performers that have been employed to support the Welsh Assembly Government initiatives in each of the last five years and what was the cost in each year? (WAQ54584)
The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): This information is not routinely collected by the Welsh Assembly Government. Collating such information would incur disproportionate costs.
Michael German (South Wales East): How many meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee have been held since 25 June 2008, who attended and who chaired these meetings? (WAQ54591)
Rhodri Morgan: Since 25 June 2008, there have been two Joint Ministerial Committee (Domestic) meetings and four Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) meetings. The list of the attendees and the chair at each meeting is as follows.
Joint Ministerial Committee (Domestic) on Wednesday 11 March 2009
UK Government
Secretary of State for Wales (Chair)
Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform
Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Wales Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office
Welsh Assembly Government
First Minister for Wales
Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills
Scottish Government
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Heath and Well-being
Minister for Culture, External Relations and the Constitution
Joint Ministerial Committee (Domestic) on Wednesday 13 May 2009
UK Government
Secretary of State for Wales (Chair)
Minister of State for Borders and Immigration
Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Wales Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office
Welsh Assembly Government
First Minister for Wales
Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport
Scottish Government
Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution
Minister for Schools and Skills
Northern Ireland Executive
First Minister of Northern Ireland
Junior Minister, Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) on Monday 6 October 2008
UK Government
Foreign Secretary (Chair)
Minister of State for Europe
Attorney General
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
Advocate General Scotland
Minister of State at the Scotland Office
Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department of Energy and Climate Change
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions
Parliamentary Under Secretary (Further Education) at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Wales Office
Welsh Assembly Government
First Minister for Wales
Scottish Government
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture
Northern Ireland Executive
Junior Minister, Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) meeting on Monday 1 December 2008
UK Government
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Chair)
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Attorney General
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs
Advocate General Scotland
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
Welsh Assembly Government
First Minister for Wales
Scottish Government
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture
Northern Ireland Executive
Junior Minister, Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) meeting on Monday 9 March 2009
UK Government
Foreign Secretary (Chair)
Minister of State for Europe
Secretary of State for Transport
Attorney General
Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
Secretary of State for Wales
Advocate General Scotland
Assistant Chief Whip, Government Whips Office
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Minister of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change
Minister of State at the Home Office
Minister of State at the Department for International Development
Minister of State at the Department for Culture Media and Sport
Minister of State at the Department of Heath
Minister of State at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Welsh Assembly Government
First Minister for Wales
Scottish Government
Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution
Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) meeting on Monday 8 June 2009
UK Government
Minister of State and Minister for Europe (Chair)
Secretary of State for Wales
Minister of State at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Minister of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Financial Services Secretary, HM Treasury
Advocate General Scotland
Assistant Chief Whip, Government Whips Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Energy and Climate Change
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions
Minister of State at the Department for Transport
Welsh Assembly Government
First Minister for Wales
Scottish Government
Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution
Michael German (South Wales East): What progress has been made in the revision of the concordat between Whitehall departments and the Welsh Assembly Government since 2007? (WAQ54592)
Rhodri Morgan: There is a series of concordats between the Welsh Assembly Government and the Whitehall Departments. They give effect to the principles of co-operation and joint working between the UK Government and the devolved administrations set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Assembly Government officials have been working with their Whitehall counterparts to update the concordats to take account of constitutional and machinery of government changes and revisions to the (MoU).
It is anticipated that an updated MoU will be signed off by Ministers in the Autumn, following which the Assembly Government’s revised concordats with Whitehall Departments will be finalised.
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport
Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister list all roads schemes considered or planned under the National Transport Plan? (WAQ54593)
The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): In developing the National Transport Plan (NTP) all schemes from the trunk road forward programme (December 2008) were considered. Those proposals planned to start construction over the next five years are now listed in the NTP consultation draft. Transport Grant schemes were not considered, however four of the larger schemes are refered to in the text. All schemes in the NTP are presented by corridor and date. A list of road schemes taken from the NTP is given below.
Programmed to start construction before April 2011:
• A470 Penloyn to Tan Lan
• A470 Cwmbach to Newbridge
• A470 Gelligemlyn
• A470 Maes yr Helmau to Cross Foxes
• A470 Alltmawr
• A470 Pentrefelin to Bodnant West Lodge
• A487 Porthmadog, Minffordd and Tremadog
• A483 Four Crosses
• A40 the Kell
Programmed to start construction before April 2014:
• A470 Rhayader
• A470 Plas Maenan and Bodhyfryd
• A470 and A483 through Builth Wells
• A487 Caernarfon to Bontnewydd
• A483 Newtown
• A465 Brynmawr to Tredegar (scheduled to complete by 2014)
• A465 Gilwern to Brynmawr
• A477 St Clears to Red Roses
Schemes unlikely to start construction before 2014:
• A483 Llandeilo
• A40 Llanddewi Velfrey to Penblewin
• A4042 Llanellen
• A465:A470 to Hirwaun and A465 Dowlias Top to A470 (A465 to be competed by 2020)
• A458 Buttington Cross to Wollaston Cross
• A55 Abergwyngregyn to Tai’r Meibion, and increase capacity of A55 across the Menai
We will also assist the relevant Local Authority to:
• complete the Port Talbot Peripheral Distibutor Road;
• complete Church Village bypass;
• progress the Ceredigion Link Road; and
• provide safety improvements to A4226 Five Mile Lane.
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Does the Minister have plans to charge patients who fail to cancel GP appointments which they subsequently miss? (WAQ54589)
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): I have no immediate plans to introduce charges for patients who miss their appointment. Patients need to take responsibility and cancel their appointments if they are no longer required. I may consider this in the future if it emerges that patients are still continuing to miss their appointments.
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): What discussions has the Minister had with regards to the charging of patients who miss their GP appointments? (WAQ54590)
Edwina Hart: I have had discussions with officials about ways of dealing with patients who miss their appointments. Included in these discussions was the possibility of charging patients and this may be considered as an option in the future.
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs
Brynle Williams (North Wales): Will the Minister make a statement on a cost sharing for animal disease control in Wales? (WAQ54582)
The Minister for Rural Affairs (Elin Jones): No decisions can be taken on implementing the responsibility and cost sharing agenda in Wales until further progress has been made on the devolution of animal health budgets from DEFRA to the Welsh Assembly Government. Until this time, it is impossible to quantify what costs will need to be shared with the industry in Wales and the mechanism for doing so.
Brynle Williams (North Wales): What consideration has the Welsh Assembly Government given to the owners of equines contributing to cost sharing for animal disease control? (WAQ54583)
Elin Jones: Equines will be considered along with all other species as the responsibility and cost sharing agenda is developed.