Answers issued to Members on 18 February 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 and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Questions to the Minister for Heritage

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Questions to the Counsel General and Leader of the House

Questions to the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the First Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52911)

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the First Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52912)

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the First Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52913)

The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): Carbon footprint is taken into consideration when planning Welsh Assembly Government activity in relation to all Ministers, their staff and departmental activity. Efforts to reduce impact are actioned where possible.

As set out in One Wales, the Assembly Government is committed to annual 3% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in areas of devolved competence and to developing sector targets for transport, residential and the public sector.

The first stage of our Climate Change Strategy, which will be published early this year, will set out the broad approach to achieving these commitments and the statutory targets set out in the Climate Change Act 2008.

The second stage of the consultation, which is being developed at present, will focus on the specific actions we intend to take across the Assembly Government to deliver our objectives in relation to climate change. The work underway is requiring all Departments to look closely at their policies, programmes and operations and to identify opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

• Emerging ideas from Departments were discussed alongside proposals from the Climate Change Commission Sub Groups and the recently published advice of the Committee on Climate Change at the meeting of the Climate Change Commission for Wales at the end of January.

• In managing our own estate we have set clear targets as part of achieving Green Dragon Level Five across a succession of Assembly Government sites

We also commissioned an audit of the opportunities to improve the energy performance and reduce emissions across our estate and have a programme of investment to implement these recommendations.

Mark Isherwood (North Wales): What action is the Welsh Assembly Government taking to address concern that ITV Wales plans to stop including signed interpretation in its Wales Tonight bulletins as of Friday 6th February? (WAQ53366) Transferred for answer by the Minister for Heritage.

The Minister for Heritage (Alun Ffred Jones): The Welsh Assembly Government was very concerned to learn about ITV Wales’ decision. Losing this service is a huge blow to viewers in Wales and I have raised this issue with ITV Wales to investigate why this decision was taken. The Welsh Assembly Government acknowledges the importance of British Sign Language (BSL) and recognises it as a language in its own right. Financial support has been provided by the Welsh Assembly Government to support a £2.7 million BSL Futures project aimed at increasing the number of BSL interpreters in Wales. Because of this project, the number of accredited BSL interpreters has increased by 30 and we are keen to build on this success.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By Welsh Assembly Government department what was the total number of complaints received in each year since 1999 and what were the reasons for the complaints? (WAQ53386)

The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): The information available is in the tables below. These record the number of complaints registered by the Assembly Government’s Welsh Language Unit, Access to Information Unit and the Complaints Unit. The information reflects complaints that fall within the scope of the Assembly Government’s Code of Practice on Complaints, which covers complaints in relation to alleged maladministration and/or service failure; complaints relating to requests for information under the Code of Practice on Public Access to Information; and complaints about the Assembly Government’s performance against the requirements of our Welsh Language Scheme.

Statistics relating to maladministration and service failure have been routinely collected at Departmental level since 2004. (The tables below reflect changes in Departmental structure since that time.) The information on complaints relating to failure to provide information and failure to meet the commitments of our Welsh Language Scheme is published annually in the 'report on the implementation of open government legislation and policies’, which can be found at:

http://new.wales.gov.uk/publications/accessinfo/OpenGovReports/?lang=en and the 'Iaith Pawb and Welsh Language Scheme Annual Report’, which can be found at http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/welshlanguage/publications/iaithannual0708/?lang=en These reports do not include a breakdown by department.

Complaints reported to the WAG Complaints Unit by Department, 2004/05

Complaints reported to the WAG Complaints Unit by Department, 2005/06

Complaints reported to the WAG Complaints Unit by Department, 2006/07

Complaints reported to the WAG Complaints Unit by Department, 2007/08

(1) CADW joined Department for Rural Affairs and Heritage on 01/10/2007.

(2) Constitutional Affairs, Equality and Communication Department introduced from 01/10/2007.

Complaints reported to the WAG Access to Information Unit

Complaints reported to the WAG Welsh Language Unit

Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on the latest developments in relation to the military academy at St. Athan? (WAQ52855)

Substantive answer following holding reply.

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): The Welsh Assembly Government remains committed to the regeneration of the MoD site at St Athan and we are working closely with both the Ministry of Defence and Metrix to progress the redevelopment proposals for the site.

The development proposals for the St Athan site, which comprises the proposed Defence Technical Academy and an Aerospace Business Park, are currently undergoing an extensive programme of pre-planning public consultation which will be continuing through to early 2009. Currently public workshops and interest groups are taking place or are planned over the coming months to better understand public concerns and issues with specific aspects of the proposals, for example transportation, community facilities, environment, etc. I understand that you attended both the transport and community facilities workshop held this month and I hope you found them useful.

Further details about the project and the public consultation can be found on the following website: www.st-athanconsultation.co.uk

The submission of formal planning applications for these development proposals remains as programmed for Spring 2009.

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Does the Welsh Assembly Government have plans to introduce recovery packages, similar to that deployed in Ebbw Vale, to areas of Wales affected by the economic downturn? (WAQ3062)

Substantive answer following holding reply.

The Deputy Minister for Regeneration (Leighton Andrews): The Ebbw Vale Steelworks regeneration Programme is a joint venture between the Assembly Government and Blaenau Gwent CBC. This was set up in 2002 as a response to the closure of the steelworks and the impact this would have on the local economy. The reclamation of the site is due for completion this year.

The project will include 60,413 square metres of business space; 720 new homes and the 107-bed Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan Hospital which is currently under construction.

Responses to other specific closures will be assessed on a case by case basis.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52914) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52915) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52916) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How much funding from the Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills budget is being used to fund the ProAct and ReAct schemes? (WAQ53381)

The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): Funding for ProAct and React is as set out below:

ReAct

DCELLS Funding during this period = £7,288,820

ProAct

DCELLS Funding during this period = £3,004,568

An additional £2m is subject to approval of bids.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a detailed breakdown of funding sources for ProAct and ReAct schemes? (WAQ53382)

Jane Hutt: Funding for ProAct and React is as set out below:

ReAct

ESF Project approved from 1/10/08 to 30/6/13

WAG funding during this period = £7,288,820

ESF Funding during this period = £15,843,510

Total funding available = £23,132,330

ProAct

ESF Project approved from 2/1/09 to 30/6/11

WAG Funding during this period = £5,004,568

ESF Funding during this period = £38,940,000

Total funding currently available = £43,944,568

Further bids for £2m for ProAct funding are underway.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): How much money has been committed to supporting workers into training and skills development under the Welsh Assembly Government’s ProAct scheme? (WAQ53383)

Jane Hutt: We are now processing the first fully completed training plans for the ProAct scheme and are working with a number of companies who have been endorsed by the panel at the first stage of application. The funding committed in principle to these companies is approx £9m. Until fully worked up plans are submitted we do not have accurate costs of training and wage subsidies.

An additional £2.5m worth of applications are in progress and we are working with them to resolve queries.

The ProAct scheme is very fast moving and the number of applications being progressed through the system increases daily.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the uptake of the Welsh Assembly Government’s ProAct scheme? (WAQ53384)

Jane Hutt: The pilot phase of the ProAct scheme, which has focused primarily on the Automotive sector, has been very successful. The panel, which includes members of Unite the Union, SEMTA the Sector Skills Council for manufacturing, and the Wales Automotive Forum have received 49 applications to date and have been able to endorse the vast majority with minor queries. Feedback from employers involved in the process has been extremely positive.

Since the 26th January when John Griffiths announced the level of ESF funding we have received a high level of queries from other sectors and have provided significant levels of information to companies interested in ProAct. We are expecting to start receiving non-automotive businesses cases in the near future.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the number of workers and employers involved in the Welsh Assembly Government’s ProAct scheme? (WAQ53385)

Jane Hutt: We are currently working with the first companies to be endorsed by the panel and are awaiting detailed training plans to be submitted before accurate details will be available. The endorsed applications represent around 3,600 employees. This is based on 46 companies.

We expect this number to increase significantly now we have opened up the scheme to non-automotive companies.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce her carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52929) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52930) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52931) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Does the Minister have plans to revise guidance issued to Local Planning Authorities regarding base stations for mobile telephone masts and, if so, what are the timescales for the revision of the guidance? (WAQ53423)

The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing (Jane Davidson): I have no current plans to revise the guidance. I will consider the findings of the research that we commissioned on mobile phone operators permitted development rights before deciding the way forward. The report will be placed on the website.

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister make a statement on base stations for mobile telephone masts and the current planning system in Wales? (WAQ53424)

Jane Davidson: The Welsh Assembly Government recognises the need for high speed telecommunications services throughout Wales. The role of the planning system, as set out in 'Planning Policy Wales’, 'Technical Advice Note 19: Telecommunications’ and the 'Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development’, is to help facilitate the roll out of the infrastructure. The aim is for operators, local planning authorities and the community to work together to find the best solutions. A key principle is that the number of masts should be kept to a minimum and shared wherever possible, while existing sites should be re-used when technological advances require new or upgraded base stations.

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on what representations she and her officials have made to electricity suppliers to reduce the cost of electricity to Welsh customers in comparison to English customers? (WAQ53438)

Jane Davidson: I am very concerned about the price that households pay for electricity in Wales, particularly as the proportion of customers not connected to the gas grid is higher in Wales than in most other parts of the UK. These customers are therefore unable to benefit from competitive duel fuel discounts available to other households.

I have made my views clear on this issue and last year asked the regulator, Ofgem, to investigate the cost of energy and price differentials paid by Welsh and English customers. The key findings from Ofgem’s energy supply markets probe were published in October.

My officials also liaise with Ofgem officials on this issue on a regular basis.

Since last year, I have been holding talks with individual energy companies with this issue being top of my agenda during these meetings. I have stressed to each of them my concerns that Welsh customers appear to be paying more for their electricity compared to other parts of the UK.

In November I met, with the Chair of the Welsh Fuel Poverty Advisory Group, Roy Roberts, the big six energy companies at our first round table meeting.

At this meeting, which will take place every six months in future, the cost of energy and the price differentials between different areas of Wales and elsewhere was the main agenda item.

Both myself and Roy Roberts stressed how important it was that any reduction in energy costs should be passed on to customers in Wales as soon as possible.

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on when she expects to announce the rent increase in social housing in Wales and how much that increase will be? (WAQ52830)

The Deputy Minister for Housing (Jocelyn Davies): My officials are currently drafting a submission for my consideration in order that I might decide the levels of social housing rent increases for 2009-10. I anticipate publishing a statement of information on this issue before Christmas.

Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Will the Minister rank each Welsh local authority by the percentage change in the number of properties in the social rented sector in its area since 1997? (WAQ52848)

Jocelyn Davies: Latest published figures from 2007 show that since 1997 the number of socially rented properties (Local Authority and Registration Social Landlord properties) has decreased by 12 per cent across Wales as a whole.

The change varied from an increase of 3 per cent in Ceredigion to a decrease of 23 per cent in Blaenau Gwent. The percentage change for each of the 22 unitary Authorities is shown in the following table, with the biggest percentage increase at the top and the biggest decrease at the bottom.

Social Sector housing stock (a)

Source: Welsh Housing Statistics

(a) Data taken from Housing Revenue Account Subsidy (HRAS) second advance form for local authorities and RSL1, 2, 23 and 4 annual returns for registered social landlords.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce her carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52917) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity/ (WAQ52918) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52919)

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52920) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52921) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52922) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What assessment has the Minister made of the risks to human health of the cumulative impact of base stations for mobile telephone masts? (WAQ53426)

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What assessment has the Minister made of the risks to human health from base stations for mobile telephone masts? (WAQ53427)

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): The Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency (HPA), advises the Welsh Assembly Government in relation to the protection of communities from radiation hazards including mobile phone technology.

The Stewart Report, issued in May 2000, forms the basis of current Government policy and concluded that the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near base stations, on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. Results of typical exposures from UK base stations showed that exposures at locations accessible to the public are in fact thousands of times lower than the ICNIRP guidelines.

A review of the Stewart Report advice in 2005 by the former National Radiological Protection Board (now part of the HPA) concluded that the main conclusions of the Stewart Report in 2000 still applied. The report noted that within the UK there is a lack of hard information showing that mobile phone systems in use are damaging health.

Whilst there is currently no evidence of serious risk it is important that new technologies are monitored for harmful effects and kept under review.

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Is the Minister aware of the cost savings that will be achieved in neonatal care as a result of the adoption of Single Embryo Transfer in IVF and will these savings be reinvested in fertility treatment? (WAQ53434)

Edwina Hart: Health Commission Wales (HCW) who commission IVF services has been working with the All-Wales Specialist Fertility Advisory Group to discuss the potential reduction in cot days required as a result in reduction of multiple births. No nationally agreed assumptions exist around the likely reduction in multiple births as a result of the implementation of elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET), so this makes it difficult to predict how this will impact on other services within the NHS.

It would be very difficult to make a direct link between any reduced requirement for neonatal care and the adoption of eSET in fertility services as IVF babies account for an indeterminate proportion of premature and multiple births, or births resulting in a requirement for Neonatal Intensive Care (NIC) for other reasons. It would be even more difficult to achieve actual cash-releasing savings as the demand on NIC services is consistently high.

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Will the Minister make a statement on whether infertility treatment will be included in the 18-week waiting time initiative? (WAQ53435)

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): What initiatives is the Welsh Assembly Government taking to reduce waiting lists for fertility treatment in each Tertiary Centre? (WAQ53436)

Edwina Hart: All patients have to wait 12 months before being recommended for IVF treatment. Once a decision has been made to proceed with IVF, certain stages of the complicated pathway are included within the 26-week referral to treatment pathway. Stages 1 and 2 which relate to medical intervention such as hormone treatment and surgical intervention are included. Stage 3, which is for assisted conception, is not included as this needs to be carried out at a time that is convenient and suitable for the patient and that gives the greatest opportunity for success.

With regard to any initiatives to reduce the waiting lists, there are none planned at present. HCW monitor the numbers waiting on a monthly basis so that any patients who may be waiting for long periods can be easily identified.

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Will the Minister make a statement on how the Welsh Assembly Government intends to encourage full implementation of the NICE Fertility Guideline in Wales? (WAQ53437)

Edwina Hart: Based on the guidelines introduced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) it was agreed that, on balance, the fairest way to implement an equitable service across Wales, within the available resources, was to offer new and existing patients one cycle of treatment which would be subject to a number of criteria. The IVF access criteria across Wales were implemented by Health Commission Wales in July 2005.

Whilst I recognise that one cycle of IVF treatment falls short of the NICE recommendation of three cycles, the budget position of the NHS in Wales does not allow an increased service at the current time beyond one cycle of treatment.  

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce her carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52926) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52927) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52928) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Heritage

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52938) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52939) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ53049) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52935) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52936) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52937) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52923) Transferred for answer by the First Minister.

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52924) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52925) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.

Questions to the Counsel General and Leader of the House

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in the last 12 months to reduce his carbon footprint in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52932) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in reducing the carbon footprint of their staff in relation to Welsh Assembly Government activity? (WAQ52933) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What action has the Minister taken in relation to reducing the carbon footprint of their departmental activities in the past year? (WAQ52934) Transferred for answer by the First Minister

The First Minister: I refer you to the answer to WAQ52911.