Answers issued to Members on 22 October 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 Health and Social Services

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

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

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister give an update on the efforts of the Welsh Assembly Government in supporting the restoration of the ferry link between Swansea and Cork? (WAQ52628)

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport (Ieuan Wyn Jones): My officials continue to work closely with the port authority who are making every effort to secure a commercial solution to reinstate the Swansea to Cork ferry link.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of social services in Gwynedd in view of the recent report by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales? (WAQ52634)

The Deputy Minister for Social Services (Gwenda Thomas): The Joint Review found that Gwynedd Council has inconsistent services and was badly placed to sustain and improve services. Most people get help that is safe and caring but a significant number do not receive services that are sufficiently focused on enabling maximum independence and control.

The report indicated that there was not yet a broad range of modernised services in place and there were gaps with problems in ensuring flexibility, choice and consistent geographical coverage.

Restructuring was found to have diverted management energy away from service improvement and progress has not kept pace with that made by many other authorities in Wales.

Members and corporate officers were identified as needing to drive forward strategic development and implementation of plans. The council is now preparing an action plan to demonstrate how they will make the necessary improvements. I know that both the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office are putting in place a robust monitoring programme over the next year to ensure Gwynedd Council effectively tackle this challenging agenda.

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

Mike German (South Wales East): How many hectares of Planted Ancient Woodland Sites on the National Assembly Woodland estate are scheduled to be clear-felled over the next three years, according to the relevant Forest Design Plan? (WAQ52604)

The Minister for Rural Affairs (Elin Jones):

Source: Forestry Commission Forest Design Plans

Recent research suggests that in some cases, clearfelling and then replanting or allowing an ancient site to regenerate naturally is the best option to re-create the native woodland which would have previously existed. Clearfelling of Western Hemlock also continues, in line with best practice, as such a prolific species will stifle the regeneration of any native woodland.

Mike German (South Wales East): How many hectares of Planted Ancient Woodland Sites on the National Assembly Woodland estate have been replanted with conifers over the last three years? (WAQ52605)

Elin Jones:

Source: Forestry Commission’s Sub-compartment database

There are a small number of sites where a conifer species is the best species for the site.

Mike German (South Wales East): How many hectares of Planted Ancient Woodland Sites on the National Assembly Woodland estate are scheduled to be replanted with conifers over the next three years, according to the relevant Forest Design Plan? (WAQ52606)

Elin Jones:

Source: Forestry Commission Forest Design Plans

There are a small number of sites where a conifer species is the best species for the site.

Mike German (South Wales East): How many hectares of Planted Ancient Woodland Sites on the National Assembly Woodland estate have been clear-felled over the last three years? (WAQ52607)

Elin Jones: We do not collate this information as standard, and such information is very difficult to glean from historical records from our management tool, the sub-compartment database without large resource input.

We can estimate the area of clearfelling on PAWS sites as follows: Almost all sites which are clearfelled will be restocked. The main reasons for not restocking would be environmental (eg riparian zones).

Total area of PAWS sites restocked

Source: Forestry Commission’s sub-compartment database

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How many organic farm payments are currently waiting to be paid? (WAQ52609)

Elin Jones: Of the claims that have been validated, there are 297 Organic farming Scheme payments waiting to be paid.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How many Tir Gofal payments are currently waiting to be paid? (WAQ52610)

Elin Jones: There are 435 Tir Gofal payments currently not validated and due for payment.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How many Tir Cynnal payments are currently waiting to be paid? (WAQ52611)

Elin Jones: There are 22 Tir Cynnal payments currently waiting to be paid.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): What margin of error does the Welsh Assembly Government accept in reading electronic identification tags when spot checks are carried out for subsidy claims? (WAQ52612)

Elin Jones: Electronic identification tags are not considered official identification and therefore not currently read when carrying out cross compliance checks under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS).

In readiness for 2010, and the expected introduction of electronic identification for sheep, The Rural Inspectorate for Wales (RIW), along with the other inspection bodies in the UK, are considering how the technology can be used when undertaking statutory inspections.

Council Regulation 21/2004 already requires that farm records are maintained for all sheep and goats, the additional requirements, beginning in 2010 are that sheep and goats born after 31 December 2009 (subject to any decision to adopt the slaughter derogation) will require individual records to be maintained.

It is important to highlight that there is no compulsion for records to be maintained electronically or for keepers to use the electronic devices when maintaining those records. If preferred, keepers can continue maintaining manual records although it is recognised that keepers of large flocks might consider moving to electronic record keeping to be less onerous.

I am working with the industry and enforcement bodies to identify the most suitable implementation options. Decisions on the new rules will be taken next year after a full public consultation.

Karen Sinclair (Clwyd South): Will the Minister make a statement on recent Assembly Government funding support made available for Rural Affairs projects in the constituency of Clwyd South? (WAQ52614)

Elin Jones: Recent and anticipated Welsh Assembly Government funding support made available for Rural Affairs projects in the constituency of Clwyd South is as follows:

Axes 3 & 4 of the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-13

Axes 3 & 4 support rural communities by funding activities to diversify the rural economy and improve the quality of life in rural communities. The total commitment values for the first Business Plan period

(20th June 2008 to 28th February 2011) are:

Denbighshire £4,267,038.00 (13 projects)

Flintshire £3,057,595.20 (12 projects)

Wrexham £3,654,527.63 (28 projects)

Rural Retail Programme

Under the Rural Retail Programme there is funding available for Vital Rural Retailers to receive up to 2 days specialist and access a grant up to £5,000 at a 50:50 grant rate. In the last 18 months the Welsh Assembly Government supported 2 retailers in Denbighshire and 1 in Flintshire. The total budget for the Rural Retail programme is £80,000 per annum.

Other grants

In addition, a business in Corwen received a Farm Improvement Grant of £19,462.97 in April 2007 and a bakery project in Minera received a processing and marketing grant of £624,445 in April 2008.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Exactly how many Welsh farmers have a certificate of competence for transporting livestock, to comply with Council Regulation (EC) no. 1/2005 which came into force on January 2005? (WAQ52627)

Elin Jones: The nominated bodies responsible for providing the training and assessments in the UK do not have a comparable system in place to identify farmers from other transporters of livestock that have gained a certificate of competence. Farmers moving their own stock up to 65km (approx 40 miles) are outside the scope of the regulations and do not require a certificate of competence.

Providing such a figure is not possible from the information available, however, the nominated training bodies have indicated that in the region of 10,000 transporters (including farmers) have gained a certificate of competence through training providers in Wales.