Written Questions Answered Between 22 February and 1 March 2007
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Written Questions answered between 22 February and 1 March 2007 [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 Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Questions to the Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks Questions to the Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Questions to the Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside Questions to the Finance Minister Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration Questions to the Business Minister Questions to the First Minister Nick Bourne: How much was spent by the Minister’s department on hospitality in 2006? (WAQ49223) Nick Bourne: Will the Minister provide a list of the overseas visits undertaken on Assembly business in 2006, together with the cost of each visit? (WAQ49226) The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): Hospitality expenditure incurred during the 2006 calendar year is set out in the table below. Department £’000 Education Lifelong Learning and Skills 7 Enterprise Innovation and Networks 371 Environment Planning and Countryside 125 Health and Social Services 38 Local Government and Public Services 6 Culture 34 Social Justice and Regeneration 11 Health Inspectorates(1) 6 Corporate Departments(2) 196 Total 795 (1) Health inspectorates include: the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales, the Social Services Inspectorate for Wales and Health Inspectorate Wales. These costs are recorded within with the inspectorates main expenditure group. (2) Corporate departments include: finance, human resources, strategy communications and equality, legal services, corporate information and services, the office of the First Minister, and the office of the Permanent Secretary. Ministerial Visits Abroad I have set out the ministerial visits abroad undertaken during the 2006 calendar year in the tables below. I have also included costs, including the costs of accompanying officials, where they can be directly attributed to the visit (any costs incurred by Ministers and/or officials which have been reclaimed through expenses are not readily available and not included). The First Minister Destination Cost Purpose (£) Dubai 4,316 trade mission Brittany 2,995 address plenary of Brittany council Brussels 390 series of meetings Riga 2,189 trade mission and to strengthen links under the memorandum of understanding Total 9,889 The Minister for Education Lifelong Learning and Skills Destination Cost Purpose (£) Lesotho 6,006 meet Lesotho Minister for education and training Brussels 121 European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning board meeting Brussels 0 European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning conference Paris 527 UNESCO Boston 9,937 INET conference Dublin 0* Meeting on lifting the compulsory learning age Total 16,591 The Minister for Enterprise Innovation and Networks Destination Cost Purpose (£) Cork 385 fact finding for north Wales regatta (with Las) Brussels 2,471 presentation on the Galileo project Total 2,856 The Minister for Environment Planning and Countryside Destination Cost Purpose (£) Guernsey 961 British-Irish Council Montpellier 1,843 agri-food development conference Dubai 7,385 Welsh lamb launch Total 10,189 The Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services Destination Cost Purpose (£) Denmark 9,614 International Federation on Ageing conference Total 9,614 The Minister for Culture Welsh Language and Sport Destination Cost Purpose (£) Ireland 143 British-Irish Council Total 143 I will place a copy of this reply in the Assembly Library. Nick Bourne: How much was spent by the Minister’s department on publicity in 2006? (WAQ49224) Substantive answer following holding reply. The First Minister: I can confirm that the cost of my annual report was £16,000. Leanne Wood: Will the First Minister confirm the number of chauffeured ministerial cars that operate on alternative fuels? (WAQ49406) The First Minister: The existing fleet is diesel powered but a hybrid petrol/electric Toyota Prius is currently on order. In addition, we are currently trialling a Saab 9-5 Bio-Power car which runs on bio- ethanol (E85), an alternative fuel produced from a variety of biomass sources. Questions to the Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Nick Bourne: Will the Minister provide a list of the overseas visits undertaken on Assembly business in 2006, together with the cost of each visit? (WAQ49212) Transferred for answer by the First Minister. Nick Bourne: How much was spent by the Minister’s department on publicity in 2006? (WAQ49214) Transferred for answer by the First Minister. The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): I refer you to WAQ49223 and WAQ49226. Alun Ffred Jones: Faint o bobl sydd wedi ymgeisio i fod yn aelodau o Fwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg? (WAQ49371) [W] Y Gweinidog dros Ddiwylliant, y Gymraeg a Chwaraeon (Alun Pugh): Mae 69 o bobl wedi ymgeisio i fod yn aelodau o Fwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg. Alun Ffred Jones: How many people have applied to become members of the Welsh Language Board? (WAQ49371) [W] The Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport (Alun Pugh): 69 people have applied to become members of the Welsh Language Board. Alun Ffred Jones: Sawl lle gwag sydd i’w llenwi ar Fwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg? (WAQ49372) [W] Alun Pugh: Mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru yn cynnal proses benodiadau cyhoeddus i benodi pump aelod i Fwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg Alun Ffred Jones: How many vacancies are there to be filled within the Welsh Language Board? (WAQ49372) [W] Alun Pugh: The Welsh Assembly Government is conducting a public appointments process to appoint five members to the Welsh Language Board. Nick Bourne: Will the Minister make a statement on Wales’s role in the Olympic Games of 2012? (WAQ49387) Substantive answer following holding reply issued on 19 February 2007. Alun Pugh: Cardiff and Wales will, of course, be an Olympic venue with soccer matches taking place at the Millennium stadium, and I am confident Welsh athletes can win many medals for Team GB in the (2008 and) 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Val Lloyd: Will the Minister make a statement on the impact of his policies on the constituency of Swansea East? (WAQ49439) Alun Pugh: My policies for promoting culture, Welsh language and sport are benefiting people in all parts of Wales, including those in your constituency. For example: • We are making steady progress in our effort to reach the targets set within Climbing Higher. The Sports Council for Wales report that since 2002-03 adult physical activity levels have increased by an impressive 4 per cent, showing the evidence that our range of programmes is already beginning to make a difference. In 2006-07, the Sports Council for Wales, via the Community Chest, has directed funding of over £13,000 to 20 projects for the local development of sport in Swansea East; • Through Cadw, the Assembly Government has offered approx £25,000 in grant to help restore and repair some of Wales’s most important historic buildings in the Swansea East constituency, including Henlyn Isaf in Ystradgynlais; • Through CyMAL, the Welsh Assembly Government supported local museums, archives and libraries in Swansea, which serves Swansea East, by allocating some £85,000 in 2005-06 and £100,000 in 2006-07 in the following projects: CyMAL Grants in Swansea 2005-06 Grants Claimed 2006-07 Grants Allocated Museums £25,113.45 £19,080.36 Archives £9,614.31 £2,960.00 @ Your Library £3,965.70 £42,476.00 Inspiring learning £46,175.27 £36,331.63 Total £84,868.73 £100,847.99 • The City and County of Swansea Council is currently developing an arts strategy with support of the Arts Council of Wales. This will involve a public event in April to take forward the arts in Swansea, including Swansea East; • The Swansea National Eisteddfod last year was extremely successful and attracted over 155,000 including many young people from Communities First areas. It is important to recognise the contribution the Eisteddfod makes to the vitality of Welsh language in the communities it visits. A report on the impact of the 2006 Swansea Eisteddfod showed that 80 per cent of learners agreed that the Eisteddfod had inspired them to learn more about Welsh culture. I was also interested to note in the same report that last year’s Swansea Eisteddfod had injected £6 million into the local economy. Questions to the Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks Nick Bourne: Will the Minister provide a list of the overseas visits undertaken on Assembly business in 2006, together with the cost of each visit? (WAQ49241) Transferred for answer by the First Minister. Nick Bourne: How much was spent by the Minister’s department on hospitality in 2006? (WAQ49238) Transferred for answer by the First Minister. The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): I refer you to WAQ49223 and WAQ49226. Nick Bourne: What discussions or correspondence has he had with Westminster colleagues in the last twelve months regarding the issue of nuclear power in Wales, and will he provide details? (WAQ49242) The Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks (Andrew Davies): I am writing following your tabling of WAQ49242 on 29 January for answer on 5 February. Unfortunately, due to an administrative error, my response to your answer was delayed and I apologise for this. You asked what discussions or correspondence I have had with Westminster colleagues in the last 12 months regarding the issue of nuclear power in Wales. I regularly discuss and correspond with Westminster colleagues on the full range of energy issues affecting Wales, including nuclear policy and issues surrounding extending the operational life of Wylfa power station. Alun Ffred Jones: What assessment has the Minister made of the progress of the entrepreneurial action plan for Wales? (WAQ49262) Substantive answer following holding reply issued on 9 February 2007.