Written Questions Answered Between 8 and 15 March 2007
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Written Questions answered between 8 and 15 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 Skills 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 First Minister Jonathan Morgan: Will the First Minister make a statement on the number and cost of civil servants employed by the Welsh Assembly Government? (WAQ47069) Substantive answer following holding reply. The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): The Permanent Secretary has supplied the following answer: As Assembly Government staffing is my responsibility the First Minister has asked me to write to you on these matters. I wrote to you separately in December 2005 and January 2006 in response to a number of written Assembly questions (WAQ44881, WAQ44882, WAQ44869 and WAQ44883) tabled for the First Minister about the numbers of Assembly staff, the costs of administration and the salary bill of civil servants. In my responses (attached for your information) I provided you with details of staff numbers and costs from the inception of the Assembly as requested. The increases in staff numbers and associated costs have occurred as the Government has taken on responsibility for a broad range of functions either new or previously external to the Assembly. These include the transfer of: 2000-01 197 staff from WHCSA, Health Promotion Wales, WORD, WEPE and Wales Trade International. 2001-02 116 staff from the Clinical, Effectiveness support unit, Welsh drug and alcohol unit and the farming and rural conservation agency 2002-03 254 staff from Care Standards Inspectorate Wales, Welsh Nursing and Midwifery Board and the Wales Export Association. 2003-04 73 staff transferred from Health Commission Wales, Rent officer service and the Drug and Alcohol team. More recent examples include the assimilation of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Services (CAFCASS) in April 2005 when 149 staff transferred and the increase in responsibility for the management of veterinary services in Wales which had previously been a DEFRA function. The establishment of the Assembly saw a fundamental change in the nature of the governance arrangements for Wales which resulted in a necessary growth in the administration machinery established to serve the Welsh Assembly Government. In addition, the administration costs budget has delivered the Assembly Government’s commitment to address the equalisation of pay for Assembly civil servants. Turning to the current financial year, the administration costs budget for 2006-07 includes provision for the costs of the merging ASPB organisations (1595 additional staff). The 2006-07 baselines were reduced by £3.2 million (and £6.3 million in 2007-08) in order to deliver our contribution to the Making the Connections efficiency savings. I am copying this letter to the First Minister and placing a copy in the Library. Jonathan Morgan: Will the First Minister provide a) details of all official visits undertaken in the last 12 months as part his official duties, b) the number of officials in attendance and c) the total cost of the visit? (WAQ48309) Substantive answer following holding reply. The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): Further to the holding reply in response to the above written assembly question, I am pleased to provide you with a composite final response on behalf of myself and the other Ministers. The details that you requested in part a) of the above questions are shown in the attached table, with the exception of the information relating to the Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, because the information is publicly available in annex A of her ministerial report, which is published on the committee services website each month. The information that you requested in part b) of your question is not routinely recorded. Similary, the costs you requested in part c) of your questions are not collated or recorded on an individual basis for visits within the United Kingdom. Please see attached file. Questions to the Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Jonathan Morgan: Will the Minister provide a) details of all official visits undertaken in the last 12 months as part his official duties, b) the number of officials in attendance and c) the total cost of the visit? (WAQ48310) Transferred for answer by the First Minister. Substantive answer following holding reply. The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): I refer you to the answer that I gave to written Assembly question WAQ48309. Laura Anne Jones: Will the Minister make a statement on how the Welsh Assembly Government ensures that money from the Treasury benefits sport in Wales? (WAQ49681) The Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport (Alun Pugh): I launched the ‘Climbing Higher: Next Steps’ document last year, which set out a framework for investment in sport and physical activity. Our delivery agent, the Sports Council for Wales, is in the process of developing a range of programmes and initiatives that will target resources in a way that maximises opportunities for participation across all age, gender and social groups. Lisa Francis: When will the feasibility study into the National Museums and Galleries of Wales art display space, which is being led by the culture department, be completed and when will the Minister publish the results of the study? (WAQ49685) Alun Pugh: I have set up a steering group to commission a feasibility study for a national art gallery and a national contemporary art centre. The group contains representatives from the Welsh Assembly Government, Amgueddfa Cymru—National Museum Wales, the Arts Council of Wales and the National Library of Wales. The steering group is in the process of drawing up a timetable for the study, but I expect the consultants to deliver their findings by the end of this calendar year. The study will be published in due course. Lisa Francis: In respect of the culture, Welsh language and sport budget, can the Minister provide an explanation of the total expenditure line that at £137.614 million did not equate with the £143.716 million for 2006-07, set out in the final budget figures presented to committee in June 2006? (WAQ49739) Alun Pugh: I wrote to the chair of the Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee on 15 February 2007 providing the following information for circulation to members of the Committee: The total budget figure for the culture main expenditure group originally was £143,716,000. There was a reduction of £6.102 million as a result of a decrease in the pensions deficit for the national library and National Museums and Galleries of Wales at 31 March 2005 compared to 1 April 2004. This resulted in a revised MEG of £137,614,000. Lisa Francis: Can the Minister explain the whereabouts of the £29.417 million for the culture fund, included in the June 2006 budget figures, but not shown in the current in-year expenditure table? (WAQ49740) Alun Pugh: The culture fund’s current expenditure line shown in the final budget for 2006-07 of £29.417 million is made up of the following: Account Final Budget In-year Expenditure Difference £’000s Table £’000s £’000s ACW Current Grants 24,498 24,248 250 Wales Millennium Centre Direct Revenue 1,195 1,195 Funding Culturenet Cymru 300 300 Welsh Books Council Publishing Grants 2,268 2,268 National Botanic Garden of Wales 150 150 Other Revenue Funding 1,006 831 175 Total 29,417 28,992 425 The difference of £425,000 is as a result of in-year changes between budget expenditure lines within the culture, Welsh language and sport MEG, as previously advised via my letter to the CWLS committee in September 2006. Questions to the Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks Nick Bourne: How many net units of electricity were produced by each Welsh wind farm last, month by month? (WAQ46201) Nick Bourne: How much net electricity was exported to the National Grid on a monthly basis from Cefn Croes wind farm and how much was lost in transmission? (WAQ46202) Nick Bourne: Does the output of Cefn Croes wind farm meet the forecasts provided to and by the Welsh Assembly Government? (WAQ46203) Substantive answer following holding reply. The Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks (Andrew Davies): I am writing in response to three written Assembly questions, 46201-46203, which you tabled on 8 March 2006, about wind farms in Wales. The information that you request on transmission losses and output forecasts on Cefn Croes, and any other wind farm, is not held either by the Welsh Assembly Government, the UK Government, or the regulator, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. To determine actual transmission loss, a calculation of the distance of turbines from the sub-station, and then the distance between the sub-station and the end user, would be required. However, you may wish to have the attached table of registered wind farms located in Wales, with over 50 kW capacity, their registered capacity and the megawatt hours produced, on a monthly basis, from June to December 2005. These statistics were derived from the renewables obligation certificates that each wind farm received during those periods. A ROC is available for eligible renewable energy projects at one ROC per MW output onto the transmission grid. It is important to note that Cefn Croes wind farm has chosen to claim its ROCs through two registered named farms, Cefn Croes and New Werfa, and they are placed together on the table for expediency, which is attached There are a variety of factors affecting output from the wind farms, such as the need for grid balancing, internal power production as opposed to grid supply, maintenance, continued development on projects, or a combination of these factors.