Answers issued to Members on 19 September 2008 [R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh. Contents 2 Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport 3 Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills 4 Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing Answers issued to Members on 19 September 2008 Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport Irene James (Islwyn): Will the Minister provide details of Communities Facilities and Activities Programme Grants awarded in the Islwyn constituency of Islwyn since April 2003, as well as the names and locations of projects that have received this Grant? (WAQ52467) Transferred for written answer to the Deputy Minister for Regeneration. The Deputy Minister for Regeneration (Leighton Andrews): Since the launch of CFAP in 2002 twelve projects have been approved in Islwyn with grants totaling £710,688. A list of the projects is attached. Applications to the Community Facilities and Activities Programme Approved in Islwyn Since 2002 Applicant Project Amount Awarded Paran Presbyterian Improvement to the toilet facilities so that they are £28,000.00 Church accessible to the disabled Markham Congregational Disabled access to church. £9,740.00 Community Group Crosskeys Methodist Refurbishment of community building £22,184.00 Church Ebenezer Baptist Church, To extend, improve and refurbish the current premises, £189,584.70 Pengam which provides facilities for the whole community to participate in and enjoy . St Peter’s Church Roof repairs to the community hall to enable residents to £36,622.09 Community Hall, Pantside make maximum use of the existing community hall. Penllwyn Community The construction of a Multi Use Games Area. £84,654.00 Partnership Hafodyrynys Community The replacement of the current community building, which £100,000.00 Association is beyond economic repair, with a new building to comply with modern requirements including disabled access. Hope Baptist Church To provide new flooring to the old school room, a heavy £12,378.13 duty gas oven, fire detection and alarm systems, and the installation of emergency lighting. Trinity Congregational Refurbishment of Trinity Congregational Chapel. This will £100,000.00 Church help to build the local community sprit delivering a better quality of life for residents through training, voluntary sector projects and health improvements, becoming DDA compliant the facility will be used by the whole community. Crosskeys Methodist Funding is being sought to help refurbish the Crosskeys £17,204.00 Church Methodist Community Hall, the work will include renewing the electrics and fitting a stairlift. The Hall provides a base for activities tackling social isolation, and the organisation works in partnership with the police, GAVO, local schools and the local authority, encouraging more active lifestyles, social interaction, training and education. Llanfach Community Funding has been requested to provide a Multi Use Games £75,000.00 Association Area in Llanfach. This is a well supported project which will provide a much needed youth facility combating anti social behaviour. Britannia Community The aim of this project is to provide a play area in the £35,321.02 Association community for the younger children, there is already a MUGA which provides facilities for older children but at present there are no facilities for younger children. Not only 2 Answers issued to Members on 19 September 2008 will the facility encourage a more healthy and active lifestyle for the children, but it will also address the problems of social exclusion by encouraging parents and guardians to meet in a central area whilst the children play. Total £710,687.94 Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills Mark Isherwood (North Wales): Further to the response to WAQ52341, did any of the officials who attended the 10 January and 4 February meetings report back to your department? (WAQ52469) The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): The senior official from the Welsh Assembly Government who attended both meetings has day to day responsibility for the policy and implementation of special educational needs in Wales and, as such, represents my Department. Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Further to WAQ52334, how much of the £9.1 million is given to each LEA in Wales and what guidelines does the Welsh Assembly Government issue on how this money should be spent? (WAQ52459) The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): Individual awards of Minority Ethnic Achievement Grant are determined annually based on information supplied by LEAs. A funding formula is applied which takes account of the number of eligible pupils; their Key Stages and their levels of acquisition of English as an Additional Language. The grant awards for 2008-09 are set out below. The main guidelines on how the money must be spent are set out in the formal Terms and Conditions of grant. Further guidance can be given in the invitation to bid letters to Directors of Education and supplementary guidance about the grant scheme may also be given to them in-year. Minority Ethnic Achievement Grant (MEAG) – 2008 – 09 Local Education Authority £s Anglesey 37,000 Blaenau Gwent 18,000 Bridgend 90,000 Caerphilly 47,000 Cardiff 4,093,000 Carmarthenshire 205,000 Ceredigion 100,000 Conwy 74,000 Denbighshire 100,000 Flintshire 87,000 Gwynedd 61,000 Merthyr Tydfil 59,000 Monmouthshire 53,000 Neath Port Talbot 134,000 Newport 1,612,000 Pembrokeshire 74,000 3 Answers issued to Members on 19 September 2008 Powys 197,000 RCT 124,000 Swansea 1,450,000 Torfaen 64,000 Vale of Glamorgan 159,000 Wrexham 262,000 Total 9,100,000 Questions to the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing Peter Black (South Wales West): How many new affordable homes were provided in Wales in 2007-08 through acquisition, rehabilitation and hostels? (WAQ52450) The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing (Jane Davidson): The figures below show the numbers of new affordable homes provided in 2007-08 for each category through the Social Housing Grant programme. Figures for non-grant funded developments are not available. Acquisitions (Do-it-Yourself Homebuy properties) 229 Rehabilitation 52 Hostels 0 Peter Black (South Wales West): How many new affordable homes were provided in Wales in 2007-08 through low cost home ownership schemes? (WAQ52451) The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing (Jane Davidson): In 2007-08, 229 new affordable homes were provided for low cost home ownership through the Do-it-Yourself Homebuy scheme funded via the Social Housing Grant programme. Figures for non-grant funded developments are not available. 4.