National Assembly for Wales

Llywydd on behalf of the Senedd Commission:

Since 2006, £12,677.74 has been spent on flags. Below is a breakdown of those costs, where possible, and an inventory of current flags stored by Security and the Llywydd’s Private Office, including legacy and inherited flags.

Inventory of flags stored by Security (October 2024).

Inventory of flags stored by the Private Office (October 2024).

All public and private prisons in Wales provide library services to Learners.

The Welsh Government does not mandate schools in receipt of funding for free school meals not to include the ingredients listed above. However, all school food provided in maintained schools in Wales must comply with The Healthy Eating in Schools (Nutritional Standards and Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2013 as well as relevant food law.

The Welsh Government does not monitor schools in receipt of funding for free school meals to ascertain whether meals include the ingredients listed above. All school food must comply with The Healthy Eating in Schools (Nutritional Standards and Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2013 as well as relevant food law.

We accepted the recommendations earlier in the year from the Vocational Qualifications Review including proposals for an approach to ‘made-for-Wales’ vocational qualifications.

We are progressing discussions about how best to align these with related strategic commitments, including our economic mission, net zero agenda, related skills development requirements and increasing participation.

We are working strategically with both Qualifications Wales and the recently established Medr to progress these recommendations, emphasising greater collaboration between education providers, industry and employers to ensure learners are better placed to develop the skills they need to reach their full potential.

We accepted the recommendations earlier in the year from the Vocational Qualifications Review including proposals for an approach to ‘made-for-Wales’ vocational qualifications.

We are progressing discussions about how best to align these with related strategic commitments, including our economic mission, net zero agenda, related skills development requirements and increasing participation.

We are working strategically with both Qualifications Wales and the recently established Medr to progress these recommendations, emphasising greater collaboration between education providers, industry and employers to ensure learners are better placed to develop the skills they need to reach their full potential.

We expect all schools to have appropriate space for books and reading, but we do not collect information on which of these spaces are classed as libraries.

Access to a range of reading materials, and time in the school day to practice reading is central to supporting our children’s literacy.

Public sector budgetary pressures across all public services in Wales are well documented and no organisations, including Natural Resources Wales (NRW), are immune to extremely tough budgetary conversations and subsequent decisions regarding its operations.

NRW is critically reviewing its entire range of activities, recognising that delivery of its core functions and statutory duties must take priority. NRW’s Board is expected to make a decision following this review later in 2024.

Public sector budgetary pressures across all public services in Wales are well documented and no organisations, including Natural Resources Wales (NRW), are immune to extremely tough budgetary conversations and subsequent decisions regarding its operations.

NRW is critically reviewing its entire range of activities, recognising that delivery of its core functions and statutory duties must take priority. NRW’s Board is expected to make a decision following this review later in 2024.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

The rationale was included in the consultation document Raising the weekly maximum charge for adult non-residential care and support | GOV.WALES

The number of registered active childminders in Wales in September 2024 is 1,137 compared to 1,512 in September 2021.

We are committed to supporting individuals across Wales to enter and stay in childminding.

Following publication of the Independent Review of Childminding, a Childminding Review Recommendations Group Overview Panel was established in July 2023 to consider findings.

A range of actions have been developed in response to the recommendations  and a Written Ministerial Statement was published during National Childminding Week (11-17 May) summarising the actions to support childminders in Wales.

We will continue to closely monitor implementation of our actions.

I recognise and value the role that unpaid carers play in caring for their family and friends. Recent analysis by Carers UK and the University of Sheffield found unpaid carers provide care that would cost £10.6 billion per annum if this was provided by health and social care services. 

I am committed to do all I can, within our powers and existing budgetary constraints, to provide support to unpaid carers. We provide support for low-income households to deliver targeted support including through our Discretionary Assistance Fund.

We will continue to do all we can to ensure people claim every pound of benefits and payments to which they are entitled. Our campaign on benefits take-up last financial year provided advice to almost 37,000 people and provided support for them to claim over £10.4m in additional income.

We recognise the important role employers play in supporting unpaid carers to work alongside their caring role. The UK Carer’s Leave Act 2023 came into force this April and brings in the right to one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are caring for a relative or dependant. We will follow with interest the impact of this legislation.

We provide funding to enable unpaid carers to receive specialist support to re-enter the paid workforce. We know unpaid carers have a range of skills that are transferrable to paid employment.

In addition, as a government we are providing funding for the Carers Support Fund which delivers £4.5 million over three years specifically to support unpaid carers on low incomes with small grants to buy essential items. The fund is administered on our behalf by Carers Trust Wales and carers can also access personalised financial advice, as an added value of the scheme.

I am very pleased to hear about the positive impact of the Short Breaks Fund for providing carers with an expanding range of opportunities to take a break from their caring role. The fund has given carers more of a voice, choice and control than traditional respite services.

Continued funding of our programmes from April 2025 is currently under review pending the outcome of the Welsh Government budget discussions for 2025/26. We will communicate further as soon as these discussions are completed.

Eligibility criteria for Carers Allowance, including the 21-hour study rule, is set by the UK Government as this is a reserved matter for the Department for Work and Pensions.  

I recognise and value the role that unpaid carers play in caring for their family and friends. Recent analysis by Carers UK and the University of Sheffield found unpaid carers provide care that would cost £10.6 billion per annum if this was provided by health and social care services. 

I am committed to do all I can, within our powers and existing budgetary constraints, to provide support to unpaid carers. We provide support for low-income households to deliver targeted support including through our Discretionary Assistance Fund.

We will continue to do all we can to ensure people claim every pound of benefits and payments to which they are entitled. Our campaign on benefits take-up last financial year provided advice to almost 37,000 people and provided support for them to claim over £10.4m in additional income.

We recognise the important role employers play in supporting unpaid carers to work alongside their caring role. The UK Carer’s Leave Act 2023 came into force this April and brings in the right to one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are caring for a relative or dependant. We will follow with interest the impact of this legislation.

We provide funding to enable unpaid carers to receive specialist support to re-enter the paid workforce. We know unpaid carers have a range of skills that are transferrable to paid employment.

In addition, as a government we are providing funding for the Carers Support Fund which delivers £4.5 million over three years specifically to support unpaid carers on low incomes with small grants to buy essential items. The fund is administered on our behalf by Carers Trust Wales and carers can also access personalised financial advice, as an added value of the scheme.

I am very pleased to hear about the positive impact of the Short Breaks Fund for providing carers with an expanding range of opportunities to take a break from their caring role. The fund has given carers more of a voice, choice and control than traditional respite services.

Continued funding of our programmes from April 2025 is currently under review pending the outcome of the Welsh Government budget discussions for 2025/26. We will communicate further as soon as these discussions are completed.

Eligibility criteria for Carers Allowance, including the 21-hour study rule, is set by the UK Government as this is a reserved matter for the Department for Work and Pensions.  

I recognise and value the role that unpaid carers play in caring for their family and friends. Recent analysis by Carers UK and the University of Sheffield found unpaid carers provide care that would cost £10.6 billion per annum if this was provided by health and social care services. 

I am committed to do all I can, within our powers and existing budgetary constraints, to provide support to unpaid carers. We provide support for low-income households to deliver targeted support including through our Discretionary Assistance Fund.

We will continue to do all we can to ensure people claim every pound of benefits and payments to which they are entitled. Our campaign on benefits take-up last financial year provided advice to almost 37,000 people and provided support for them to claim over £10.4m in additional income.

We recognise the important role employers play in supporting unpaid carers to work alongside their caring role. The UK Carer’s Leave Act 2023 came into force this April and brings in the right to one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are caring for a relative or dependant. We will follow with interest the impact of this legislation.

We provide funding to enable unpaid carers to receive specialist support to re-enter the paid workforce. We know unpaid carers have a range of skills that are transferrable to paid employment.

In addition, as a government we are providing funding for the Carers Support Fund which delivers £4.5 million over three years specifically to support unpaid carers on low incomes with small grants to buy essential items. The fund is administered on our behalf by Carers Trust Wales and carers can also access personalised financial advice, as an added value of the scheme.

I am very pleased to hear about the positive impact of the Short Breaks Fund for providing carers with an expanding range of opportunities to take a break from their caring role. The fund has given carers more of a voice, choice and control than traditional respite services.

Continued funding of our programmes from April 2025 is currently under review pending the outcome of the Welsh Government budget discussions for 2025/26. We will communicate further as soon as these discussions are completed.

Eligibility criteria for Carers Allowance, including the 21-hour study rule, is set by the UK Government as this is a reserved matter for the Department for Work and Pensions.  

I recognise and value the role that unpaid carers play in caring for their family and friends. Recent analysis by Carers UK and the University of Sheffield found unpaid carers provide care that would cost £10.6 billion per annum if this was provided by health and social care services. 

I am committed to do all I can, within our powers and existing budgetary constraints, to provide support to unpaid carers. We provide support for low-income households to deliver targeted support including through our Discretionary Assistance Fund.

We will continue to do all we can to ensure people claim every pound of benefits and payments to which they are entitled. Our campaign on benefits take-up last financial year provided advice to almost 37,000 people and provided support for them to claim over £10.4m in additional income.

We recognise the important role employers play in supporting unpaid carers to work alongside their caring role. The UK Carer’s Leave Act 2023 came into force this April and brings in the right to one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are caring for a relative or dependant. We will follow with interest the impact of this legislation.

We provide funding to enable unpaid carers to receive specialist support to re-enter the paid workforce. We know unpaid carers have a range of skills that are transferrable to paid employment.

In addition, as a government we are providing funding for the Carers Support Fund which delivers £4.5 million over three years specifically to support unpaid carers on low incomes with small grants to buy essential items. The fund is administered on our behalf by Carers Trust Wales and carers can also access personalised financial advice, as an added value of the scheme.

I am very pleased to hear about the positive impact of the Short Breaks Fund for providing carers with an expanding range of opportunities to take a break from their caring role. The fund has given carers more of a voice, choice and control than traditional respite services.

Continued funding of our programmes from April 2025 is currently under review pending the outcome of the Welsh Government budget discussions for 2025/26. We will communicate further as soon as these discussions are completed.

Eligibility criteria for Carers Allowance, including the 21-hour study rule, is set by the UK Government as this is a reserved matter for the Department for Work and Pensions.  

We remain committed to our Programme for Government commitment to "Deliver a phased expansion of early years provision to include all 2-year-olds, with a particular emphasis on strengthening Welsh medium provision".

During 2023-24 and 2024-25 we are investing £46m in expanding Flying Start childcare to support long-term, positive impacts on the lives of those children and families across Wales facing the greatest challenges. We expect to support more than 9,500 additional two-year-olds across Wales to access quality Flying Start childcare during 2023-24 and 2024-25 and are well on track to deliver that. By the end of March 2024, over 6,900 2-year-old childcare places had been offered to parents in Wales.

The pace at which we will be able to reach the remaining 2-year-olds is dependent on a number of considerations including the outcome of the budget discussions for 2025-26 and planning discussions with local authorities.

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (“the Act”) places statutory duties on local authorities and local health boards to meet the care and support needs of people in Wales including the provision of care homes for the delivery of residential and nursing care.

On the 1 September the statutory National Framework for the Commissioning of Care and Support in Wales: Code of Practice (“the National Framework”) came into force.

The National Framework aims to standardise the commissioning process whilst still allowing commissioners the necessary flexibility and variation in practices to meet their specific local population needs.

Commissioning bodies are expected to continually monitor their providers and in turn understand the shape of their market including identifying and addressing any gaps or risks. These provisions are intended to ensure that the current and future needs of local populations are being met. This includes ensuring the sufficiency of services such as care homes.

Through the work of the National Commissioning Board commissioning bodies have been provided with a range of tools to support them in this work including a Market assessment matrix and a provider risk assessment checklist. Escalation protocols have also been recently reviewed to ensure any local risks can be identified and communicated to wider commissioners.

Our Legislative Options Working Group (a sub-group of the Human Rights Advisory Group) is currently analysing the articles contained within both treaties on a right by right basis to inform its final recommendations on incorporation. Once that work is completed, we will assess our next steps.

As the response to WQ 94075 makes clear, I recently met with ASW pensions campaigners, and I have written to the UK Pensions Minister on this issue. 

Our ambition is to grow tourism for the good of Wales. We want our sector to help stimulate prosperity in local communities and economic growth that delivers benefits for people and places. One of the priorities within the north Wales regional economic framework is The Experience Economy, tourism plays a significant part in this, supports local jobs, towns and communities.

Future Wales, our National Development Plan for Wales, identifies Prestatyn as part of the North Wales Coastal Settlements regional growth area and states these settlements perform important functional roles within their region, including being key centres for employment, services, tourism, retail and culture.

Future Wales states that Tourism is an important sector to the economy across the North. It states that opportunities to support coastal resorts and attractions and new outdoor and active facilities should be supported. The re-development of former industrial sites across the North for adrenaline activities, including zip-wires, trampolining and surfing, demonstrate the potential to build on the region’s rich heritage and develop new attractions.

The Welsh Government is committed to exploring all viable options to ensure that the former Pontins Prestatyn site continues to contribute positively to the local and regional economy. My predecessor actively engaged with the Leader of Denbighshire County Council and his officers following the closure of the site to support those individuals affected and to seek clarity on the future proposals. This has included a joint meeting with the CFO of Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd. My officials remain in contact with the council and we stand ready to support them in securing a productive economic future for the site.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

Devolved taxes will be considered as part of the preparation of the Draft Budget.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

I will write to you as soon as possible with a substantive response and a copy of the letter will be published on the internet.

In our programme for government, we committed to deliver a phased expansion of early years provision to include all two-year-olds. In 2022, we commenced the roll out of  the expansion which included all Flying Start services being offered to c. 2,500 additional children under four.

Since April 2023 we have continued to expand the Flying Start Childcare to include more 2-year-olds.

We will continue to expand our early years provision from the position reached at the end of March 2025 until provision is available to all 2-year-olds.

There are currently no other plans to expand Flying Start or to revise the eligibility criteria.

Welsh Government funding for sport is directed through Sport Wales, who in turn provide financial support to recognised National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of individual sports. The World Martial Arts Committee is not recognised as an NGB by any of the UK Sports Councils; therefore no support was provided for any participation at the event in Prague.

I refer you to the answer I gave to Andrew RT Davies WQ90413 on 18th January 2024.

Following the introduction of the default 20mph speed limit Welsh Cycling requested assistance from the Welsh Government (WG) to consider measures to mitigate the possible effect of the new legislation on cycle racing on the highway.

WG proposed that the best solution would be for it to make traffic orders, to suspend the 20mph restriction for the duration of the cycling events on both trunk and county roads. This would avoid Welsh Cycling or Local Authorities having to meet the costs of making such orders.

Unfortunately, although WG worked with Welsh Cycling and Local Authorities to try and progress this proposal, given the timescale and complexities due to this being the first order of its kind, it was not possible to make in time for the summer 2024 events.

WG are continuing to work with Welsh Cycling and a meeting is being held later this week to discuss next steps and have firm proposals in place for the 2025 cycle racing calendar.