National Assembly for Wales

I wrote to Members of the Senedd on 15 January to confirm the Welsh Government has two contracts with Fujitsu, both relating to smart ticketing systems. While the Welsh Government is the contracting authority, both are managed by Transport for Wales.

Our tourism website (visitwales.com) is available in languages spoken in countries where we focus our international marketing approach: Welsh, UK English, US English and German.

Our national website (wales.com) includes tourism information in Welsh, UK English, US English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.

A review is currently in progress to assess future language requirements on our wales.com website. Polish will be considered along with other languages, taking into account factors such as connections with our international relations delivery programme, international memoranda of understanding and locations of Welsh Government offices.

Regarding Trawsfynydd, we are currently working with the Cwmni Egino Board to finalise its remit and corresponding budget for 2024-25. I will update Members once complete.

As development at Wylfa is currently paused we do not have a dedicated budget. However, our nuclear team based in North Wales continues to support and champion the benefits of the site.

In relation to both questions we continue to actively engage and lobby the UK Government and Great British Nuclear on behalf of both sites.

Regarding Trawsfynydd, we are currently working with the Cwmni Egino Board to finalise its remit and corresponding budget for 2024-25. I will update Members once complete.

As development at Wylfa is currently paused we do not have a dedicated budget. However, our nuclear team based in North Wales continues to support and champion the benefits of the site.

In relation to both questions we continue to actively engage and lobby the UK Government and Great British Nuclear on behalf of both sites.

Welsh Government support for the Arts is channelled through the Arts Council of Wales (ACW) who operate at arm’s length from Government. All individual funding decisions are made by ACW and the Welsh Government does not intervene in these decisions.

Through both Welsh Government and National Lottery funding, ACW supports a range of organisations and projects across the arts sector, including those that support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Additionally, the Welsh Government has supported Gypsy, Roma and Traveller arts activity directly through the funding to deliver the Culture, Heritage and Sport goals and actions in the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan.

The deployment of rolling stock is an operational decision made by Transport for Wales.

The new electric trains need to be tested on the line before introduction into passenger service. This will be done over the coming months alongside necessary driver and conductor training. In the meantime, Transport for Wales will use the existing fleet to allow the resumption of services, and to familiarise train crew with the changes to signalling, track, and platforms.

Regional Network Planning Teams, consisting of Transport for Wales (TfW), bus operators and local authorities have been tasked to plan and cost a network of bus services which can be delivered when the emergency funding ends.

By the end of this financial year Welsh Government will have provided over £200m of funding to protect our bus network since the onset of the Covid pandemic.

This specific Carbon Brief analysis is limited to electricity generated by the consumption of fossil fuels, not wider UK wide fossil fuel usage.  The extrapolated claim of the use of fossil fuels being the lowest since 1957 is arbitrary and misleading.  We recognise the urgent need to phase out fossil fuel use in Wales and globally as soon as is practically possible.

The climate emergency requires sustained action to decarbonise our energy system and not just electricity production.  More fundamentally, continued use of fossil fuels at the scale currently across the UK and globally severely risks our ability to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, in line with the Paris Agreement.

We urge UK Government to show leadership in tackling the climate emergency and provide the necessary support to phase out fossil fuels, and transition to a renewable based energy system as soon as is practically possible.

All views will be considered as part of the consultation which closes on 12 February.

This work is being carried out in collaboration with Sian Gwenllian the Plaid Cymru designated member as part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

In October 2023 there were 54,965 open children’s pathways waiting for treatment (children being under 18 years)

Of those open pathways 1,240 were waiting over 2 years, we do have validated information on the numbers over 3- year waits,

Arexvy is an approved vaccine to protect against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) that may be used to protect older adults. There are also other licensed products which could be used to protect against RSV.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended establishing an RSV vaccination programme, if vaccines can be procured at a cost-effective price. Such a programme could provide protection for both older adults and infants.

The Welsh Government and NHS Wales are now working with the other UK Nations to explore options for standing up an RSV vaccination programme.

I have regularly raised with UK Ministers the need for clarity and a route to settlement for Ukrainians who have sought sanctuary in Wales since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

I understand that Ukrainian citizens need certainty about their options to enable them to plan for the future. We also know that many homes and workplaces have been destroyed in Ukraine and some in Wales may not have livelihoods to return to once more.

We also recognise that the UK may need to act multi-laterally with other Governments when developing longer-term options, including most importantly the Ukrainian Government. I regularly meet with the UK Minister responsible for Homes for Ukraine, Felicity Buchan MP, and I will continue to raise the need for certainty, especially before Ukrainians enter the final 12 months of their existing visas.

I have regularly raised with UK Ministers the need for clarity and a route to settlement for Ukrainians who have sought sanctuary in Wales since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

I understand that Ukrainian citizens need certainty about their options to enable them to plan for the future. We also know that many homes and workplaces have been destroyed in Ukraine and some in Wales may not have livelihoods to return to once more.

We also recognise that the UK may need to act multi-laterally with other Governments when developing longer-term options, including most importantly the Ukrainian Government. I regularly meet with the UK Minister responsible for Homes for Ukraine, Felicity Buchan MP, and I will continue to raise the need for certainty, especially before Ukrainians enter the final 12 months of their existing visas.