National Assembly for Wales

I am responding to this question on behalf of the Minister for Further and Higher Education as part of a ministerial cover arrangement.

Senedd Research provides publications annually about further and higher student support: Student funding guides for the 2025-26 academic year. As you will appreciate each support route will have different maximum amounts which is subject to individual circumstances, household income (where applicable) and meeting all eligibility criteria.

The Welsh Government publishes data on fatal casualties in police recorded road collisions by area and severity each quarter on StatsWales. The latest data is for the first quarter of 2025 which was published on 28 August 2025.

The NHS in Wales operates differently to that in England - health boards are responsible for planning and delivering services locally. Where clinically appropriate, people can be referred to services elsewhere in Wales or in England.

Our focus remains on improving access and reducing waiting times for children, young people and adults through the Neurodivergence Improvement Programme, rather than replicating England’s provider-choice model.

As soon as this issue was raised by staff and patients, immediate steps were taken to resolve and repair the situation at Barry Hospital. I meet the Chair of Cardiff & Vale University Health Board regularly to discuss NHS services and performance across the health board.

Part 8 of the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 and the related statutory guidance for local authorities are clear on their duties in relation to local toilet strategies, particularly on making assessments of need and consulting with their populations.

The Counsel General and Minister for Delivery set out the Welsh Government’s legislative priorities for the final year of this Senedd in the annual legislative statement on 29 April.

Part 8 of the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 and the related statutory guidance for local authorities are clear on their duties in relation to local toilet strategies, particularly on making assessments of need and consulting with their populations.

The Counsel General and Minister for Delivery set out the Welsh Government’s legislative priorities for the final year of this Senedd in the annual legislative statement on 29 April.

There has been one meeting between Welsh Government officials and representatives of the Green Man Festival in the last 12 months which was held on the 7th March 2025.

The independent evaluation undertaken by Wavehill of the ARFOR 2 programme has been received and is to be published on the ARFOR website shortly.

The Welsh Government recognises the importance of ensuring that public sector funding and procurement practices reflect our values, including our commitment to ethical standards.

The Procurement Act 2023 outlines several exclusion grounds that contracting authorities can use to exclude a supplier. These grounds include fraud, bribery, and unethical practices. Following the conclusion of an investigation, the supplier may be placed on a debarment list. Contracting authorities are mandated to consult this list during procurement processes to ascertain whether any suppliers must be excluded. This measure ensures that public sector procurement practices uphold ethical standards and values.

Under the Social Partnership and Public Procurement Act, we will also introduce new regulations to encourage organisations to think about how public procurement can contribute to economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being. We are also adding greater transparency by requiring organisations to report annually on how they are meeting these goals through their public procurement.  We expect these new regulations to come into force in 2026, subject to Senedd consent.

Welsh Government also has a Code of Practice on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains, and we encourage organisations to sign up to the Code as a way to reduce the risk of labour exploitation and modern slavery in their supply chains.

In relation to grants, as part of signing up to the Welsh Government’s standard grant award letter, grant-funded bodies are required to sign and accept the standard terms and conditions, including obligations to “comply with all applicable domestic or international laws or regulations or official directives”.

Surplus office space in the Llandudno Junction office has already been utilised by public sector tenants. We currently have eight different public sector bodies leasing space in the building with a further large tenant looking to occupy early next year.

We are committed to ensuring that Welsh public money is used in ways which aligns with our values and international obligations, where we have powers to do so.  The Welsh Government has no powers to direct the investment decisions of Pensions Authorities but we continue to promote responsible and ethical investment by pensions authorities so that public sector pensions contribute positively to Wales’ future—economically, socially, and environmentally.

Ministers have engaged directly with Leaders and Pension Authority Members on this issue, including through the Local Government Partnership Council,

At the outset of the process seeking competence for a vacant land tax, or tax on land suitable for development, there was good progress, however, this progress stalled under Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration. I am grateful for the fresh engagement with the UK Government and the progress made since its election. I hope to meet with the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the Welsh Government’s proposals for Senedd competence for this tax on land suitable for development in the near future.

No assessment has been undertaken to date on what revenues a tax on land suitable for development would generate in Wales. The primary purpose of such a tax would be to change behaviours rather than generate substantial revenues, though as with all behavioural taxes there would be some revenue generated.

The publication 'Research into stalled sites in Wales – Final report – March 2020' is the latest published evidence by the Welsh Government, which investigated stalled sites across Wales to support the development of a tax on land suitable for development.

At the outset of the process seeking competence for a vacant land tax, or tax on land suitable for development, there was good progress, however, this progress stalled under Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration. I am grateful for the fresh engagement with the UK Government and the progress made since its election. I hope to meet with the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the Welsh Government’s proposals for Senedd competence for this tax on land suitable for development in the near future.

No assessment has been undertaken to date on what revenues a tax on land suitable for development would generate in Wales. The primary purpose of such a tax would be to change behaviours rather than generate substantial revenues, though as with all behavioural taxes there would be some revenue generated.

The publication 'Research into stalled sites in Wales – Final report – March 2020' is the latest published evidence by the Welsh Government, which investigated stalled sites across Wales to support the development of a tax on land suitable for development.

At the outset of the process seeking competence for a vacant land tax, or tax on land suitable for development, there was good progress, however, this progress stalled under Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration. I am grateful for the fresh engagement with the UK Government and the progress made since its election. I hope to meet with the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the Welsh Government’s proposals for Senedd competence for this tax on land suitable for development in the near future.

No assessment has been undertaken to date on what revenues a tax on land suitable for development would generate in Wales. The primary purpose of such a tax would be to change behaviours rather than generate substantial revenues, though as with all behavioural taxes there would be some revenue generated.

The publication 'Research into stalled sites in Wales – Final report – March 2020' is the latest published evidence by the Welsh Government, which investigated stalled sites across Wales to support the development of a tax on land suitable for development.

The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) is the independent body currently undertaking an electoral arrangements review of the County Borough of the Vale of Glamorgan. As Welsh Ministers are responsible for considering the outcome of electoral reviews, it would not be appropriate for me to engage in discussions with the council on the matter at this stage.

I will receive the DBCC’s final recommendations report at the end of its review process and will then formally consider whether any changes proposed are in the interest of effective and convenient local government.

Data, on Local Authority Road conditions, was previously collected and published as a part of Public Accountability Measures lead by Data Cymru on behalf of the Welsh Local Government Association. This data was also previously published within the Welsh Government’s annual statistical publication on road conditions (up to 2018/19).  Public Accountability Measures are no longer in place.

The local authority managed roads ‘road condition survey’ by Data Cymru, SCANNER survey was not conducted in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, so it was not possible to publish any data in the 2020/21 Welsh Government road lengths and condition report.

Information on public accountability measures can be found here: Highways Services | Local authority performance | Local government | Data | Home - InfoBaseCymru

Reports on road lengths and conditions can be found here Road lengths and conditions | GOV.WALES

Additional information on road lengths and conditions by local authority area can be found here Road lengths and conditions

Applicants who will permanently meet the eligibility criteria can be awarded a badge on a ‘not for reassessment’ basis, which means that when re-applying in three years’ time they will not need to provide any additional evidence from healthcare professionals to support their application, only proof of identity, residency and a photograph.  We regard these as reasonable and proportionate requirements to protect the integrity and robustness of the Blue Badge scheme.

 Local authorities are legally responsible for the day-to-day administration and enforcement of the scheme in Wales. They determine the eligibility of applications and are responsible for implementing administrative, assessment decisions including streamlining applications as not for re-assessment in the future as well as enforcement procedures in accordance with the governing legislation.

This information is not held by Welsh Government as WG do not administer the scheme. However, WG have collaborated with all local authorities in Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association on this matter.  All local authorities are expected to implement not for reassessment from 17 July.