Siambr · Nigel Williams
Written questions
15 written questions on record from the Seventh Senedd on, newest first. Page 1 of 1.
WQ101143 · Tabled · No answer published
What discussions has the Cabinet Minister had with Flintshire County Council and Clwb Cwtsh on securing the approximately £80,000 annual funding necessary to maintain this valued early-years support service beyond its pilot funding period?
To be answered by: Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
WQ100730 · Tabled · Answered
What discussions has the Welsh Government had with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and local transport partners regarding measures to improve access to Wrexham Maelor Hospital for patients, visitors and staff, including public transport and park-and-ride options, as an alternative to reintroducing hospital parking charges?
Answered by Deputy Minister for Transport
The operation and management of car parks across NHS Wales is the responsibility of individual health boards as the relevant statutory bodies. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has confirmed that in response to parking pressures at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, it is considering options to improve access for patients, visitors and staff, while keeping emergency routes clear. As the option appraisal has not yet concluded, it is important that the Health Board completes this work and agrees its position on the most appropriate way forward.
Transport for Wales are also working with a range of partners including Wrexham County Borough Council and the Health Board to improve public transport infrastructure in the city centre as well as key links between the city centre and surrounding areas including Wrexham Maelor Hospital as part of the Wrexham Gateway project.
WQ100725 · Tabled · No answer published
What plans does the Welsh Government have to develop an integrated transport strategy for Wrexham, including improvements to public transport, traffic management and park-and-ride provision, in order to reduce congestion and improve access to key public services and employment sites across the city?
To be answered by: Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
WQ100728 · Tabled · Answered
What representations has the Welsh Government made to the UK Government regarding action to reduce fuel costs, strengthen pump-price competition and support residents, farmers and businesses affected by increases in fuel costs?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
The Welsh Government is in regular discussion with the UK Government on the impact of higher fuel costs on households, farmers, businesses and communities across Wales. I recently raised fuel resilience, pricing and the need for UK Government support with the DESNZ Energy Minister at an interministerial meeting on energy, calling for appropriate assistance should the situation escalate. We continue to press for effective action through those UK reserved powers over fuel duty, market regulation and consumer protection. We further support robust monitoring by the Competition and Markets Authority and the Fuel Finder scheme to improve transparency and competition at the pump.
WQ100703 · Tabled · Answered
What discussions has the Welsh Government had with fuel retailers regarding rising petrol and diesel prices, particularly in rural communities?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
The Welsh Government recognises the pressures that higher petrol and diesel prices place on households and businesses, particularly in rural communities. My officials maintain regular engagement with fuel-sector representatives and our UK Government counterparts to monitor prices, supply and emerging impacts in Wales. While fuel duty, pricing, regulatory levers, and competition oversight sit with the UK Government, the Welsh Government continues to ensure that Welsh circumstances are understood. This combined engagement also supports continued dialogue and contingency planning with the UK Government, helping to ensure that arrangements remain robust during periods of market or supply volatility.
WQ100695 · Tabled · Answered
Will the Welsh Government legislate to require courts to impose automatic full cost-recovery orders on convicted fly-tipping offenders in light of the impact of increasing costs to councils of tackling large-scale fly-tipping, and the environmental and health risks associated with fly-tipping?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
The courts already have powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, following conviction for relevant waste offences, to require offenders to pay certain investigation, enforcement and clean-up costs, in addition to any other penalty imposed. These powers are intended to help ensure that those responsible for illegal waste activities can be required to bear the costs arising from their actions.
The Welsh Government keeps the effectiveness of the legislative framework for tackling waste crime under review. Any proposals for legislative change would need to be considered in the context of their likely effectiveness, practical operation and interaction with the wider legal framework.
WQ100485 · Tabled · Answered
What concrete steps is the Welsh Government taking to retain experienced educators in Flintshire and across Wales In light of the recent Estyn report as regards to Flintshire education services?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The Welsh Government is taking a range of actions to support recruitment and retention across Wales, including in Flintshire. These include measures to reduce workload, improve pay and conditions, review teachers' planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time, provide professional learning opportunities through Dysgu, and deliver targeted support such as the Welsh-medium teacher retention bursary pilot for Welsh-speaking secondary teachers.
We are committed to supporting and working in partnership with our education workforce and partners to ensure that teaching is a respected, attractive and rewarding career.
WQ100484 · Tabled · Answered
What assessment has the Cabinet Minister made of teaching workload and morale in Welsh schools in light of the recent Estyn report regarding Flintshire education services?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Reducing workload and supporting practitioner wellbeing is central to our ambitions for the education system in Wales. I recognise the concerning findings of the recent Estyn report on Flintshire education services and understand the impact that improvement activity can have on workforce workload, wellbeing and morale.
The newly established Workload Co-ordination Group, chaired by education union representatives, brings together unions, employers and Welsh Government to build on previous work to reduce workload pressures. The Group is working at pace to identify actions to be taken forward as part of our commitment to cut unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy.
WQ100483 · Tabled · Answered
What targeted financial support is the Welsh Government providing to local education authorities to prevent classroom cuts and protect frontline teaching staff, in light of the critical financial pressures on schools in Fflint Wrecsam schools?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Decisions on the level of funding available to schools and to other services are made by each authority, as part of their overall budget and council tax setting.
The Welsh Government provides funding to local authorities to support their funding of pre-16 provision in schools in Wales mainly through the local government revenue settlement. The settlement is not ring-fenced; the funding allocated to each authority is available to the authority to spend as it sees fit across the range of services for which it is responsible, including schools.
Flintshire’s 2026-27 settlement is £294m. This represents an increase of 4.1% on 2025-26 on a like for like basis. Wrexham’s 2026-27 settlement is £268m. This represents an increase of 4.9% on 2025-26 on a like for like basis.
The employment and deployment of teachers and other school staff are matters for the local authority, schools and their governing bodies to make against local needs and priorities.
WQ100482 · Tabled · Answered
What action will the Cabinet Minister take to improve the school curriculum, teaching, and assessments following the latest PISA findings showing that England's most disadvantaged pupils outscore Wales's average reading scores?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
We take the latest PISA outcomes very seriously and have set out clearly the immediate actions we will take. Our new Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan was published on 15th September and represents an important first step in the development of an equitable education system that works for all. The Plan sets out our long-term strategy for improving literacy and numeracy up to the next election and beyond.
WQ100481 · Tabled · Answered
Will the Cabinet Minister explain the recent PISA results showing Wales trailing England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in reading, maths and science, with no post-pandemic recovery?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The PISA results are disappointing and we are not where anyone would want to be. Wales’ scores remain below those in other comparable countries, with too many of our learners performing below international averages. The impact of the pandemic continues to be felt across our education system, albeit associated challenges are not unique to Wales. Our new Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan represents the first step in our ambition to raise standards and takes a holistic, cross-departmental approach to supporting schools and learners to improve. The Plan sets clearer expectations, strengthens assessment and early intervention, and refocuses attention on the foundational skills needed in work and life.
WQ99493 · Tabled · Answered
What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of the £65,000 household income cap for the shared ownership scheme, and are there plans to review the threshold to reflect changes in average earnings, inflation and household living costs since 2018?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Shared Ownership funding remains available for local authorities and Registered Social Landlords as a tenure to meet housing need through the Social Housing Grant.
I am taking the opportunity to review our home ownership offer as a whole to ensure it makes getting and staying on the housing ladder more affordable for all households and helps young people remain in their communities.
WQ99482 · Tabled · Answered
What consideration has the Welsh Government given to introducing mandatory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for individuals standing for, or serving as, elected members of town, community, and county councils in Wales, particularly in light of their access to vulnerable individuals and private homes?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), including the eligibility criteria for DBS checks, is reserved to the UK Government. Before becoming candidates for local government elections, individuals must declare that they are not disqualified in any of the ways set out in legislation and guidance, which includes, but is not limited to, having a recent criminal conviction or by being subject to Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Finally, we would expect political parties to vet their own candidates before the candidacy is announced.
WQ99363 · Tabled · Answered
What support is the Welsh Government providing to community-led organisations seeking to regenerate town centres by bringing vacant or underused properties back into productive use?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
The Welsh Government supports community-led organisations through a range of regeneration and community asset programmes, including grant and loan support to help bring vacant and underused properties back into productive use. Through the Transforming Towns programme, local authorities can work with community organisations and other partners to redevelop town centre properties for community, residential and commercial uses. As I referenced in my statement of 9 June, we are looking at strengthening support for community ownership through the development of a community right to buy legislation and are establishing a Town Centre Task Force to advise on how best to support the future regeneration of town and city centres across Wales.
WQ99362 · Tabled · Answered
What guidance has the Welsh Government issued to health boards regarding maximum safe ward temperatures during heatwaves, and what funding is available to health boards to upgrade hospital wards with air conditioning or alternative cooling systems where existing measures are insufficient?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
Public Health Wales has specific heat health advice in place on its website for healthcare professionals and social care managers (Hot weather guidance for health professionals - Public Health Wales). The Chief Medical Officer for Wales wrote to health and social care partners on 5 May highlighting this guidance and urging plans be in place ahead of hot weather (2026 Heat Health Advice note (English) (final).pdf).
Welsh Health Technical Memorandum 03-01 provides guidance on specialised ventilation for healthcare premises. This includes comprehensive advice on the legal requirements, design implications, maintenance and specialised ventilation in healthcare premises.
I recognise that recent hot and humid weather has placed additional pressure on hospital environments for patients and staff. Health Boards are expected to consider local estate needs, maintain business continuity and use adverse weather plans to ensure services continue safely during periods of extreme weather.
The increasing frequency of heatwaves due to global warming underlines the importance of climate adaptation policies, making progress to net zero and countering the dangerous misinformation of climate change denialism.
Official verbatim record: each question and answer as the Record prints it. Answers are signed with a job title, as published.