National Assembly for Wales

The website domain names the Welsh Government currently owns and pays for are:

a)    47 active

b)    484 inactive

Inactive domains are maintained for a number of reasons. These include the prevention of impersonation / cyber-squatting and avoiding potential fraud, and for websites that have closed but are still referenced online or in published documents.  We review the domains we hold biannually.

The Official Car Fleet currently comprises of 3 Electric, 5 Petrol Hybrid and 5 Diesel cars.

The Commission is committed to equal access to all through its recruitment procedures, at each stage of the process.

Candidates with any additional needs are supported through the Commission’s careers website and recruitment portal, and encouraged to contact a member of our team to discuss any requirements at any time: I have a disability. Can you accommodate my needs during the recruitment process? (senedd.wales)

Adjustments are made to accommodate any candidate unable to apply using our online applicant tracking system. In the case of applicants who have hearing loss or are registered d/Deaf, the Commission can work with applicants to receive applications in alternative form for example BSL video or live BSL interpretation via videocall.  

At Interview stage we continue to ensure that candidates are given the opportunity to request adjustments as required. The Commission is committed to its guaranteed interview scheme for disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for a role.

The Official Languages Scheme (OLS) was introduced in 2018 and an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)  was carried out based on the proposed changes. This EQIA will be updated when the new OLS scheme is introduced later this year.

Roles which don’t require a 1-5 level of Welsh language skills within the Senedd Commission are  advertised as ‘Courtesy Welsh’.  

The Commission supports candidate with hearing loss or who is registered d/Deaf appointed into a role, through BSL interpreters / lip readers / palantypists as required, depending on circumstances. We would work with each individual on a case by case basis.

Our processes should not preclude a candidate who has hearing loss or who is registered d/Deaf from accessing our job application process.

Our focus is to work with applicants on an individual basis, tailoring adjustments to their specific requirements, to enable them to participate equitably in our recruitment campaigns, at each stage of the process.

To be listed a building must be of special architectural or historic interest at the national level. Unfortunately, the former school no longer survives as built. Its original form has been compromised by large-scale alterations in 1909 and the more recent insertion of UPVC windows was very damaging to its surviving architectural character. This may seem like a minor incident but the impact on the architectural interest is very serious and undermines any claim to definite quality and character. The better preserved a building is architecturally, the better it is able to illustrate its historic interest.   

The fact that the building does not survive as built, and that its final form has been compromised by alteration undermines any case for listing against the  criteria of architectural interest, historic interest, or historical association.

There are more than 30,000 listed buildings in Wales. The criteria for listing are based on special architectural or historic interest and many buildings of community value are captured by these criteria. Community value can contribute to a building’s historic interest, and Cadw will always consider well-documented requests for listing. The demolition of a listed building is then regulated through the requirement for listed building consent. However, demolition is not prohibited; rather, an exceptionally strong case has to be made to overcome national policy where there is a presumption in favour of preserving listed buildings.  

For those buildings that do not meet the national standard for listing, there is the option for local authorities to designate conservation areas of special architectural or historic interest, or to include individual buildings on a local list.  Both of these options provide a mechanism for regulating demolition either through the requirement for conservation area consent or planning permission, supported by appropriate local planning policies. Helpful guidance is available on Cadw’s website. 

Not all local authorities in Wales have a local list, and where they do exist, they are not always kept up to date. After the local government elections, I will be writing to the leaders of all local authorities to highlight the important role local listing can play to help protect buildings of value to local communities.

A total of £9.8m in grant support was received by businesses in the Hospitality sector through the latest phase of the Wales only Economic Resilience Fund (ERF) during the period December 2021 to February 2022.

Of the £120m demand led ERF announced to support businesses in the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure sectors and their supply chains during the period December 2021 to February 2022, £71.6m has been used.

As with previous rounds of ERF, funding was made available for the demand led fund based on public health protections which were subject to regular reviews as part of the response to the threat posed by the Omircron variant.

The Welsh Government made available £120m in order to ensure businesses impacted by the new variant were able to access the support required in the event that the impact of Omicron had been more severe.

The eligibility criteria was also amended to ensure that more businesses were able to access the latest phase of the Wales only ERF. 

A total of £9.8m in grant support was received by businesses in the Hospitality sector through the latest phase of the Wales only Economic Resilience Fund (ERF) during the period December 2021 to February 2022.

Of the £120m demand led ERF announced to support businesses in the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure sectors and their supply chains during the period December 2021 to February 2022, £71.6m has been used.

As with previous rounds of ERF, funding was made available for the demand led fund based on public health protections which were subject to regular reviews as part of the response to the threat posed by the Omircron variant.

The Welsh Government made available £120m in order to ensure businesses impacted by the new variant were able to access the support required in the event that the impact of Omicron had been more severe.

The eligibility criteria was also amended to ensure that more businesses were able to access the latest phase of the Wales only ERF. 

Collisions involving e scooters are not currently recorded separately by the police in their collision records, so unfortunately this information is not readily available. However, the DfT is bringing a new way of recording e scooters collisions in 2024.

The table below shows the Carbon Dioxide emissions for 2020/21 calculated by Transport for Wales (TfW) for the fleets of trains they currently use.

As part of our £800m investment in brand new trains the vast majority of these trains will no longer be in use by TfW by the end of 2024. The new fleets that will replace them will produce less emissions, perform better and will provide a significant improvement in passenger comfort and experience.

All land purchased by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for tree planting must be suitable for woodland creation, following the UK Forestry Standard. Proposals will be subject to Environmental Impact Assessment for afforestation screening. This includes consulting with stakeholders and local communities to ensure any opportunities, impacts and concerns are taken into account and used to inform NRW’s plans.

All the land NRW consider is carefully screened for suitability following the UK Forestry Standard. This includes consulting with stakeholders and local communities to ensure any opportunities, impacts and concerns are taken into account and used to inform their plans.

Expansion of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate is only a small part of the national effort to increase woodland in Wales and involves a very small proportion of land in Wales. We want most woodland expansion in Wales to be via other landowners and managers choosing to create woodland.

NRW aim to restock felled areas of woodland in the majority of cases, the only exceptions being:

·         where there is a clear policy requirement to adopt an alternative approach, such as deforestation and restoration to an open habitat. Examples of this are compliance with SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) or SAM (Scheduled Ancient Monument) management plans, or at suitable sites to restore afforested deep peat sites.

·         sites within 20m of external infrastructure (buildings, gardens) and classified public roads are left unplanted to reduce future liabilities.

·         sites identified for renewable energy developments, although NRW aim to restrict the permanent loss of woodland to the small area of land under installations. 

NRW leave most sites fallow for up to 4 years to control a weevil that otherwise eats young spruce trees and to allow harvesting residues to break down, which in turn facilitates certain types of ground preparation. Many larch sites cleared due to Phytophthora ramorum infection also require a fallow period to reduce the risk of susceptible replacement species such as oak becoming infected. 

The following areas have been re-stocked on the Welsh Government Estate in the past 5 years:

We want most woodland expansion in Wales to be via other landowners and managers choosing to create woodland. Where Natural Resources Wales (NRW) do seek to expand the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, it is the role of NRW to identify suitable land.

NRW seek to offer fair market value and avoid competition with other buyers. They focus on parcels of land which are near or adjacent to existing Welsh Government woodland, and of lower agricultural value. All the land NRW consider is carefully screened for suitability following the UK Forestry Standard.

We do not hold detailed information on the provision and use of rural bus services in Wales. Whilst the UK Government’s Department for Transport publishes aggregate figures relating to bus mileage and passenger trends at national level (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), this does not include data disaggregated by local authority or rural / urban areas. On 31 March we published a White Paper outlining a new model for running buses in Wales, which will keep our communities connected and offer a sustainable alternative to the private car.

A full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was undertaken as part of the scheme development stage in accordance with the requirements of the Section 105A of the Highways Act 1980 and EIA Directive 2014/52/EU.

In accordance with this legislation, the findings of the EIA was reported in the Environmental Statement (ES) which was published in July 2017 as part of the statutory process. See links below to the ES and the Non-Technical Summary:

https://gov.wales/a465-section-5-and-6-dowlais-top-hirwaun-environmental-statement

https://gov.wales/a465-section-5-and-6-dowlais-top-hirwaun-environmental-statement-non-technical-summary

The ES, which was developed in consultation with statutory environmental stakeholders, identified the main environmental effects of the scheme and described the proposed measures to avoid, remedy or reduce effects and provide environmental enhancement where practicable.

Additionally, as part of the design process and in line with Welsh Government’s duty under Section 28G of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, measures to minimise and mitigate any potential effects on SSSIs have been incorporated into the scheme.

The independent Roads Review Panel will be looking at the impact of future schemes and whether they align with Llywbr Newydd, and will provide general guidance on what circumstances investment in the road network is acceptable.

Substantive response.

Substantive response.

Unpaid carers in receipt of Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022 will be able to register with their local authorities for the £500 payment from 16 May 2022.

All those who are eligible for the payment will need to complete a simple registration form that provides their local authority with information to undertake verification checks and to make the payment into their bank account. In a small number of cases, local authorities may need to request additional information or supporting evidence before a payment can be made.

Only those unpaid carers who are in receipt of Carers Allowance will be eligible for the payment. By awarding the payment to people in receipt of Carers Allowance, we are targeting unpaid carers on the lowest incomes who have been most vulnerable to the financial impact of the pandemic.

Eligibility for Carers Allowance starts from the age of 16, therefore young carers and young adult carers who are aged 16 and over will be able to register and claim the new £500 carers’ payment, provided they meet the Carers Allowance eligibility criteria and are in receipt of the benefit on 31 March 2022.

We recognise the invaluable contribution all unpaid carers make in Wales. In recognition of the increased pressure caused by the pandemic, we have allocated additional funding of £10m to support unpaid carers of all ages in 2021-22. This included £1.25m for a Carers Support Fund to help carers cope with the increased costs of the pandemic; £2.5m has been allocated to this fund over the past two years. We also provided £3m to local authorities for respite services and short break options to help carers take a break from their caring role.

Financial support in 2022-23 will include:

• Funding to deliver our Programme for Government commitment of a new unpaid carers short breaks fund.
• Continuation of the three-year Sustainable Social Services Third Sector grant scheme which has been providing £2.6m over three years for innovative support to carers via four specific projects led by Age Cymru, Carers Wales, Carers Trust Wales and the All Wales Forum. The grant scheme has now been extended for a further two years.
• £1m for Regional Partnership Boards to help support and involve unpaid carers in the hospital discharge process.
• The Regional Integration Fund (RIF) starting from April 2022 and managed by the Regional Partnership Boards retains unpaid carers as a priority group. The RIF will be expected to achieve a minimum of 5% of the overall investment into direct support for unpaid carers of all ages.

£186,000 for the ongoing work with local authorities and Carers Trust Wales to raise awareness of the national Young Carers ID card.

Unpaid carers in receipt of Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022 will be able to register with their local authorities for the £500 payment from 16 May 2022.

All those who are eligible for the payment will need to complete a simple registration form that provides their local authority with information to undertake verification checks and to make the payment into their bank account. In a small number of cases, local authorities may need to request additional information or supporting evidence before a payment can be made.

Only those unpaid carers who are in receipt of Carers Allowance will be eligible for the payment. By awarding the payment to people in receipt of Carers Allowance, we are targeting unpaid carers on the lowest incomes who have been most vulnerable to the financial impact of the pandemic.

Eligibility for Carers Allowance starts from the age of 16, therefore young carers and young adult carers who are aged 16 and over will be able to register and claim the new £500 carers’ payment, provided they meet the Carers Allowance eligibility criteria and are in receipt of the benefit on 31 March 2022.

We recognise the invaluable contribution all unpaid carers make in Wales. In recognition of the increased pressure caused by the pandemic, we have allocated additional funding of £10m to support unpaid carers of all ages in 2021-22. This included £1.25m for a Carers Support Fund to help carers cope with the increased costs of the pandemic; £2.5m has been allocated to this fund over the past two years. We also provided £3m to local authorities for respite services and short break options to help carers take a break from their caring role.

Financial support in 2022-23 will include:

• Funding to deliver our Programme for Government commitment of a new unpaid carers short breaks fund.
• Continuation of the three-year Sustainable Social Services Third Sector grant scheme which has been providing £2.6m over three years for innovative support to carers via four specific projects led by Age Cymru, Carers Wales, Carers Trust Wales and the All Wales Forum. The grant scheme has now been extended for a further two years.
• £1m for Regional Partnership Boards to help support and involve unpaid carers in the hospital discharge process.
• The Regional Integration Fund (RIF) starting from April 2022 and managed by the Regional Partnership Boards retains unpaid carers as a priority group. The RIF will be expected to achieve a minimum of 5% of the overall investment into direct support for unpaid carers of all ages.

£186,000 for the ongoing work with local authorities and Carers Trust Wales to raise awareness of the national Young Carers ID card.

Unpaid carers in receipt of Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022 will be able to register with their local authorities for the £500 payment from 16 May 2022.

All those who are eligible for the payment will need to complete a simple registration form that provides their local authority with information to undertake verification checks and to make the payment into their bank account. In a small number of cases, local authorities may need to request additional information or supporting evidence before a payment can be made.

Only those unpaid carers who are in receipt of Carers Allowance will be eligible for the payment. By awarding the payment to people in receipt of Carers Allowance, we are targeting unpaid carers on the lowest incomes who have been most vulnerable to the financial impact of the pandemic.

Eligibility for Carers Allowance starts from the age of 16, therefore young carers and young adult carers who are aged 16 and over will be able to register and claim the new £500 carers’ payment, provided they meet the Carers Allowance eligibility criteria and are in receipt of the benefit on 31 March 2022.

We recognise the invaluable contribution all unpaid carers make in Wales. In recognition of the increased pressure caused by the pandemic, we have allocated additional funding of £10m to support unpaid carers of all ages in 2021-22. This included £1.25m for a Carers Support Fund to help carers cope with the increased costs of the pandemic; £2.5m has been allocated to this fund over the past two years. We also provided £3m to local authorities for respite services and short break options to help carers take a break from their caring role.

Financial support in 2022-23 will include:

• Funding to deliver our Programme for Government commitment of a new unpaid carers short breaks fund.
• Continuation of the three-year Sustainable Social Services Third Sector grant scheme which has been providing £2.6m over three years for innovative support to carers via four specific projects led by Age Cymru, Carers Wales, Carers Trust Wales and the All Wales Forum. The grant scheme has now been extended for a further two years.
• £1m for Regional Partnership Boards to help support and involve unpaid carers in the hospital discharge process.
• The Regional Integration Fund (RIF) starting from April 2022 and managed by the Regional Partnership Boards retains unpaid carers as a priority group. The RIF will be expected to achieve a minimum of 5% of the overall investment into direct support for unpaid carers of all ages.

£186,000 for the ongoing work with local authorities and Carers Trust Wales to raise awareness of the national Young Carers ID card.

Unpaid carers in receipt of Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022 will be able to register with their local authorities for the £500 payment from 16 May 2022.

All those who are eligible for the payment will need to complete a simple registration form that provides their local authority with information to undertake verification checks and to make the payment into their bank account. In a small number of cases, local authorities may need to request additional information or supporting evidence before a payment can be made.

Only those unpaid carers who are in receipt of Carers Allowance will be eligible for the payment. By awarding the payment to people in receipt of Carers Allowance, we are targeting unpaid carers on the lowest incomes who have been most vulnerable to the financial impact of the pandemic.

Eligibility for Carers Allowance starts from the age of 16, therefore young carers and young adult carers who are aged 16 and over will be able to register and claim the new £500 carers’ payment, provided they meet the Carers Allowance eligibility criteria and are in receipt of the benefit on 31 March 2022.

We recognise the invaluable contribution all unpaid carers make in Wales. In recognition of the increased pressure caused by the pandemic, we have allocated additional funding of £10m to support unpaid carers of all ages in 2021-22. This included £1.25m for a Carers Support Fund to help carers cope with the increased costs of the pandemic; £2.5m has been allocated to this fund over the past two years. We also provided £3m to local authorities for respite services and short break options to help carers take a break from their caring role.

Financial support in 2022-23 will include:

• Funding to deliver our Programme for Government commitment of a new unpaid carers short breaks fund.
• Continuation of the three-year Sustainable Social Services Third Sector grant scheme which has been providing £2.6m over three years for innovative support to carers via four specific projects led by Age Cymru, Carers Wales, Carers Trust Wales and the All Wales Forum. The grant scheme has now been extended for a further two years.
• £1m for Regional Partnership Boards to help support and involve unpaid carers in the hospital discharge process.
• The Regional Integration Fund (RIF) starting from April 2022 and managed by the Regional Partnership Boards retains unpaid carers as a priority group. The RIF will be expected to achieve a minimum of 5% of the overall investment into direct support for unpaid carers of all ages.

£186,000 for the ongoing work with local authorities and Carers Trust Wales to raise awareness of the national Young Carers ID card.