Written questions
5 written questions on record from the Seventh Senedd on, newest first. Page 1 of 1.
WQ100227 · Tabled · Answered
What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the sites near Ruabon, including Llywneinion, contaminated by PCB's following the documentary Buried by Michael Sheen highlighting the dangers?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
As the regulator for contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Wrexham County Borough Council has undertaken extensive investigations into both the Llwyneinion Acid Tar Lagoon and the adjacent Monsanto Chemical Waste Tip. Some of this work was funded under the Welsh Government’s Contaminated Land Capital Grant which operated between 2006 and 2011.
In 2008, following detailed scientific risk assessments, the Council – in consultation with the Environment Agency (now Natural Resources Wales) – concluded that although contaminants were present and potential linkages to controlled waters existed, there was no significant pollution or significant contaminant linkages that met the legal definition of ‘contaminated land’.
Further funding was provided by the Welsh Government in 2017 to allow the Council to undertake a more holistic assessment and investigate the combined impacts on controlled waters on these sites. Again, no significant impact was identified.
Subsequent on-going monitoring has not found any significant changes to these assessments and water sampling continues to be taken twice a year.
We recognise that the presence of contamination remains a legitimate concern for local residents. The Welsh Government will continue to work with Wrexham County Borough Council and Natural Resources Wales to keep the evidence and monitoring under review and consider whether further action or support is needed.
More broadly, the Welsh Government is committed to a Wales-wide strategy to progressively restoring post-industrial land and protecting communities from potential risks. This includes strengthening the “polluters pay principle” and ensuring the UK Government makes a fair contribution to remediating the impacts of industrial pollution that pre-dates devolution.
WQ100171 · Tabled · Answered
Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i sicrhau bod Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys yn gweithredu yn unol â Safonau'r Gymraeg a'r cynllun Mwy na Geiriau wrth ystyried newidiadau i ddarpariaeth gwasanaethau, yn benodol adleoli gwasanaethau o gymunedau Cymraeg eu hiaith i gymunedau Saesneg eu hiaith?
Official English translation
What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that Powys Education Health Board is operating in line with the Welsh Language Standards and the More Than Just Words Scheme whilst it considers changes to service provision, specifically with regard to the relocation of services from Welsh-speaking communities to English-speaking communities?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
It is the responsibility of Powys Teaching Health Board to ensure compliance with its statutory Welsh language duties and ensure it is operating in accordance with the principles of More than just words. Health bodies are under a duty to comply with policy‑making standards which require that they consider the effects of their policy decisions on the Welsh language. This extends to policy decisions relating the planning and commissioning of services.
Responsibility for regulating and enforcing compliance with the Welsh Language Standards rests with the Welsh Language Commissioner.
Welsh Government holds NHS organisations to account for the delivery of Welsh language priorities through existing NHS governance and accountability frameworks.
Welsh text as published
Cyfrifoldeb Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys yw sicrhau cydymffurfiaeth gyda’i ddyletswyddau statudol o dan safonau’r Gymraeg a sicrhau ei fod yn gweithredu yn unol ag egwyddorion Mwy na geiriau. Mae dyletswydd ar gyrff iechyd i gydymffurfio gyda safonau llunio polisi sy’n ei gwneud yn ofynnol iddynt ystyried effeithiau eu penderfyniadau polisi ar y Gymraeg. Mae hyn yn cynnwys penderfyniadau polisi sy’n ymwneud â chynllunio a chomisiynu gwasanaethau.
Mae’r cyfrifoldeb am reoleiddio a gorfodi cydymffurfiaeth gyda Safonau’r Gymraeg yn perthyn i Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg.
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dwyn sefydliadau’r GIG i gyfrif am ddarparu gwasanaethau Cymraeg trwy fframweithiau llywodraethiant ac atebolrwydd presennol y GIG.
WQ100170 · Tabled · Answered
Pa sicrwydd y gall Llywodraeth Cymru ei roi bod digon o adnoddau brechlyn ar gael i ffermwyr, a pha gyngor sy'n cael ei roi i'r sector yn hyn o beth o ystyried y cynnydd yn nifer yr achosion o glefyd y tafod glas, yn enwedig yn Sir Drefaldwyn?
Official English translation
What assurance can the Welsh Government provide that there is sufficient vaccine provision available for farmers, and what advice is being provided to the sector regarding this, considering the increase in the incidents of bluetongue, especially in Montgomeryshire?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
The Welsh Government is part of the Bluetongue Vaccine Taskforce, that works to improve the supply of vaccine available for use in Great Britain. The Task Force comprises all three GB administrations, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, farming industry representatives and members of the veterinary associations.
Vaccine manufacturers and wholesalers regularly attend the Task Force meetings and are currently importing products from Northern Ireland and Europe to help meet demand in GB. They advise that commercial decisions around further imports and vaccine production runs are dependent on demand from industry. All members of the Task Force are urging farmers and vets to place orders for vaccine to demonstrate demand and ensure additional supplies are made available.
Confirmed cases of Bluetongue are expected to increase across Wales and all farmers are strongly encouraged to discuss vaccination with their vets.
Welsh text as published
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn rhan o'r Tasglu Brechu y Tafod Glas, sy'n gweithio i wella'r cyflenwad o’r brechlyn sydd ar gael i'w ddefnyddio ym Mhrydain Fawr. Mae'r Tasglu yn cynnwys pob un o dair gweinyddiaeth Prydain Fawr, y Gyfarwyddiaeth Meddyginiaethau Milfeddygol, cynrychiolwyr y diwydiant ffermio ac aelodau o'r cymdeithasau milfeddygol. Mae gweithgynhyrchwyr a chyfanwerthwyr y brechlyn yn mynychu cyfarfodydd y Tasglu yn rheolaidd ac ar hyn o bryd maent yn mewnforio cynhyrchion o Ogledd Iwerddon ac Ewrop i helpu i ateb y galw ym Mhrydain Fawr. Maent yn cynghori bod penderfyniadau masnachol ynghylch mewnforion pellach a chynhyrchu brechlyn yn dibynnu ar y galw gan ddiwydiant. Mae holl aelodau'r Tasglu yn annog ffermwyr a milfeddygon i osod archebion am frechlyn i ddangos y galw a sicrhau bod cyflenwadau ychwanegol ar gael. Disgwylir i'r achosion a gadarnhawyd o'r Tafod Glas gynyddu ledled Cymru ac anogir pob ffermwr yn gryf i drafod brechu gyda'u milfeddygon.
WQ99938 · Tabled · Answered
Pa sicrwydd y gall y Gweinidog Cabinet ei roi y bydd Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys yn cydnabod a deall hanfodion y cynllun Mwy na Geiriau wrth adolygu darpariaeth ysbytai cymunedol Powys, o ystyried anghenion ieithyddol Bro Ddyfi ac Ystradgynlais?
Official English translation
What assurance can the Cabinet Minster give that Powys Teaching Health Board acknowledges and understands the fundamentals of the More than just Words scheme by reviewing the Powys community hospitals provision, in light of the linguistic needs of Bro Ddyfi and Ystradgynlais?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
At the heart of Mwy na Geiriau is a commitment to delivering safe, person-centred care through the Welsh language – supporting the delivery of the Welsh Language Standards and ensuring people can access services in Welsh when they need them.
Health bodies are under a duty to comply with policy‑making standards which require that they consider the effects of their policy decisions on the Welsh language. This includes when they formulate a new policy, or review or revise an existing policy.
Welsh text as published
Wrth wraidd Mwy na Geiriau mae ymrwymiad i ddarparu gofal diogel, sy'n canolbwyntio ar y person yn Gymraeg – gan gefnogi'r gwaith o gyflawni Safonau'r Gymraeg a sicrhau bod pobl yn gallu cael mynediad at wasanaethau yn Gymraeg pan fydd eu hangen arnynt.
Mae dyletswydd ar gyrff iechyd i gydymffurfio â safonau llunio polisi sy'n ei gwneud yn ofynnol iddynt ystyried effeithiau eu penderfyniadau polisi ar y Gymraeg. Mae hyn yn cynnwys pan fyddant yn llunio polisi newydd, neu adolygu neu ddiwygio polisi presennol.
WQ99927 · Tabled · Answered
A wnaiff y Llywodraeth gynnal adolygiad o'r cyfleon i gael gwartheg sugno ar dir uchel gan ddefnyddio bridiau traddodiadol, a dysgu gwersi o gynllun tebyg yn yr Alban o ran sut y gellir atal tannau mynydd drwy gael stoc yn pori arnynt?
Official English translation
Will the Government review the opportunities for using traditional-breed suckler cows on high ground, taking account of lessons from a similar scheme in Scotland on the role of grazing livestock in reducing the risk of mountain fires?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
We recognise that grazing livestock can play an important role in vegetation management and supporting resilient upland landscapes. This includes the potential for grazing to reduce the amount of combustible fuel and thus the risk of wildfire. We will discuss this and other approaches to reducing wildfire risk at the summit which the First Minister will convene later this year.
The Sustainable Production Technical Group is considering livestock efficiency and productivity systems in delivering sustainable land management outcomes which includes looking at what support is offered in other nations.
Welsh text as published
Rydym yn cydnabod fod da byw sy’n pori yn gallu chwarae rôl bwysig yn y gwaith o reoli llystyfiant a chefnogi tirweddau ucheldir gwydn. Mae hyn yn cynnwys y potensial i bori er mwyn lleihau tanwydd llosgadwy, ac felly lleihau’r risg o danau gwyllt. Byddwn yn trafod hyn, a ffyrdd eraill o leihau’r risg o danau gwyllt yn yr uwchgynhadledd y bydd y Prif Weinidog yn ei chynnal yn ddiweddarach eleni.
Mae’r Grŵp Technegol ar Gynhyrchu Cynaliadwy yn ystyried systemau cynhyrchiant ac effeithiolrwydd da byw o ran cyflawni canlyniadau rheoli tir yn gynaliadwy, sy’n cynnwys edrych ar ba gymorth sy’n cael ei gynnig mewn gwledydd eraill.
Official verbatim record: each question and answer as the Record prints it. Answers are signed with a job title, as published.