Written questions
5 written questions on record from the Seventh Senedd on, newest first. Page 1 of 1.
WQ100273 · Tabled · Answered
What is the Welsh Government doing to improve job outcomes for healthcare students and graduates?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
Substantive response
WQ100271 · Tabled · Answered
Will the Cabinet Minister detail the progress made with the free childcare offer in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf?
Answered by Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality
I am pleased to report that progress is being made in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf to deliver 12.5 hours of government-funded childcare per week for all two-year-olds, as the first phase of the childcare expansion.
In July, the Welsh Government confirmed that all local authorities, including Cardiff, are working to complete this first phase by the end of this financial year, and are being encouraged to ensure progress as swiftly as possible. I’m also pleased to confirm that from September 2026, all two-year-olds in Rhondda Cynon Taf will be able to access 12.5 hours of government-funded childcare per week for 39 weeks a year.
WQ100251 · Tabled · Answered
Will the Cabinet Minister produce an updated timeline for the expansion of free school meals to secondary school students from households claiming universal credit?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
This will be a phased expansion starting with Years 7 & 8. As with the rollout of universal free school meals, local authorities will manage their own timetable for delivery whilst working toward national milestones. These include welcoming applications from September 2026 and serving meals no later than January 2027. Early indications are that local authorities are on track to meet these milestones, with many exceeding them. Further stages of expansion will be communicated through and alongside the budget planning process for future financial years. Additional information will be available at Get help with school costs.
WQ100250 · Tabled · Answered
How will the Welsh Government ensure that action on climate and nature is prioritised to prevent biodiversity loss?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
The Welsh Government is ensuring that action on climate and nature is prioritised through a combination of statutory duties, legally binding targets and stronger environmental governance.
Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 requires Welsh Ministers and public authorities to seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote ecosystem resilience when exercising their functions.
The Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026 introduced a framework for legally binding biodiversity targets to drive action to reverse nature loss, strengthen ecosystem resilience and address the underlying causes of biodiversity decline. The Act also recognises the interconnected nature of the climate and nature emergency through the overarching environmental objective and strengthens accountability through the creation of the Office of Environmental Governance Wales, which will provide independent scrutiny of environmental law and help ensure public authorities deliver against their environmental responsibilities.
This approach is further supported by our Climate and Nature Action Plan which will set out a cross-government approach to tackling the climate and nature emergency, charting a practical pathway towards our ambition of net zero by 2040 and substantive nature recovery by 2050.
WQ100249 · Tabled · Answered
How is the Welsh Government working with social landlords and local authorities to deliver at least 20,000 new social homes by 2030?
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Local authorities and registered social landlords are allocated the majority of our social housing funding and we are investing £454m in this year alone.
We work closely with local authorities and social landlords through regular engagement, including via the Social Housing Grant - Programme Delivery Plan (PDP) process, a rolling programme of planned social housing funding and delivery, spread over 3-5 years.
Furthermore, we have committed to draw on best practice and promote more effective use of Section 106 agreements, to strengthen the planning process and in turn support partners to deliver additional social homes.
Official verbatim record: each question and answer as the Record prints it. Answers are signed with a job title, as published.