Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans he has to meet the First Minister of Wales.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
I met with the First Minister on Wednesday 27 March 2024 and congratulated him on his appointment.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) police forces and (c) businesses in Wales on the incidence of shop theft in Wales.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The UK Government continues to work closely with retail businesses, security representatives, trade associations and policing through the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes, such as shoplifting, is as robust as it can be.
Police Recorded Crime figures show shoplifting offences increased by 32% in the 12 months leading to September 2023 in Wales and England. However, the number of people charged with shoplifting offences in the same period rose by 34%, suggesting that we are now seeing a more robust response.
We have also taken other significant steps to improve the police response to retail crime.
October 2023 saw the publication of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Retail Crime Action Plan. The plan includes a commitment to prioritise police attendance at the scene where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel, showing the Government commitment to tackling this issue. Additionally, where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police will run this through the Police National Database as standard using facial recognition technology to further aid efforts to identify prolific offenders or potentially dangerous individuals.
In addition, October 2023 also saw the launch of Pegasus, a unique private-public partnership that will radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with policing to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders. This will include development of a new information-sharing platform and training for retailers.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had in the past 12 months with Welsh Ministers on issues relating to the trawling of the sea bed for rare minerals within territorial waters of the Welsh coast.
Answered by Lord Harlech - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
UK Government Ministers have regular discussions with Welsh Government Ministers on a wide range of issues. In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs engages regularly at official level with the Welsh Government on areas of shared interest, including marine licensing.
The licensing regime for mineral extraction from the seabed within Welsh waters is a devolved matter for the Welsh Government, and therefore the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Harlech on 6 March (HL3092), on how many occasions in the past 12 months has the Government failed to provide an official to attend a meeting arranged between (1) Welsh Ministers and (2) ministers of foreign governments; and whether the meetings were permitted to go ahead in those circumstances.
Answered by Lord Harlech - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Between March 2023 and March 2024, Welsh Ministers have conducted over 20 overseas visits. Close engagement between FCDO and Welsh Government officials ensured that Welsh Ministers were effectively supported on each visit. This included FCDO officials accompanying Welsh Ministers in their meetings with ministers of foreign governments, as appropriate. FCDO officials attended all such meetings.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the impact of potential job losses at Tata on the (a) wider supply chains and (b) economy in South Wales.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
This Government is supporting Tata Steel with £500 million towards building of the electric arc furnace, securing the future of steelmaking at Port Talbot. This will protect 5,000 steel jobs and thousands more in the supply chain. The Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board has been set up to support those affected by Tata Steel’s decarbonisation transition, backed by a £100 million fund. Of that funding, £80 million is provided by the UK Government and £20 million will be provided by Tata.
The Transition Board has commissioned the development of a Local Economic Action Plan to assess the economic impact in South Wales, as well as provide the Transition Board with advice on how to support and grow the local economy. The full impact of Tata Steel’s transition on the wider supply chains and the South Wales economy depends on the outcome of the formal consultation, which remains underway.
This Government acknowledges the need for immediate as well as long-term support, especially in the wake of the announcement on 18 March that Tata Steel UK will cease operation of coke ovens at their Port Talbot site. This decision, while primarily an operational matter for Tata Steel UK, shows again why the UK government is right to step in with one of the largest support packages in our history to secure the future of the Welsh steel industry.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the destinations were of domestic overnight visits undertaken by Ministers within their Department in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to UIN 17534 on 13 March 2024.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many domestic overnight visits were undertaken by Ministers within his Department in each of the last three financial years; and what the cost to the public purse was of these visits.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The Government publishes on GOV.UK details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what directives or guidelines they have issued to the Welsh Government in relation to overseas initiatives on matters related to devolved responsibilities.
Answered by Lord Harlech - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The FCDO remains fully committed to working collaboratively with the Welsh Government and other Devolved Administrations on overseas initiatives which may support the delivery of devolved policy objectives. The FCDO has developed internal guidance to ensure that the foreign affairs reservation is respected, including requiring a UK Government official to be present at meetings between devolved ministers and ministers of foreign governments.
Since April 2023, the FCDO has supported over 15 overseas visits by Welsh Government Ministers. International activity undertaken by each of the Devolved Administrations will continue to be supported appropriately by Posts.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the future of the steelmaking industry in Wales?
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of subjects, including steelmaking in Wales.
This Government is investing £500 million into steelmaking at Port Talbot. This will protect 5,000 steel jobs and thousands more in the supply chain whilst increasing our economic security.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent assessment he has made of the strength of the Union.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
Our United Kingdom has never been stronger.
This Government is championing the Welsh contribution to our shared strength and prosperity, including announcing two Investment Zones for Wales, worth £160 million each. They will boost productivity, support high-priority jobs and level up the economy in Wrexham and Flintshire Cardiff and Newport.