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Written Question
Territorial Waters: Wales
Wednesday 27th March 2024

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).


Written Question
Foreign Relations: Wales
Tuesday 26th March 2024

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.


Written Question
Tata Steel: Redundancy
Friday 22nd March 2024

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.


Written Question
Wales Office: Domestic Visits
Thursday 14th March 2024

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.


Written Question
Wales Office: Domestic Visits
Wednesday 13th 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.


Written Question
Foreign Relations: Wales
Wednesday 13th March 2024

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.


Written Question
Iron and Steel: Manufacturing Industries
Wednesday 13th March 2024

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.


Written Question
United Kingdom
Wednesday 13th March 2024

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.


Written Question
Food: Wales
Tuesday 12th March 2024

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 the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential application of new geographical indications for Welsh food and drink products in Japan.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

As Secretary of State for Wales, I am proud to promote protected Welsh products, and was delighted to celebrate Single Malt Welsh Whisky on a recent visit to India.

I was also pleased to see that on 29 February 2024, 37 Geographical Indications received protected status in Japan, including famed products such as Welsh Lamb, Anglesey Sea Salt, Conwy Mussels, Pembrokeshire Early Potatoes, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly, Welsh Beef, Welsh Laverbread and Welsh Wine joining the seven GIs already protected in our agreement.

The UK Government is continuing work to secure protection for further products. The GI additions have been split into two tranches running in parallel to aid processing time, and officials will continue work to finalise the completion of UK and Japanese processes for the second and final tranche.


Written Question
Wales Office: Fraud and Maladministration
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the amount of money lost to fraud and error by his Department in each of the last three financial years.

Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales

The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year, it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.

The PSFA produces a Fraud Landscape Report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cross-government-fraud-landscape-annual-report-2022). This provides data on fraud and error detection, loss and recoveries in central government, outside of the tax and welfare system. The 2020/21 Report was published in March 2023.

There has been no reported or detected fraud and error in the Department during the last three financial years.