Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the Barnett consequentials for Wales of the Stronger Towns Fund.
Answered by Alun Cairns
The UK Government will seek to ensure that towns in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can benefit from the Stronger Towns Fund and we will announce further details in due course.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 232038, how many of his Department's meetings with trade unions in Wales were in relation to the UK leaving the EU; and what steps he has taken to consult with trade unions in Wales on the UK leaving the EU since 2016.
Answered by Alun Cairns
One of my two roundtable meetings was directly related to the UK leaving the EU. I am fully committed to an ongoing dialogue with trades unions in Wales on matters relating to the UK leaving the EU.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on increasing electoral registration and voter turnout in Wales.
Answered by Alun Cairns
I have regular discussions with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for the Constitution on a range of issues, including electoral matters. The Government’s major reforms to the electoral registration system, including the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration have resulted in record levels of electors registering to vote in Wales and participating in our democracy.
The Government set out its priorities for democratic engagement for 2019 and beyond in its report Democratic Engagement: Respecting, Protecting and Promoting Our Democracy, published in January. The report highlights the Government's commitment to ensuring everyone can make their voice heard free from abuse, making voting easier and more accessible for vulnerable and under-registered groups, and introducing measures to protect electors’ votes.
The Wales Act 2017 devolved powers over National Assembly elections and local government elections in Wales. Officials from the UK Government and the Welsh Government are discussing areas for greater collaboration such as canvass reform and voter registration.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department has spent on external consultants in each of the last four years.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales has to date spent £17,400 on external consultants in the current financial year. The Office spent nothing on external consultants in the previous three financial years.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of statistical datasets collected or collated by his Department are made publicly available.
Answered by Nigel Adams
All statistical datasets collected or collated by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales are published except datasets that include personal data.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans his Department has for participation in Earth Hour on 30 March 2019.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales supports the aims of Earth Hour and will be fully participating on 30 March. The Office will be turning off any non-essential electric lights at our London and Cardiff offices from 20:30 to 21:30 on that day.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the (a) visits he has made to Welsh Parliamentary constituencies and (b) the purpose for each of those visits in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Alun Cairns
Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Ministers regularly visit Parliamentary constituencies in Wales. In each instance, the respective honourable Member is notified of the visit. Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales website and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office Business Plan are published in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Annual Report and Accounts.
Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Ministers are always keen to receive invitation requests from honourable Members.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on trends in violent crime in Wales; and what the outcomes were of those discussions.
Answered by Alun Cairns
The Home Secretary and I have regular discussions on a range of issues. Furthermore, ministers from my Department are members of the Inter-Ministerial Group on the Serious Violence Strategy.
The Government’s Serious Violence Strategy, published in April 2018, sets out the action we are taking to address serious violence and in particular the recent increases in knife crime, gun crime and homicide.
The Strategy outlines an ambitious programme of robust commitments and actions. It sets out a very significant programme of work involving a range of Government Departments and partners in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential effect of the Stronger Towns fund on Welsh communities.
Answered by Alun Cairns
I have had discussions with a number of cabinet colleagues about the Stronger Towns Fund and how this will apply across the UK. We will ensure that towns in Wales can benefit from the Fund, building on the success of our City and Growth Deals initiative.