Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many subject access requests his Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.
Answered by Robert Buckland
My Department has received two subject access requests in the last five years. One request was responded to within the statutory limit. The other request was sent to my Department in error and was forwarded to the Ministry of Justice as the correct Department to provide a response.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what additional capital funding he plans to allocate to the Welsh Government for local authorities in Wales affected by flooding following storm Dennis.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
My Department and others are determined to ensure that all of those affected by flooding are supported in the best way possible. Flood response in Wales is a devolved matter. The UK Government will look seriously at any request from the Welsh Government for additional support and assistance for flood relief, including additional finances.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Coal Authority on former coal mining sites in Wales following the landslides caused by storm Dennis.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
Following the unprecedented flooding brought by recent storms, urgent work is being carried out across the UK to assess any risk posed to people or property and to confirm that everyone with a legal responsibility around the tips is fulfilling their safety obligations. Authorities and agencies involved are working together and good progress is being made on this vital work.
I spoke with the Coal Authority on 23 February 2020 and was further reassured following a meeting on 24 February 2020 with the First Minister of Wales, Natural Resources Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and the Coal Authority that we have a plan of action to allow us to make the necessary assessment of coal tips across South Wales.
I welcome the commitment from all partners to ensuring that this work is delivered at pace, enabling us to be able to provide the general public in the locality of coal tips with appropriate reassurance. The Welsh and UK Governments will continue to co-ordinate this vital work.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on transferring ownership of the Rhondda Tunnel to the Welsh Government.
Answered by Alun Cairns
I hold regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on issues which relate to Wales. The Rhondda Tunnel is part of the Historical Railways Estate which comprises redundant former railway property owned by the Secretary of State for Transport.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport wrote to the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure on 24 April this year to indicate that the Secretary of State for Transport was content to transfer the tunnel to the Welsh Government. To date no response has been received from the Welsh Government.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he has visited a foodbank.
Answered by Stephen Crabb
My ministerial team and I have visited food banks on a number of occasions over the last year.
I have close links with my local food bank, PATCH, of which I am a former trustee. I have supported PATCH in a number of different ways since it was founded in June 2008.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made on the potential effect of universal credit on the education maintenance allowance in Wales.
Answered by Stephen Crabb
Whilst the Department for Work and Pensions has discussed the treatment of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in assessing entitlement to Universal Credit with the Welsh Government, setting criteria for EMA eligibility is a matter for the Welsh Government.