Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether his Department has carried out a risk assessment of the secure holding of CCTV footage filmed within his Department.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
As has been the case under successive Administrations, it is not government policy to comment on security procedures in government buildings.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether any Departmental business has been conducted on private email addresses by (a) officials, (b) special advisors and (c) Ministers of his Department.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
I refer the Hon. Member to the Cabinet Office guidance to departments on use of private emails. www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-departments-on-private-email-use
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether his Department permits (a) officials, (b) special advisors and (c) Ministers of his Department to access private email accounts from their office desktop computers, department-issued laptop computers or department-issued mobile phone devices.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
I refer the Hon. Member to the Cabinet Office guidance to departments on use of private emails. www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-departments-on-private-email-use
It is government policy not to comment on specific technical security controls; however, the incidental personal use of private email accounts from departmental systems is subject to our ‘Acceptable Use’ policy, in spare time.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether his department has has referred any Freedom of Information requests received by his Department to the central Cabinet Office Clearing House on Freedom of Information requests for advice on handling, in the last two years.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
Where it is appropriate, the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales has approached the Cabinet Office Clearing House for advice on Freedom of Information requests.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the publication of the Dunlop review; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on a range of issues relating to the Union, including Lord Dunlop’s review of Union Capability.
The UK Government’s ambition is to publish the Dunlop Report as soon as possible alongside a full response from the Government. The report is an important contribution to the debate on strengthening the Union, a key Government priority.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he was first made aware of the Government's decision to provide accommodation for asylum seekers at the Penally training camp.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I heard of the decision to use Penally training camp as accommodation for asylum seekers on 12 September.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on how many occasions he has met with Welsh Government Ministers to discuss the UK Internal Market Bill.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
I have regular discussions with Welsh Ministers on a range of issues, including the UK Internal Market Bill. Discussions between the two governments on the UK Internal Market proposals have taken place at Ministerial, official and special adviser level.
I have also engaged with Welsh businesses and their representative organisations on the Government’s internal market proposals and have heard their broad support at first-hand. This was reflected in the response to the Government’s Internal Market White Paper. The Government is keen to engage constructively with the Welsh Government as we take forward this vital legislation.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral contribution of 16 September 2020, Official Report, column 296, if he will list the 70 new policy areas for which the Welsh Government will become responsible.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
The Government published the Frameworks Analysis 2020 on 24 September. It describes 66 policy areas returning from the EU which intersect with the devolution settlement in Wales and can be accessed via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frameworks-analysis
The Government’s Frameworks Analysis published in April 2019, set out 70 policy areas which intersect with the devolution settlement in Wales. Since then, intergovernmental discussions on the Common Frameworks Programme have considered whether these policy areas should be merged to reflect the way in which frameworks will operate in practice. These changes have been agreed with the Welsh Government and result in 4 fewer policy areas in total. This does not change the total number of powers that will transfer to Welsh Ministers at the end of the Transition Period.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral Answer of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales of 16 September 2020, Official Report, column 298, on the Future Relationship with EU, if he will list the occasions on which he has discussed preparations for the end of the UK-EU transition period with Welsh Ministers since 1 January 2020.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
The UK Government has regular discussions with Welsh Ministers on preparations for the end of the Transition Period. The main ministerial forum for discussing preparedness is the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) which has met on five occasions this year. Preparedness is also discussed at quadrilateral meetings with Ministers from the Devolved Administrations chaired by my Rt hon Friend, the Paymaster General.
The UK Government has extensive, constant and wide-ranging engagement with the Welsh Government. This includes discussions on our Covid-19 response, and areas of joint work between our governments such as on city and growth deals, as well as preparations for the end of the Transition Period. Discussions are constructive and their frequency will increase further as we approach the end of the year.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when his Department's Cardiff hub will be officially opened.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The new United Kingdom Government Hub in Cardiff is scheduled to open in February 2021.