Wales Office

Under Section 93 of the Transport Act 1985 local authorities in England and Wales can agree with neighbouring authorities to offer discretionary travel concessions on local services where the route may cross the border.

On 1 March 2022, the Minister for Defence People and Veterans and I jointly announced that we would be appointing Colonel James Phillips as the Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales, thereby ensuring that all parts of the UK have an independent voice representing the interests of veterans. In this role, Colonel Phillips will engage with veterans and their families, listen to their needs and aspirations and identify areas for positive change. The appointment of Colonel Phillips is an important step forward in supporting ex-service personnel in Wales – including with mental wellbeing - and an integral part of meeting our ambition of making the United Kingdom the best place in the world to be a veteran.

The provision of mental health services is devolved to the Welsh Government. The Office of Veterans Affairs are supporting veterans’ mental health in England through Op COURAGE. It has engaged extensively with the Welsh Government throughout the development of the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan. The Plan brings forward commitments in a variety of areas, including mental wellbeing.

The British Energy Security Strategy will speed up the UK’s nuclear programme and recognises the strength of Wylfa as a nuclear site. The Secretary of State for Wales and the Business Secretary recently chose the Wylfa site to announce the £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund, which will unlock and accelerate new nuclear technologies.

The Nationality and Borders Act provides clarity on human trafficking victims’ rights and entitlements, it goes further in supporting the victims of this horrendous crime and reduces the opportunity for the system to be abused. We will continue to engage with the Welsh Government on this, and the Modern Slavery Bill will be introduced in due course.

The Wales Office has had no ‘recognised staff groups’ in place during the last three years. However, our staff can access the following Ministry of Justice staff networks:

ABLE network (disability)

Carers Network

Christians in MoJ

Frontline Staff Network

Gender Equality Network

Humanists in MoJ (HiMoJ)

Job Share Network

MoJ EU Nationals Network

MoJ Muslim Network

Parents’ Network

PROUD

Safe Space Forum

Spirit

Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM)

The Civil Service Jewish Network (JNet)

The Wales office has allocated no staff time to staff groups in the last three years and has not provided any funding to staff groups in this period.

The Wales Office has had no ‘recognised staff groups’ in place during the last three years. However, our staff can access the following Ministry of Justice staff networks:

ABLE network (disability)

Carers Network

Christians in MoJ

Frontline Staff Network

Gender Equality Network

Humanists in MoJ (HiMoJ)

Job Share Network

MoJ EU Nationals Network

MoJ Muslim Network

Parents’ Network

PROUD

Safe Space Forum

Spirit

Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM)

The Civil Service Jewish Network (JNet)

The Wales office has allocated no staff time to staff groups in the last three years and has not provided any funding to staff groups in this period.

I have regular discussions with colleagues in the Welsh Government on a wide range of subjects. Owing to the range of topics covered by this question, I will address each point in turn.

(a): DEFRA holds regular discussions with the devolved administrations – including the Welsh Government – through an Animal Welfare Policy Group. This group provides a key strategic policy and regulatory decision-making forum for UK-wide animal welfare and is governed by the processes and principles outlined in the Animal Health and Welfare Common Framework.

(b): The UK Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare included an ambition to conduct a call for evidence on the use of snares and this will be launched in due course. I am aware the Welsh Government has announced a commitment to ban the use of snares in Wales.

The total salary costs (including National Insurance and pension costs) spent on communications staff in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 is shown below:

Wales Office Ministers have had no discussions to date with the Welsh Government in regard to the Clean Air (Wales) Bill.

The Department is committed to reducing emissions and energy consumption to reduce costs. The Department's current targets to make progress on reducing emissions have been published as part of the Greening Government Commitments. The Government's recently published British Energy Security Strategy will protect the UK from price spikes in the future by accelerating our move towards cleaner, cheaper, home-grown energy.

While immigration is a reserved matter, representatives from across Government have met with counterparts in the Welsh Government regarding the New Plan for Immigration announcements and will continue to do so as part of regular engagement with the Devolved Administrations.

This is part of the United Kingdom’s plan to address the international challenge of illegal migration, control our borders and break the business model of people smuggling gangs.

The total salary costs (including National Insurance and pension costs) spent on communications staff in each of the last 3 financial years is shown below:

There are six full-time communications staff employed by the office. One further member of staff works part-time. Of the six full-time staff members, one has formal flexible working arrangements although all staff members have the option to work flexibly.

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters, including on matters relating to public service broadcasting and the ownership of Channel 4.

The Government consulted extensively on a change of ownership of Channel 4, and the views and evidence gathered from a wide range of stakeholders – including from stakeholders in Wales – have informed the Government’s assessment and wider policy-making.

Following this consultation, the Culture Secretary has come to a decision that, although Channel 4 as a business is currently performing well, public ownership is holding it back in the face of a rapidly-changing and competitive media landscape.

The Government will set out the future of Channel 4 in a White Paper shortly.

The Secretary of State for Wales last met with the First Minister of Wales on 23^rd March in a meeting led by the Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, during which the cost of living was raised.

The UK Government recognises the challenges people are facing and we have provided a range of support to tackle the rising cost of living. For example, we have provided a £200 energy bill discount for households across the whole of the UK, including Wales. We have also provided an additional £180 million in Barnett to the Welsh Government to recognise the Council Tax Energy rebate in England. This is part of a support package worth around £20 billion over this financial year and next.

In addition to this we have increased the National Living Wage to £9.50, which means an extra £1,000 per year in gross wages for a full-time worker. We expect this increase to the National Living Wage, along with rises to the National Minimum Wage, to give a pay rise to around 120,000 workers in Wales.

Furthermore, the Government have reduced the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55% and are increasing Universal Credit work allowances by £500 per annum. These together will see some households keep on average around £1,000 per year and is essentially providing a tax cut for the lowest paid in society UK wide worth around £2.2 bn in 2022-23.

The Secretary of State for Wales would be happy to meet Welsh Government Ministers and the Noble Lord to discuss the development of the M4 relief road.

As it stands, the Welsh Government have a moratorium on new road building and have ruled out a M4 relief road. The UK Government continues to urge the Welsh Government to reconsider its position to enable congestion to be unblocked around the Newport area.

The UK Government is committed to strengthening the security of the UK border by ensuring that everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) has permission to do so in advance of travel.

People travel to the UK, including Wales, for a whole host of reasons and while the cost or requirement to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in advance of travel may be a consideration, the experience of other countries with similar schemes shows it is very unlikely to deter a genuine visitor. Obtaining an ETA is likely to incur a very small additional cost for travellers relative to the cost of travel and the benefits of visiting the UK, including Wales; therefore, it is unlikely to deter the majority of visitors. Moreover, the process for obtaining an ETA will be quick and light touch.

Many of the UK’s international partners have taken a similar approach to border security, including the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, meaning it is a familiar concept for travellers.

The UK Government is committed to strengthening the security of the UK border by ensuring that everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) has permission to do so in advance of travel. The Government will introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to close the current gap in advance permissions and to enhance our ability to prevent the travel of those who pose a threat to the UK.

The Government has been very clear in emphasising our continuing commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. An important part of this remains an absolute commitment not to operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border.

The UK Government is engaging regularly with the Welsh Government and all the Devolved Administrations to keep them appraised of the developing situation on Ukraine and matters related to the UK’s response.

The Government’s sanctions are targeted against those sectors and individuals close to President Putin. This includes banning all ships that are Russian owned, operated, controlled, chartered, registered or flagged from entering British ports from 1 March. Ships carrying cargo from Russia were not within the scope of these sanctions, however the Government continues to consider what further trade measures may be necessary.

The Department is committed to reducing emissions and energy consumption wherever possible, as part of the UK’s transition to net zero. Current targets to make progress on reducing emissions have been published, as part of the Greening Government Commitments.

The Government published the Net Zero Strategy in October 2021, which sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our net zero target by 2050.

The Department monitors and reports on its greenhouse gas emissions - information on this is published in the Greening Government Commitments Annual Report.

Greenhouse gas emissions are published annually in the Greening Government Commitments Annual Reports.

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including the Places for Growth programme.

The Places for Growth programme is delivering the UK Government’s commitment to move 22,000 Civil Service roles and 50% of UK-based Senior Civil Service roles, out of Greater London by 2030. Wales has already benefitted from this work including the establishment of a Trade Hub for Wales and a dedicated DLUHC Wales area team based in the UK Government’s Cardiff Hub (Ty William Morgan). Furthermore, as detailed in the Levelling Up White Paper, Wales will benefit from the relocation of around 500 non-operational Ministry of Justice roles to sites including Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham.

Yes. The new Government Curriculum will include modules on the implications of Net Zero, climate change and wider environmental issues for government. In the first phase, the Government Skills & Curriculum Unit (GSCU) is working with other Departments (including BEIS, DEFRA and FCDO) to create an awareness level training resource for all civil servants.

This will be piloted from April 2022. In the next phases, GSCU will look at tailored provision for specific Functions and Professions and will signpost the training and other resources on Net Zero, which are already being provided internally at practitioner and expert levels by Government Departments.

I have regular discussions with colleagues in Welsh Government on a wide range of subjects. The Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food recently met with her Devolved Administrations counterparts to discuss the implications of the ongoing Ukraine crisis on EFRA sectors, including supply chains.

With regard to food supply and commodities, our food import dependency on the Eastern Europe region is very low and we do not expect significant direct impacts on UK food supply. However, the UK Government has been engaging with industry and the devolved administrations to fully understand the impact of the Russian invasion on individual industries and supply chains and will continue to monitor the situation.

I have regular discussions with cabinet colleagues on a wide range of subjects, including the conflict in Ukraine and the effect on food supply.

With regard to food supply and commodities, our food import dependency on the Eastern Europe region is very low and we do not expect significant direct impacts on UK food supply. However, the UK Government has been engaging with industry to fully understand the impact of the Russian invasion on individual industries and supply chains and will continue to monitor the situation.

All of the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales’ spending of more than £500 is routinely made publicly available and can be found via the following link:

Transparency Spend over £500 for February 2019 - December 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

A member of my Department’s Senior Leadership Team has responsibility for departmental sustainability.

The Government is monitoring and assessing these critical trade routes between Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. We are committed to strengthening the Union and increasing trade flows between the four nations as a key part of that strategy.

Under the UK Internal Market Act, we have legislated for a framework within which to manage regulatory divergence within the UK, ensuring the continued free flow of goods and services between Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England, by preventing the introduction of new regulatory barriers and enshrining the principles of mutual recognition and non-discrimination into domestic law. These principles ensure that regulations from one part of the UK are recognised across the other home nations and support companies trading in the UK regardless of where in the UK they are based.

We have further legislated to ensure unfettered access for trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about promoting renewable energy generation across all parts of Wales, including Newport.

The UK Government is committed to supporting renewable energy generation, with £285 million per year available in the fourth round of the Contracts for Difference renewable energy support scheme for projects in Wales, Scotland and England. We also recently announced up to £160 million in new funding for new large-scale floating offshore wind ports and factories across the UK. Wales is well placed to capitalise on this funding given the emerging pipelines in areas around the Celtic Sea.

I will continue to work with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and my Cabinet colleagues, to ensure that we capitalise on the huge renewable energy opportunities Wales has to offer.

Representatives from across Government meet frequently with colleagues in the Welsh Government and across the Devolved Administrations to update them on a number of matters, including the handling of the current Ukrainian crisis.

Given this is a constantly evolving matter, we are keeping under review how best the UK Government can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and how we allocate financial resource to do so.

At the same time, we have been working at pace to launch the Ukraine Family Scheme and it is now open for extended family members to apply.

Representatives from across Government meet frequently with colleagues in the Welsh Government and across the Devolved Administrations to update them on a number of matters, including the handling of the current Ukrainian crisis.

Given this is a constantly evolving matter, we are keeping under review how best the UK Government can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and how we allocate financial resource to do so.

At the same time, we have been working at pace to launch the Ukraine Family Scheme and it is now open for extended family members to apply.

Representatives from across Government meet frequently with colleagues in the Welsh Local Government Association to update them on a number of matters, including the handling of the current Ukrainian crisis.

Given this is a constantly evolving matter, we are keeping under review how best the UK Government can support refugees fleeing Ukraine and how we allocate financial resource to do so.

At the same time, we have been working at pace to launch the Ukraine Family Scheme and it is now open for extended family members to apply.

As announced at last year’s spending review, the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) will receive up to £30 million for a new, world-class rail technology and innovation centre.

Funding for GCRE will be released at the appropriate times between 2022-23 and 2023-24, as agreed between the UK Government, the Welsh Government and GCRE.

The Wales Office does not operate our own professional staff networks or social clubs; however, our staff have access to networks which are provided by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). MoJ networks include Disability, Carers, Faith, Sexual Orientation and Gender.

The Wales Office does not have a budget for staff networks or social clubs and no FTE staff time has been allocated to Wales Office staff networks over the last three years, although staff are encouraged to access MoJ staff networks.

Across the Civil Service, employee networks provide a valuable support structure for staff. They promote activities that open up opportunities in the Civil Service for talented civil servants and prospective civil servants, and encourage team working and an inclusive work culture.

I have regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues on a range of matters, including economic growth. The UK Government closely monitors economic growth across the UK and has taken steps to support economic growth in Wales.

The UK Government have provided £46 million through the UK Community Renewal Fund, of which Newport received £2.8 million. This included £850,000 for a ‘Foot in the Door’ programme aimed at improving access to pre-employment training activity for 300 beneficiaries in Newport and over £700,000 to the Welsh Institute of Digital Information to invest in its research and development centre at the University of South Wales Newport campus.

Furthermore, the UK Government is investing £790 million in city and growth deals across Wales, with the Cardiff Capital Region, which includes Newport, receiving £500 million. These Growth Deals empower Wales’ regions to determine how best to drive jobs and growth in their areas, and to identify their own needs and strengths.

The UK Government also recently published the Levelling Up White Paper that sets out our ambitions on levelling up across the UK, tackling regional and local inequalities so we can see growth, more jobs, and higher wages UK-wide. Wales remains front and centre in the UK Government’s plans to level up and have received £121 million through the first rounds of the Levelling Up Fund, in addition to £464,000 through the Community Ownership Fund. These funds will support vital transport improvements, invest in local skills, support local people into employment and regenerate town centres. All to drive local growth and invest for the people and communities most in need, across Wales.

The UK Government is further supporting young people in Wales through the Kickstart programme, which provides fully funded six-month jobs for 16-24-year olds on Universal Credit, with 6,000 jobs already started in Wales. Sustainable jobs are integral to building back better and we are determined to level up every part of the UK.

The UK Government is clear in our commitment to the Union as a successful partnership which brings tangible benefits to people across the United Kingdom. The resources of the UK Government play an important role in delivering these benefits, as highlighted by the record amounts of Barnett-based funding we are providing to the Welsh Government.

Our response to the pandemic has demonstrated the strength and importance of the Union, with the UK Government working with the devolved administrations more closely and productively than ever. I meet with the First Ministers and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland in regular calls chaired by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and will continue to do so as we seek to work together on matters of common interest.

My Department and I are fully focused on delivering jobs and economic growth in Wales, promoting levelling up and our transition to a net zero economy in doing so. The Government’s Plan for Wales sets out the UK Government’s commitments to Wales as we drive economic recovery from the pandemic.

My Department does not hold this information.

The UK Government has announced a bespoke humanitarian support package for the people of Ukraine, which includes an expanded Family Visa Scheme enabling British nationals, and people settled here to bring a wider group of family members to the UK.

The UK Government is engaging with the Welsh Government and all the Devolved Administrations to keep them appraised of the developing situation on Ukraine, the UK’s response, and potential impacts on the UK. This includes engagement with the First Minister of Wales.

The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales is not responsible for any critical infrastructure that is reliant on private wire networks for power supply.

The Veterans Commissioner for Wales will work with all veterans across Wales to enhance support for veterans, as well as scrutinising relevant policy. This includes Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined operations.

I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including those around procurement. The Government wants businesses from every corner of the UK to be successful in bidding for UK public contracts.

We are reforming the procurement rules to make it simpler, quicker and cheaper for suppliers, including small and mid-size enterprises and social enterprises, to bid for public sector contracts. The Welsh Government has confirmed that it will also join the reforms.

The reforms will support the Government’s levelling up priorities by making it easier for public sector buyers to take account of social value when awarding contracts. This will allow public sector procurement to play into the strengths of Welsh businesses, including those in Newport West, who are well placed to deliver benefits.

The Government recognises this is a worrying time for businesses of all sizes, due to significant increases in global energy prices.

Since 2013, we have provided Energy-Intensive Industries with extensive support, with more than £2 billion to help with the costs of electricity, including over £600 million for the steel industry. This support includes electricity price relief schemes for eligible Energy Intensive Industries in sectors such as steel, chemicals, cement, ceramics, paper, and glass. We also have funds in place to support businesses with high energy use, to cut their bills and reduce their carbon emissions, including the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.

I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of subjects, including policing and criminal justice matters in Wales.

Welsh Police Forces will receive £820 million in total in 2022/23, an increase of up to £39.2 million on the 2021/22 settlement, and Gwent Police Force, which covers the Newport West constituency, will see an increase of £7.7 million in its 2022/23 funding.

Furthermore, Police forces in Wales have been allocated a combined total of 603 additional officers for years one and two of the police uplift. At 31 December, they had recruited 479 officers towards this allocation, with Gwent Police Force having recruited 93 additional uplift officers against an allocation of 124 officers.

It should be noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on the levels of crime across the country, during this reporting period. In respect of the levels of crime in Newport West, Gwent Police Force recorded a 6% drop in crime (excluding fraud) on the previous year in September 2021.