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.
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.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have informed the Law Officers that they are the defendants in a libel action in (a) their personal capacity, (b) their official position and (c) both since 19 December 2019.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
As per paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code, it is not possible to disclose whether Law Officers have or have not provided advice on such matters. Paragraph 2.13 states: “The fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised, and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority”.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what guidance his Department issues on the use of WhatsApp.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
All Departments in central government, including arms-length bodies apply the published guidance: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business published by Cabinet Office in March 2023. It applies to all individuals in central government (ministers, special advisers, officials, contractors, non-executive board members and independent experts advising ministers). The Wales Office uses the central guidance and has applied it since March 2023.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the average level of staff attendance has been at the UK Government hub in Cardiff, Tŷ William Morgan in each month since December 2022.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The Wales Office does not hold data on average levels of staff attendance for UK Government departments and agencies, and other public bodies, based in the UK Government hub in Ty William Morgan, Cardiff.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what reports and guidance their Department has produced in the last three years; and how much was spent on their (a) printing and (b) distribution.
Answered by Fay Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW) produced the following reports during the last three years.
Financial Year | Reports Produced | Spend on Printing and Distribution* (£) |
2021-22 | OSSW Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21 | 3,420.30 |
2021-22 | The UK Government’s Sixth Annual Report on the Implementation and Operation of Part 2 (Finance) of the Wales Act 2014 | 2,593.58 |
2022-23 | OSSW Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 | 1,245.99 |
2023-24 to date | OSSW Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 | 1,200.61 |
*The Department outsources its printing and the invoices received do not split the costs between printing and distribution.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department (a) paid in apprenticeship levy fees and (b) spent from its apprenticeship levy funds between September 2021 and August 2023.
Answered by Fay Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
Nothing. The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales does not employ staff directly. Our staff are employed by the Ministry of Justice.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much funding his Department has (a) budgeted for and (b) spent on advertising in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Fay Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
Nothing. The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW) has not budgeted or spent any money on advertising in the last three financial years.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much funding his Department (a) allocated for (b) spent on magazine subscriptions in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Fay Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
Nothing. The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW) has not allocated or spent any money on subscriptions to magazines in the last three financial years.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which (a) newspapers, (b) magazines and (c) online journals his Department subscribed to in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Fay Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW) subscribed to the following newspapers, magazines and online journals in the last three financial years.
Financial Year | Subscription |
2021-22 | The Times, The Financial Times, The Telegraph and The Western Mail. |
2022-23 | The Times, The Financial Times, The Telegraph and GOLWG |
2023-24 to date | The Times, The Financial Times, The Telegraph, GOLWG and The Spectator |