Download Consultations Bulletin * week ending 7th March 2008

Consultation Bulletin – week ending 7 March 2014
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Newly received this week
Source
Welsh Government
Title/link
Proposed amendments to
the criminal offences and
defences in sections 2, 28
and 42 of the Ancient
Monuments and
Archaeological Areas Act
1979.
Summary
Between 2006 and 2012, Cadw received reports of 119 cases of unlawful
damage to scheduled ancient monuments in Wales. However, there has
been only one successful prosecution under the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Areas Act 1979 in the last 25 years.
Issue date
Deadline for
Response
03/03/2014
14/04/2014
03/03/2014
25/04/2014
05/03/2014
Online
Survey
17/01/2014
12/03/2014
A number of respondents to last year’s consultation, The future of our past,
expressed concerns about the rarity of successful prosecutions. Some
called for changes to the Act’s permitted defence of ignorance of the status
or location of a monument to make it easier to secure convictions for illegal
damage.
Accordingly, the Welsh Government would now like to receive views on a
proposal to amend the offences and defences in the 1979 Act to modify the
‘ignorance defence’.
Welsh Government
Achieving high standards
together - a new framework
for animal health and
welfare in Wales
This consultation invites comments on the our proposals to develop an
Animal Health & Welfare Strategy for Wales.
This consultation seeks views at an early stage on:
 the proposed approach for developing a framework for animal
health and welfare in Wales
 the draft strategic outcomes for animal health & welfare in Wales
and the data required to support them
As part of the consultation process a series of four workshops will also be
held across Wales.
NatCen
LGBT people's access to
abuse services in Wales
This research will help the Welsh Government address the barriers faced by
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people in accessing services when they
are experiencing domestic abuse, stalking, harassment or sexual violence.
**********
Welsh Affairs
Committee
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International
Representation and
Promotion of Wales by UK
bodies
Wales is a relatively small nation on the periphery of Europe and faces keen
economic competition to attract skilled workers, tourists and inward
investment, not only within the United Kingdom, but from Europe and further
afield. Both the UK Government and the Welsh Government, and their
associated bodies such as the British Council, Visit Britain, Visit Wales and
UKTI, have responsibility for promoting and representing Wales abroad.
Deadline
extended
Welsh Government
Revising the national
framework for Continuing
NHS Healthcare (CHC)
We are seeking views on arrangements we should put in place to support
the effective delivery of (CHC) by the NHS.
13/12/2013
13/03/2014
CHC is a package of care provided by the NHS for those individuals with a
complex and primarily health-based, need. Health Boards have a duty to set
in place suitable governance arrangements to ensure the correct provision
of CHC to individuals.
Welsh Ministers are responsible for the production of guidance and advice
for Health Boards.
The 2010 National Framework for Continuing NHS Healthcare provides
these details. Health Boards work with local authority partners, to assess
health needs, decide on eligibility for CHC and provide appropriate care for
adults. Welsh Ministers have been reviewing the effectiveness of the
Framework following the findings of a separate Wales Audit Office’s review.
The arrangements will be set out in the 2014 'National Framework for
Continuing NHS Healthcare'.
Department for
Business, Innovation
& Skills
Zero hours employment
contracts
This is an online consultation that seeks views from as many participants as
possible. It seeks further evidence on the problems identified around the
use of zero hours contracts and invites responses to a number of potential
actions government can take to address them and promote a better
outcome.
At this stage, the government has no preferred options. Views are sought in
particular on maintaining a fair balance between the flexibility provided by
zero hours contracts and ensuring adequate protection for individuals.
19/12/2013
13/03/2014
Welsh Government
Statutory Guidance to the
Independent Remuneration
Panel for Wales in relation
to the salaries of Local
Authority Chief Executives
The Panel will have new powers to make recommendations to Local
Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities on their Pay Policy Statement
relevant to the salary of their Head of Paid Service.
20/12/2013
14/03/2014
Phase 1 - Draft Report:
Review of Audit, Inspection
and Regulation
Consultation to establish by consensus the purpose of audit, inspection and
regulation.
20/01/2014
14/03/2014
Welsh Government
WCVA will be submitting a
response to this
consultation If you have
any comments that you
would like us to include in
our response please email
them to
[email protected]
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The Panel will have to have regard to Statutory Guidance made by Welsh
Ministers when making recommendations
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to "review the
framework for the external scrutiny of public services and the work of our
auditors, inspectors and regulators".
In early 2013, Welsh Government officials proposed a three phase review of
Audit, Inspection and Regulation (AIR) in Wales in response to the
Programme for Government commitment:
 Phase 1 - to establish by consensus the purpose of audit,
inspection and regulation
 Phase 2 - to consider how far/to what extent the present system

fulfils the principles of Phase 1; and establish a programme for
reform
Phase 3 - Implementation - comprising one-off reforms or longerterm changes of emphasis.
This report sets out the findings from phase 1 of the review of Audit,
Inspection and Regulation.
Welsh Government
Consultation on
Amendments to the Council
Tax (Chargeable Dwellings)
Order 1992 For Emergency
Accommodation
This consultation seeks views on the proposal to amend the Council Tax
(Chargeable Dwellings) Order 1992 (the 1992 Order).
05/02/2014
19/03/2014
NICE
Community engagement
(update): draft scope
consultation
In 2005, the Department of Health asked the then National Institute for
Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on public health
approaches aimed at promoting community engagement to improve health.
Following a review of the guidance in 2011, NICE (now known as the
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has decided to update the
recommendations.
19/02/2014
19/03/2014
Welsh Government
The Review of Bathing
Waters in Wales 2014
The Bathing Water Directive requires member states to identify all bathing
waters each year. This is so that we ensure all coastal and inland waters
that are used by a large number of bathers during the bathing season (15
May to 30 September) are designated.
07/02/2014
21/03/2014
The change is necessary to allow the Welsh Ministers to amend the 1992
Order so that properties which are classed as emergency accommodation
and consist of a number of self contained units are treated as one dwelling
for Council Tax purposes.
The two sites we are proposing for designation for the 2014 bathing season
are:
 Llyn Padarn, Llanberis, Gwynedd
 Rhyl East, East Parade, Denbighshire.
DEFRA
Energy efficiency:
proposals to change
Environmental Permitting
Regulations
The Energy Efficiency Directive (EED – 2012/27/EU) was adopted on 25
October 2012. It updates the EU’s legal framework for energy efficiency,
pursuing the target of saving 20% of the EU’s primary energy consumption
by 2020, and of making further energy efficiency improvements after 2020.
The Directive also repeals and replaces the Energy Services Directive (ESD
– 2006/32/EC) as well as the Cogeneration Directive (2004/8/EC).
10/02/2014
21/03/2014
Home Office
Covert surveillance
This consultation contains proposals to update the covert human
intelligence sources code of practice and the covert surveillance code of
practice. Both codes of practice have greatly improved control and oversight
of the way public authorities use covert investigatory techniques, in order to
protect our right to privacy. The changes made to the draft codes, on which
we are seeking views, are highlighted throughout the documents attached.
13/02/2014
27/03/2014
Welsh Government
Making the most of every
drop - A consultation on
We are consulting jointly on proposals to reform the system used to manage
water removal from rivers and ground water across Wales and England.
17/12/2013
28/03/2014
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reforming the water
abstraction management
system
Welsh Government
Proposals for the Glastir
scheme, part of the Rural
Development Plan for
Wales 2014-2020
We want to ensure the sustainable management of our water in Wales. This
includes considering if the water abstraction (removing water from rivers
etc) management system in Wales needs to change. This consultation
explores options for reforming the current system. We welcome your views
on these.
The Welsh Government now wishes to consult on the decisions it proposes
to take for Glastir under the next RDP programming period, 2014 to 2020.
23/01/2014
28/03/2014
03/02/2014
28/03/2014
04/02/2014
01/04/2014
These proposals outline a future for agri-environment in Wales. They are
the result of widespread discussions with the:
 industry
 farming communities
 charities
 and other organisations across Wales
and sets out a vision for a more sustainable use of our natural resources.
Welsh Government
The Statement of Public
Participation for the Welsh
National Marine Plan
We want your views on how and when we will have discussions with
interested people on the marine planning process.
We also explain what we will do with the views and opinions we receive
during the marine planning process.
Charity Commission
A consultation on a change
in regulation and Charity
Commission policy - The
regulation of common
deposit funds
Common Deposit Funds (CDFs) are a type of investment fund that are
deemed by law to be charities under the Charities Act 2011. They enjoy the
same tax status as other charities, and are eligible for registration as
charities in their own right. Therefore the Charity Commission has
responsibility for regulating CDFs as charities in England and Wales.
CDFs accept deposits from charities and pool the money to form a large
sum that will then be deposited on the money market. As a pooled and
larger sum, the deposit may secure a higher rate of interest for the
depositing charities than each charity would otherwise obtain if undertaken
separately. As a result, CDFs have been particularly important to smaller
charities that have relatively small amounts of cash to deposit.
The implementation of a European Union Directive, the Alternative
Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) means that the Financial
Conduct Authority (FCA) will be responsible for some aspects of the
operation of unregulated investment funds, including CIFs and CDFs. This
will require the Charity Commission to make significant changes to its model
schemes for CDFs. It will also provide an opportunity to take a significantly
different approach to the regulation of CDFs and investment funds for
charities generally.
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Welsh Government
Marine Strategy Framework
Directive consultation – UK
Marine Monitoring
Programmes
This is a joint consultation by:
 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
 the Northern Ireland Executive
 the Scottish Government
 the Welsh Government.

The Marine Strategy Part One (external link) is the UK’s response to the first
phase of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
(MSFD). The directive requires that Member States put in place measures
to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) in their seas by
2020.
08/01/2014
02/04/2014
National Assembly for
Wales
Inquiry into progress made
to date on implementing the
Welsh Government’s
Cancer Delivery Plan
The terms of reference for the inquiry are to examine the progress made in
implementing the Cancer Delivery Plan in Wales including:
 Whether Wales is on course to achieve the outcomes and
performance measures, as set out in the Cancer Delivery Plan, by
2016;
 Progress made in reducing the inequalities gap in cancer incidence
and mortality rates;
 The effectiveness of cancer screening services and the level of
take-up across the population of Wales, particularly the harder to
reach groups;
 Whether patients across Wales can access the care required (for
example, access to diagnostic testing or out-of-hours care) in an
appropriate setting and in a timely manner;
 The level of collaborative working across sectors, especially
between the NHS and third sector, to ensure patients receive
effective person-centred care from multi-disciplinary teams.
 Whether the current level of funding for cancer services is
appropriate, used effectively and provides value for money.
10/02/2014
04/04/2014
National Assembly for
Wales
Orthodontic services in
Wales
The terms of reference are to inquire into the provision of appropriate
orthodontic care in Wales including:
 Access for patients to appropriate orthodontic treatment, covering
both primary and secondary care orthodontic services, and whether
there is regional variation in access to orthodontic services across
Wales.
 The effectiveness of working relationships between orthodontic
practices and Local Health Boards in the management of local
orthodontic provision, and the role of Managed Clinical Networks in
helping to deliver more effective orthodontic services in Wales (e.g.
effective planning and management, improvement in the
appropriateness of referrals and performance management,
workforce arrangements).
 Whether the current level of funding for orthodontic services is
sustainable with spending pressures facing the NHS, including
whether the current provision of orthodontic care is adequate,
affordable and provides value for money.
 Whether orthodontic services is given sufficient priority within the
10/02/2014
04/04/2014
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
Welsh Government
Service user involvement
framework
Welsh Government’s broader national oral health plan, including
arrangements for monitoring standards of delivery and outcomes of
care within the NHS and the independent sector.
The impact of the dental contract on the provision of orthodontic
care.
We are seeking views on our revised substance misuse service user
involvement framework.
13/01/2014
07/04/2014
We are asking for views from people of all backgrounds but would
particularly welcome comments from:
 substance misuse service commissioners;
 providers of services;
 people who use substance misuse services and their friends and
families.
The framework offers guidance on engaging with service users in the
design, commissioning, operation and evaluation of substance misuse
services.
It is intended to encourage service user involvement and share examples of
best practice.
Department for
Culture, Media and
Sport
Consultation on Incidental
Non-Commercial, Private
society, Work and
Residents' Lotteries
In response to the Government’s Red Tape Challenge, DCMS is publishing
a consultation which proposes lifting restrictions on incidental noncommercial lotteries to also allow them to be held at commercial events and
to allow private society, work and residents’ lotteries to be able to raise
money for charities and good causes.
27/02/2014
10/04/2014
Ministry of Justice
Deregulation Bill:
amendment to Clause 47
Schedule 1 to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 allows a judge to
make a ‘production order’, which requires the person to whom it is directed
to give an investigator access to material, usually documents, which are
needed in the investigation of a serious criminal offence but which that
person could not otherwise lawfully hand over. Production orders can be
made to give the police access to banking or other financial records, for
example. A production order gives the person to whom it is directed at least
7 days within which to comply with it, or to apply to the judge to alter or
withdraw it. It is not the same as a search warrant, which allows the
investigator to enter premises at once, by force if necessary, and search for
material without any prior warning.
26/02/2014
11/04/2014
Welsh Government
Revising the Learner Travel
Operational Guidance and
evaluating the Travel Code
The Learner Travel Operational Guidance provides local authorities with
statutory guidance on all aspects of the Welsh Government's home to
school/college transport policy.
13/01/2014
13/04/2014
Concerns have been raised regarding the extent to which certain aspects of
the Operational Guidance are clear, consistent and easy to understand for
users, such as parents and local authorities. The guidance also needs to
reflect wider policy reforms in other policy areas.
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Welsh Government
Wales Rural Development
Programme 2014-2020:
Final Proposals
This consultation invites comments on the Welsh Government’s strategy
and priorities for the delivery of the Wales Rural Development Programme
2014-2020.
17/02/2014
14/04/2014
23/01/2014
17/04/2014
27/01/2014
20/04/2014
The new proposals will inform how we design the next RDP for Wales. The
new RDP will run from 1 January 2015 to the end of 2020.
The Welsh Government has responsibility for preparing the RDP in Wales.
This must meet three European Commission objectives:
 the competitiveness of agriculture
 the sustainable management of natural resources and climate
action
 balanced territorial development of rural economies and
communities including the creation and maintenance of
employment.
Department for
Culture, Media and
Sport
Consultation on the future
of civil partnership in
England and Wales
The Government has published a consultation paper on the future of civil
partnership in England and Wales. This is the full public consultation
required by section 15 the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013.
The Government will consider responses to the consultation alongside
evidence about marriage of same sex couples, civil partnership and
possible options for the future.
Welsh Government
Proposals for the inshore
crustacean fishery - Phase
1
A review of all fisheries legislation in Wales was commenced in January
2012 with the remit to review all items to ensure they are fit for purpose.
One of the priority areas is the measures for regulating the crustacean
fisheries around the Welsh coastline. Currently there are different sets of
regulations that apply in different parts of Wales and are inconsistent. These
cause confusion throughout the industry and make it difficult for officials to
enforce some of the regulations.
Welsh Government
TB compensation
The Minister wishes to take the views of stakeholders on the introduction of
a table valuation system through this public consultation with the
expectation of introducing any necessary legislation in 2014
28/01/2014
22/04/2014
Department for
Culture, Media &
Sport
Community Radio
Consultation
The consultation sets out policy proposals to relax current financial
restrictions on community radio, whilst not altering community radio unique
role in terms of supporting localness and community engagement.
13/02/2014
23/04/2014
This consultation seeks specific views on:
 The lifting of the restriction on community radio stations preventing
them from taking any income from on-air advertising or sponsorship
if they overlap with a commercial radio licence whose coverage
area includes 150,000 adults or fewer.
 On the restrictions preventing community radio stations from taking
more than 50% of their annual income from on-air advertising and
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

Welsh Government
Review of Planning
Conditions Circular and
model conditions
sponsorship, if they remain appropriate, and what, if any changes,
are justifiable.
On the case for further licence extensions for community radio
stations in the event of a decision to implement a radio switchover.
On improving the effectiveness of the Community Radio Fund.
We want your views on updated guidance on conditions for planning
approvals.
29/01/2014
25/04/2014
05/02/2014
30/04/2014
13/02/2014
08/05/2014
14/02/2014
09/05/2014
Welsh Office Circular 35/95 gives guidance on the use of planning
conditions. It contains an appendix with model conditions. Although much of
this guidance is still relevant, we need to publish an updated version to
include:
 recommendations made in recent studies
 changes to legislation, guidance, case law and practice since 1995.
This proposed new circular will bring advice up to date. It will give a new list
of standard conditions to help promote best practice in the use of planning
conditions in Wales.
Welsh Government
Prevention of Offending by
Young People
The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on proposals to improve
services for young people from Wales who are in the youth justice system,
to ensure their effective reintegration and resettlement following a
community or custodial sentence.
There are many examples of children who fall into the Youth Justice system
due to unmet needs. The proposals will provide the opportunity to
strengthen our support for these young people and help them to break the
cycle of reoffending.
Welsh Government
Managing Naturally
Occurring Radioactive
Material (NORM) waste
We are consulting jointly on a strategy for managing naturally occurring
radioactive material (NORM) waste in the UK.
This is a joint consultation with:
 the UK Government
 Scottish Government
 the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment.

Our joint policy is to facilitate the sustainable and efficient management of
low level radioactive waste (LLW). This needs a policy which enables and
encourages waste producers to avoid producing unnecessary waste and
manage it in the most environmentally appropriate way.
Welsh Government
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Socio-economic impact
assessment of the
proposed changes to 3
Special Protection Areas on
the Welsh Coast
We would like to hear your views on this assessment of the likely socioeconomic impact of the proposed changes to 3 existing Special Protection
Areas for seabirds.
The changes to these sites will help us fulfil our obligations under the EC
Birds Directive and protect birds and their sea habitats.
Welsh Government
Local Government Byelaws
(Wales) Act 2012 –
Implementation
We are consulting on new guidance and subordinate legislation under the
Local Government (Wales) Byelaws Act 2012.
17/02/2014
11/05/2014
This consultation seeks your views on:
 Statutory Instruments to facilitate implementation of the Local
Government (Wales) Byelaws Act 2012 (the Act); and
 Guidance to support authorities in exercising functions under the
Act.
Welsh Government
Improving access to
substance misuse
treatment for older people
This consultation seeks views on the proposed action to be taken to
improve access to substance misuse treatment for older people. It is aimed
at Health Boards, Substance Misuse Area Planning Boards, substance
misuse and mental health and those working in primary care.
17/02/2014
12/05/2014
Welsh Government
Balancing the
responsibilities for skills
investment: proposals for
co-investment in post-19
adult skills delivery
The Welsh Government launched the Policy statement on skills on 30
January 2014. The statement outlined a number of funding principles for
post-19 skills delivery built upon the concept of co-investment. This
consultation aims to provide further context for how co-investment between
government, employers and, in some cases, individuals will be implemented
in Wales and to seek the views of key stakeholders and employers on such
arrangements.
21/02/2014
16/05/2014
Department for Work
and Pensions
Child poverty: a draft
strategy
We are seeking views from:
 the voluntary and community sector
 local and central government
 parents and carers
 children and young people
 practitioners
 representative bodies
 academics
 social enterprises
27/02/2014
22/05/2014
28/02/2014
23/05/2014
on our draft child poverty strategy, which sets out what action we plan to
take from 2014 to 2017 to reduce child poverty.
Welsh Government
Welsh Implementation Plan
for Rare Diseases
This sets out our response to the commitments in the UK Strategy for Rare
Diseases published in November 2013.
That Strategy was agreed by the governments of the four countries of the
UK. It set out 51 commitments to improve information, services and
research in relation to people with rare diseases.
The draft Implementation Plan has been prepared by a Task Group. That
brought together the NHS in Wales, the Welsh Government, the third sector
and the research community. The Task Group has also worked with those
preparing plans in the other UK countries.
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Welsh Government
11
Draft Playing Fields
(Community Involvement in
Disposal Decisions)
(Wales) Regulations 2014
and Related Statutory
Guidance
The Regulations make provision for consultation by local authorities (i.e.
County and County Borough Councils, Community and Town Councils and
National Park Authorities in Wales) prior to a decision to dispose of a
playing field.
We are also consulting on related draft statutory guidance to local
authorities and the ‘Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact
Appraisal’ to accompany the Regulations.
28/02/2014
30/05/2014