Consultation Bulletin – week ending 18 April 2014

Newly received this week
Source / Title/link / Summary / Issue date / Deadline for Response
Welsh Government / Consultation on the regulations to introduce a new Firefighters’ Pension Scheme in Wales from April 2015 / This consultation seeks views on the draft regulations for the new Firefighters’ Pension Scheme to come into force on 1 April 2015. / 11/04/2014 / 04/07/2014
Welsh Government / Proposals concerning the publication of Sustainable Development Indicators statistical outputs / The Sustainable Development Indicators for Wales are used to measure progress made on key issues and priority areas outlined in the Welsh Government’s statutory Sustainable Development scheme ‘One Wales: One Planet’. / 14/04/2014 / 04/07/2014
Home Office / Schedule 7 Code of Practice / Consultation on changes made to Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000 by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000 (‘Schedule 7’) allows an examining officer to stop and question and, when necessary, detain and search, individuals travelling through ports, airports, international rail stations or the border area to determine whether that person appears to be someone who is or has been concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. / 15/04/2014 / 13/05/2014

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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. / 27/01/2014 / 20/04/2014
National Assembly for Wales / Financial Education and Inclusion (Wales) Bill / This consultation seeks the views of all interested parties to help inform the content of my proposed Bill. The Financial Education and Inclusion (Wales) Bill would seek to increase prosperity in Wales by improving the financial education and literacy of our citizens. My proposals fall into two broad categories:
·  Improving financial capability amongst school-age children and young people by making it a legal requirement that financial education is included in the school curriculum;
·  Strengthening the role of local authorities in helping people avoid falling into financial difficulty, by requiring local authorities to adopt a financial inclusion strategy to promote financial literacy and address issues around financial inclusion.
I also propose to include provisions in the Bill relating to internet access in public libraries; the financial education of looked-after children; and the signposting of information about financial management. / 17/03/2014 / 21/04/2014
DEFRA / Implementing the Nagoya Protocol in the UK / We want to know what you think about how we propose to implement rules on the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in the UK.
An international treaty called the ‘Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing for Genetic Resources’ was signed in 2011. In order to ratify this treaty the EU and the UK must set down new rules. These rules will require researchers who use genetic resources to be ‘duly diligent’ that they only use resources that have been accessed in accordance with the laws of the country providing them.
In particular, we want to know what you think about how we plan to to implement these rules, as most of the rules have already been established in an EU Regulation and will be binding in the UK. For further details please see the consultation document below. / 17/03/2014 / 21/04/2014
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
Home Office / Revised PACE codes and notices to detained persons / Consultation on proposed changes to PACE codes C and H which concern the right of a suspect to be given information about what they are suspected of and other matters. / 24/03/2014 / 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.
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 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. / 13/02/2014 / 23/04/2014
Ministry of Justice / Review of Veterans within the Criminal Justice System Call for Evidence / On 11 January 2014, Chris Grayling announced a review into the rehabilitation needs of ex-Armed Services personnel convicted of criminal offences and given a custodial or community sentence. The aim is to identify properly the reasons for ex-Service personnel ending up in the justice system, to look at the support provided to them and how that support can be improved. / 13/03/2014 / 23/04/2014
Welsh Government / Review of Planning Conditions Circular and model conditions / We want your views on updated guidance on conditions for planning approvals.
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. / 29/01/2014 / 25/04/2014
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. / 03/03/2014 / 25/04/2014
National Assembly for Wales / Follow-up inquiry into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Skills / The National Assembly for Wales’Enterprise and Business Committee is undertaking a follow-up Inquiry into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Skills / 14/03/2014 / 25/04/2014
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. / 05/02/2014 / 30/04/2014
Arts Council of Wales / Inspire... Our strategy for Creativity and the Arts in Wales / In our annual conference in 2012 we began a journey with our stakeholders and our public to seek and shape the themes we felt were important for the future of the arts in Wales. We sought an agenda from our stakeholders and those interested in the role the arts can have.
Read more about the process here: www.artscouncilofwales.org.uk/inspire
Distilled from this process and Council’s discussions of what is important we concentrate on and aim for, we now present this strategy for consultation. Your views are sought on its ideas and proposals. / 26/03/2014 / 30/04/2014
Welsh Government / Amendment to the Regional Transport Planning (Wales) 2006 and Guidance to Local Transport Authorities - Local Transport Plan 2015 / The Transport Act 2000, as amended by the Transport (Wales) Act 2006, made it statutory for local transport authorities to produce a Local Transport Plan (LTP) every five years.
This guidance sets out how we expect local transport authorities to comply with this requirement. It also describes the process that must be followed to obtain approval for LTPs. / 31/03/2014 / 30/04/2014
National Assembly for Wales / Inquiry on the Disqualification of Members from the National Assembly for Wales / The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee has agreed to undertake an inquiry into the Disqualification of Members from the National Assembly for Wales and is consulting on specific issues.
The Committee is undertaking the inquiry following a request from the First Minister. The Committee’s report will inform the Welsh Government’s consideration of the content of the next National Assembly for Wales Disqualification Order, which will need to be made prior to the next Assembly elections in May 2016. / 17/03/2014 / 01/05/2014
Welsh Government / The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 (Amendment) Order 2014 / This consultation seeks your views on designating Police Crime Commissioners as community planning partners.
It is proposed to remove Police Authorities and designate Police Crime Commissioners (PCCs) as community planning partners for the purposes of Part 2 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009. / 02/04/2014 / 02/05/2014
National Assembly for Wales / Follow-up inquiry on the contribution of community pharmacy to health services / The National Assembly for Wales’s Health and Social Care Committee reported on its inquiry on the contribution of community pharmacy to health services in May 2012. The focus of the inquiry was to examine how effective the 2005 Community Pharmacy contract has been in developing the contribution of community pharmacy to health and wellbeing services in Wales.
At the time of the report’s publication, the Committee noted its intention to return to the subject during this Assembly term in order to follow-up on its initial conclusions and recommendations. This follow-up inquiry will be used to consider how effective the Welsh Government has been in addressing the issues identified by the Committee in its report, with a specific focus on the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations. / 14/03/2014 / 02/05/2014
National Assembly for Wales / Inquiry into Best Practice budget processes / Following the publication of the Commission on Devolution in Wales report on Part 1 of its remit, Empowerment and Responsibility: Financial Powers to Strengthen Wales, the UK Government published Empowerment and responsibility: devolving financial powers to Wales.
Following this the Draft Wales Bill was published in December 2013, and the Wales Bill was introduced on 20 March 2014. The Committee inquiry will be considering best practice budget processes to ensure that effective budget processes are in place for the scrutiny of these financial powers. / 28/03/2014 / 02/05/2014
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. / 13/02/2014 / 08/05/2014
Welsh Government / 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 socio-economic 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. / 14/02/2014 / 09/05/2014
Welsh Government / Consultation on eligibility regulations regarding allocation of housing and homelessness assistance / The Welsh Government is currently considering its policy position on eligibility regulations as they relate to allocation of housing and homelessness and who is eligible for housing and the homelessness duty.
The Welsh Government needs to consider amending current regulations to reflect the policy position in England or look at other options. / 14/03/2014 / 09/05/2014
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.
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. / 17/02/2014 / 11/05/2014
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
National Assembly for Wales / Inquiry into Tourism / The National Assembly for Wales’ Enterprise and Business Committee is undertaking an inquiry into tourism. / 02/04/2014 / 14/05/2014
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