Answers issued to Members on 1 June 2009

[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

Contents

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister detail (a) how much the GP contract has cost the Welsh Assembly Government and (b) how this compares to the costs originally anticipated? (WAQ54228)

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): The figures for the GMS contract are published annually in the NHS (Wales) summarised accounts available on the National Assembly for Wales website.

Changes to the contract make valid comparison with the original estimates very difficult. I refer the Member to the Wales Audit Office 'Review of the new General Medical Services Contract in Wales’ dated 23 August 2007, where this issue is considered in some detail.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister detail (a) when the appointments of Vice Chairs to the new NHS Trusts will be made and (b) when they will take up their new appointments? (WAQ54229)

Edwina Hart: Interviews for the Vice Chairs to the new Local Health Boards (LHBs) have been held and appointments to five of the LHBs made. These appointments commence on the 1st June 2009—when the LHBs are formally established in shadow form.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister detail (a) how senior management from the disbanded LHBs will be reallocated to new roles and (b) what roles they will fill? (WAQ54230)

Edwina Hart: The management of change in Trusts and LHBs will be undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Organisational Change Policy (OCP) for NHS Wales (March 2009). This policy was developed and negotiated in conjunction with NHS service representatives and Trade Unions. The aim of the policy is to ensure that the NHS retains the valuable knowledge, skills and experience of its workforce by utilising a number of strategies which include assisting displaced staff to find suitable alternative employment and providing re-training opportunities to enable staff to continue to contribute positively to the NHS.

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What is the total cost, to date, of the NHS reorganisation? (WAQ54231)

Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central): What was the total cost of the creation of the Local Health Boards? (WAQ54232)

Edwina Hart: I refer you to the answer to WAQ53721, answered on 16 March.

Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the new ICT network security requirements for Local Authorities ('the Code of Connection’) and the effect this will have on outside bodies who access the internet through Local Authority provided connections? (WAQ54222)

The Minister for Social Justice and Local Government (Brian Gibbons): The new ICT network security requirements for Local Authorities across the UK came into force at the beginning of April 2009 to ensure that information that may be required to be sent to the Department of Work and Pensions, or to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs at a RESTRICTED level could be done so over a new network called the Government Connect Secure Extranet (GCSx).

The Code of Connection (CoCo) defines what the requirements are within a Local Authority covering, people, process and technology in order to protect such information at all stages. Each Local Authority across Wales has had to examine all aspects of its business accordingly to attain compliance with the CoCo.

In Wales the technical connection with GCSx has been handled in conjunction with the PSBA Network Division of the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that we have a common national approach which minimises cost and ensures national compliance at multiple levels.

There should be no impact on other public sector bodies which use Local Authority networks to access the Internet as a result of GCSx if good practice in security design is being followed by Local Authorities in meeting their compliance with GCSx, which we believe to be the case to date.