Answers to the Written Assembly Questions for answer on 2 October 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 Finance and Public Service Delivery

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

To ask the Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister indicate the cost to the Welsh Assembly Government of its contribution towards producing the Wales TUC publication 'A Better to Work in Wales’. (WAQ54885)

Answer issued on 06 October 2009

I can confirm that Welsh Assembly Government has not provided any funding towards the production of the Wales TUC resource A Better Way to Work in Wales. The only contribution that has been made is some official time to ensure the resource, originally developed for use in England, has been appropriately adapted for use in schools in Wales.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Further to the Ministers answer to WAQ54585, will the Minister provide a breakdown of all Welsh Assembly Government expenses on legal and surveyors fees for the sale of land. (WAQ54887)

Answer issued on 03 November 2009

I am writing in response to your Written Assembly Question requesting a breakdown of all Welsh Assembly Government expenses on legal and surveyors fees for the sale of land for each of the last 5 years.

The breakdown is detailed below:

• 2004/05 £103,828.43

• 2005/06 £81,040.20

• 2006/07 £674,596.50

• 2007/08 £78,791.42

• 2008/09 £75,915.57

You will notice that the figure for 2006/07 is higher than other years. This is because disposals in this year were predominantly associated with SA1, including all charges made by Eversheds, whilst also reflecting a very high value of disposals in the year.

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister list all the dates when the group overseeing the implementation of the findings of the Routledge Report has met since its inception. (WAQ54886)

Answer issued on 02 October 2009

The Implementation Group met twice during the summer on 20 May and 8 June to identify the core issues for action and allocated tasks to members. Some of the recommendations have already been completed, for example the adoption by the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) of supplementary advice relating to life-extending/end of life treatments published by NICE earlier this year. The Group has further considered other key issues including the potential broadening of the remit of the AWMSG to appraise all new medicines in Wales; the development of a proposed model for dealing with requests from individual patients for treatment funding; and, training for health professionals to help them effectively communicate with patients about difficult decisions around the risks and benefits of different treatments.

The Chair has recently produced an interim report on progress of implementing the recommendations. I have noted the report and will consider any funding implications as part of my 2010 -11 budget deliberations.