Written Assembly Questions tabled on 28 January 2015 for answer on 4 February 2015
R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.
W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
(Self identifying Question no. shown in brackets)
Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline the waiting times in all Welsh health boards for patients requiring an urgent ultrasound scan? (WAQ68291)
Answer received on 3 February 2015
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): We do not hold information on waiting times for all ultrasound scans, only for non-obstetric ultrasound scans and these waiting times are not split by whether they are urgent or routine.
Latest data is published on StatsWales at:
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Further to the Minister's letter to the Health and Social Care Committee dated 10 November, will the provide information on the staffing numbers in the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust by full time equivalent at the 1 April 2014 and the 30 September 2014? (WAQ68292)
Answer received on 4 February 2015
Mark Drakeford: The information set out in the table below has been provided by the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust. :
| EMS Staff in Post | | | |
| 1 April 2014 | 30 September 2014 | 31 December 2014 | |
| Urgent Care Assistant | 124 | 156 | 158 |
| Advanced Paramedic Practitioner | 18 | 18 | 30 |
| Paramedic | 826 | 823 | 812 |
| EMT | 414 | 413 | 409 |
| Clinical Team Leader | 129 | 133 | 133 |
| CCC Clinician | N/A | N/A | 7 |
| Total: | 1511 | 1543 | 1549 |
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister provide an update on the work to establish a Welsh 111 service? (WAQ68293)
Answer received on 5 February 2015
Mark Drakeford: I have always been clear that implementation of the 111 service in Wales must draw on experience elsewhere. There have been widespread, if disputed, claims that unscheduled care pressures in England have been exacerbated rather than relieved by the 111 service. I have therefore asked the 111 implementation Board to advise how a pilot could be taken forward in one geographical area from October 2015 to test what we need to do, while identifying benefits and limiting any unintended consequences going into next winter. This will be thoroughly evaluated and if the evaluation is positive, the intention is to roll out the 111 service across Wales over 2016/17. It is important that we get this right rather than do it quickly.
To ask the Minister for Public Services
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide full details as to which of the required criteria that was set out in the prospectus by the Minister were not met by Conwy County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council as part of their expression of interest for the voluntary merger proposals? (WAQ68287)
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide the reasons for rejecting the voluntary merger proposals submitted by Conwy County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council, particularly in relation to where the criteria has not been met? (WAQ68289)
Answer received on 3 February 2015 (WAQ68287 & 89)
The Minister for Public Services (Leighton Andrews): I set out my reasons in response to your question in Plenary on 27 January. The expressions of interest are publically available for Members to consider and judge against the factors set out in the prospectus for voluntary mergers.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister confirm the preferred ratio of elected councillors to numbers of electors within each electoral ward boundary for consideration by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, in light of proposed local government mergers? (WAQ68288)
Answer received on 3 February 2015
Leighton Andrews: The average ratio of electors to councillors is higher in Wales than in other parts of the UK. Our proposals for local authority mergers will have an impact on councillor numbers. Our White Paper on local government reform, will seek views on this.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on what steps can be taken to prevent council officers responsible for the tendering and commissioning processes for local services, then immediately leaving their post to take up employment with the successful tenderers? (WAQ68290)
Answer received on 4 February 2015
The Minister for Public Services (Leighton Andrews): No. This is a matter for Local Authorities. Often large public sector contracts preclude a party from employing or offering employment to the other party’s staff associated with the procurement or contract management without the other party’s consent, usually until 12 months after the end of the contract.