Written Assembly Questions tabled on 27 September 2016 for answer on 4 October 2016
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 Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): How much was spent on the NHS's Core Principles leaflet and can the Minister confirm where the funding for this leaflet came from? (WAQ71055)
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister confirm how many copies of the NHS' Core Principles leaflet were produced? (WAQ71053)
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister confirm what the intention was for producing the NHS Core Principles leaflet and what evidence was given that led to the production of the leaflet? (WAQ71050)
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): How has the Welsh Government determined whether the NHS Core Principles leaflet has delivered value for money and can he provide evidence of this? (WAQ71054)
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): How has the NHS Core Principles leaflet, helped staff to respond better to significant financial challenges, as noted in the leaflet? (WAQ71051)
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): How has the NHS Core Principles leaflet helped NHS staff rebalance the way they work, as noted in the leaflet? (WAQ71052)
Answer received on 5 October 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): The Core Principles leaflet was devised by the Common Principles Task and Finish Group, which includes representatives from NHS organisations, Unison, Unite, BMA, RCN with the intention of raising awareness and assisting communication with staff about the core principles.
The Core Principles put the public and patients first and were developed to ensure the NHS delivers the best possible care to those with the greatest health needs first. They also put an emphasis on wellbeing and preventative healthcare and supporting NHS employees’ continuing professional development. It is important that these principles are adopted by every member of staff within the NHS and the adoption of the principles by staff will help deliver value for money, address the financial challenges and rebalance the way they work. It is therefore, important that they are promoted and a number of approaches will be undertaken, the first of which included the production of the leaflet to guarantee access to all staff of the core principles.
The leaflets were produced at a cost of £18,526 net of VAT and the funding was provided by Welsh Government. 100,000 copies of the leaflet have been produced, they have been sent physically in the pay slips to all NHS Wales staff.
The Common Principles group will be considering feedback on distribution of the core principles leaflet as well as considering next steps to ensure the benefits are realised on a workplace culture based on shared values and behaviours.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Mark Isherwood (North Wales): What extra resources have were made available to local authorities when the litter licensing threshold for dogs reduced from 5 litters per year to 3 litters per year? (WAQ71056)
Answer received on 4 October 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): None.
Mark Isherwood (North Wales): How many additional breeders did the Welsh Government estimate would be brought into the licensing regime, when the litter licensing threshold for dogs reduced from 5 litters per year to 3 litters per year? (WAQ71057)
Answer received on 5 October 2016
Lesley Griffiths: Using data from the Kennel Club, it was assumed there would be an additional 500 breeders which needed to be licensed as a result of reducing the licensing threshold from 5 litters per year to 3 litters per year.
Mark Isherwood (North Wales): How many licensed dog breeders in Wales breed over 10 litters per year? (WAQ71058)
Answer received on 4 October 2016
Lesley Griffiths: This information is not held centrally.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Leanne Wood (Rhondda): What level of funding from the 2014-2020 European Structural Investment Programme and the Rural Development Programme has been committed? (WAQ71060)
Answer received on 5 October 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): The Welsh Government has, to date, committed around £840 million of its £1.9 billion European Structural Funds allocation for 2014–2020.
For the Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, the Welsh Government has, to date, committed (i.e. approvals and expression of interest rounds) £530m total (55% of the programme), of which £382m is EU funds.
Leanne Wood (Rhondda): How much of the funding from the 2014-2020 European Structural Investment Programme and the Rural Development Programme has actually been spent in West Wales and the Valleys area to date? (WAQ71061)
Answer received on 4 October 2016
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): Claims are submitted by projects on a regular basis. The level of EU funds expenditure notified by projects and supported from the Structural Funds programmes for West Wales and the Valleys (2014–2020) at the end of September 2016 was £99m.
The Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme is an all-Wales programme. Payments began in October 2015 and it is estimated that £31.5m has been spent in West Wales and the Valleys areas to date, of which £23.4m is EU funding.
Leanne Wood (Rhondda): Can you give an assurance that West Wales and the Valleys will be protected with regard to current EU Programmes and continue to receive funding at the level expected? (WAQ71063)
Answer received on 4 October 2016
Mark Drakeford: We are determined to deliver the EU programmes as originally agreed with the European Commission and maximise their impact.
The Chancellor's announcement (3 October 2016) has confirmed that all EU funding secured by projects prior to the UK exiting the EU will have their payments guaranteed even after the UK has left the EU.
The Welsh Government will continue to make a strong and positive case for Wales to get its fair share of funding in the longer term after the UK exits the EU.