Written Assembly Questions tabled on 5 November 2014 for answer on 12 November 2014
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 Natural Resources
Russell George (Montgomeryshire): What is the Welsh Government's position on the use of onshore wind power with regard to the sustainability of the outstanding Welsh landscape? (WAQ67966)
Answer received on 25 November 2014
Carl Sargeant: Our position is set out in Energy Wales: a Low Carbon Transition as well as Planning Policy Wales and Technical Advice Note 8.
William Powell (Mid and West Wales): What analysis of the Wales Ecological Footprint has the Welsh Government commissioned since 2006, and on what date will the results of any analysis which has taken place be published? (WAQ67967)
Answer received on 25 November 2014
Carl Sargeant: The Welsh Government has commissioned the Stockholm Environment Institute to update the ecological footprint of Wales. This work builds upon the initial 2008 report, The Ecological Footprint of Wales: Scenarios to 2020. The findings of this analysis will be published in the New Year and will inform part of the development of national indicators under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister detail which organisations representing working dogs will be present at the stakeholder meeting on Thursday 6 November with the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food? (WAQ67968)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans): The meeting was attended by Dogs Trust, The Kennel Club, CARIAD and Countryside Alliance on behalf of working dog owners. The RSPCA sent their apologies.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister list the stakeholders that will be present at the meeting hosted by the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food on Thursday 6 November regarding dog breeding? (WAQ67969)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans):
The meeting was attended by Dogs Trust, The Kennel Club, CARIAD and Countryside Alliance on behalf of working dog owners. The RSPCA sent their apologies.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline the total kilowatts of capacity generated by Ynni'r Fro-funded projects in each of the following years: 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014 to date? (WAQ67970)
Answer received on 18 November 2014
The Minister for Natural Resources (Carl Sargeant): Electricity generated by YF projects started in 2014-15.
The capacity installed is 24KW.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline the total amount spent on consultants by Ynni'r Fro in each of the following years: 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014 to date? (WAQ67971)
Answer received on 18 November 2014
Carl Sargeant: There was no expenditure on consultants until 2014/15. In this year, £2,850 has so far been spent on specialist planning advice provided by ADAS.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister outline the number of projects supported by Ynni'r Fro that received planning permission in each of the following years: 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014 to date? (WAQ67972)
Answer received 18 November 2014
The Minister for Nautral Resources (Carl Sargeant):
2011/12 – none2012/13 – none
2013/14 – 15
2014 to date – 4.
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister detail the total amount spent on projects by Ynni'r Fro for each of the following years: 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014 to date? (WAQ67973)
Answer received on 18 November 2014
Carl Sargeant: Direct project expenditure in the years requested is:
2011/12 - £431,363
2012/13 - £475,255
2013/14 - £542,591
2014 to date - £383,376
These costs include Technical Development Officer support and preparatory and capital grants and loans.
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that marine conservation remains high on the agenda for the remainder of this Assembly term? (WAQ67982)
Answer received on 25 November 2014
The Minister for Natural Resources (Carl Sargeant): Many
To ask the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on her department's proposals for improvements to the 5 Mile Lane in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan? (WAQ67974)
Answer received 12 November 2014
The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): This project is part of wider work to improve access to the St Athan and Cardiff Enterprise Zone, from Culverhouse Cross. We are working closely with the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What discussions have taken place between the Welsh Government and locally affected landowners in relation to proposed improvements to the Five Mile Lane, Barry, and what instructions have been given in relation to any on-going negotiations? (WAQ67975)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
Edwina Hart: All landowners along length of Five Mile Lane have been informed of the proposals and have been asked for details of existing land use, access provisions and provisions of services. No negotiations have yet taken place regarding compensation.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm that the necessary funds for the improvement of Five Mile Lane have been identified within the appropriate budget stream and will she also confirm the envisaged expenditure on the scheme? (WAQ67976)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
Edwina Hart: Funding has been identified from Transport budgets. The envisaged expenditure for the construction of the scheme is £25.8m.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm the proposed timeline for completion of the improvements to Five Mile Lane, including estimated dates for the consultation and development phases of the project? (WAQ67977)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
Edwina Hart: Statutory processes will begin early next year and detailed design work will start before the end of 2015. Construction could start in 2016 and it is estimated that it will take one year to complete
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm whether families that have been refused a blue-badge for disabled parking are entitled to appeal this decision, including details of such a process if applicable? (WAQ67981)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
Edwina Hart: Local Authorities are responsible for the administration of Blue Badge applications in Wales.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government progress towards broadening patient access to GP appointments outside of traditional working hours? (WAQ67978)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
Mark Drakeford: A key focus for access to GP services during the period 2011 to 2014 has been broadening the availability of in-hours appointments for working people. In 2013, 76% of GP practices offered appointments at any time between 5.00pm and 6.30pm every day (representing an increase of 14 percentage points from 2011). This improving trend is evidenced in the latest GP access statistical release http://wales.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/gp-access-wales/?lang=en.
The number of GP surgeries offering appointments after 6.30pm since 2011 has remained static - 50 GP surgeries offered appointments after 6.30pm in 2011; 51 GP surgeries offered appointments after 6.30pm in 2012; 49 GP surgeries offered appointments after 6.30pm in 2013.
In order for working people have a wider choice to access GP services more conveniently during the day/late evening at a place nearer to their work place, proposals have been agreed to pilot an out of area non registered day patient scheme. It is anticipated a number of GP practices will participate in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide the total number of GP surgeries offering extended opening hours for appointments, including the number of surgeries that have extended their hours since the start of 2011/12? (WAQ67979)
Answer received on 12 November 2014
Mark Drakeford: A key focus for access to GP services during the period 2011 to 2014 has been broadening the availability of in-hours appointments for working people. In 2013, 76% of GP practices offered appointments at any time between 5.00pm and 6.30pm every day (representing an increase of 14 percentage points from 2011). This improving trend is evidenced in the latest GP access statistical release http://wales.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/gp-access-wales/?lang=en.
The number of GP surgeries offering appointments after 6.30pm since 2011 has remained static - 50 GP surgeries offered appointments after 6.30pm in 2011; 51 GP surgeries offered appointments after 6.30pm in 2012; 49 GP surgeries offered appointments after 6.30pm in 2013.
In order for working people have a wider choice to access GP services more conveniently during the day/late evening at a place nearer to their work place, proposals have been agreed to pilot an out of area non registered day patient scheme. It is anticipated a number of GP practices will participate in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide figures for the number of applications for cancer treatment made under the Individual Patient Funding Request scheme for each of the last four years (including the year to date), including the number of successful applications for each year? (WAQ67980)
Answer received on 25 November 2014
Mark Drakeford: Data on the number of Individual Patient Funding Requests (IPFR) for cancer medicines is not held centrally. The annual IPFR report is compiled by Public Health Wales and they may hold the information requested. The 2013 – 2014 annual IPFR report was published on 19 May 2014. The report can be accessed at the PHW website:
On 5 November 2014 I issued a Written Statement announcing an enhanced role for the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (AWTTC) at the heart of the IPFR process. As part of that role they will be collating and monitoring all IPFR applications.