13/02/2008 - Answers issued to Members on 13 February 2008

Answers issued to Members on 13 February 2008

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

Contents

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Questions to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Further to her answer to WAQ50886, will the Minister confirm that LEAs need to make a reasonable assessment of the needs of pupils who may enroll at the school in future years, and not simply those who are enrolled at the time of building, to comply with SENDA2001 and DDA2005/1995? (WAQ51136)

The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): I would certainly expect LEAs to take into account the immediate needs of pupils and, as far as practical and possible, the needs of those likely to enroll, certainly in the initial years after the building is completed.   

Nicholas Bourne (Mid & West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the current cost of repairing, upgrading or replacing primary school buildings in Wales? (WAQ51151)

Nicholas Bourne (Mid & West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the current cost of repairing, upgrading or replacing secondary school buildings in Wales? (WAQ51152)

Jane Hutt: Current estimates provided by local authorities indicate that the figure for repair and maintenance and upgrading of all school buildings stands at £818 million. Authorities need to review their school provision, ensure that they have the right number of schools of the right type and size and in the right locations to meet local needs. They need to take a view as to which buildings it is appropriate to invest in—which need replacement, which need renewal and which might be better closed and disposed of. That work is currently ongoing in a number of authorities and until those exercises are completed authorities cannot provide accurate figures regarding the cost of replacing both primary and secondary schools where that need is identified.

Nicholas Bourne (Mid & West Wales): What is the estimated cost of the free school breakfasts scheme in each year to 2011? (WAQ51154)

Jane Hutt: From the outset, the Welsh Assembly Government has made clear that participation in the scheme is voluntary and that we will provide the necessary funding for those schools and children who wish to do so.  The initiative is demand led and the number of schools involved continues to increase.  Based on anticipated activity, the estimated cost of operating the initiative during 2007-08 is £6 million.  Taking into account the estimated outturn for 2007-08 and reflecting that the number of schools participating in the initiative may continue to increase, estimated cost for 2008-09; 2009-10; 2010-2011 is £6.5 million; £7 million; £7.5 million respectively.  

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What representations has the Minister had about the proposed school closures in Gwynedd, and will she provide details? (WAQ51208)

Jane Hutt: I have received written representations from Assembly Members, school governors, parents and other interested parties in relation to the proposed re-organisation of Gwynedd’s primary schools, each of which has received a reply from either myself or officials.

I cannot comment on the potential merit or otherwise of individual proposals which may be disputed and come to me for decision, but in general terms, I applaud authorities who act to provide higher quality education for local children in schools which occupy good quality school buildings and have strong links with community learning. We want local authorities across Wales to ensure that their school places are sustainable in both educational and financial terms, through good management of school places, with plans for capital investment linked to robust plans for provision of school places.

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What assistance is the Minister proposing to provide to keep open those schools in Gwynedd providing a first class education? (WAQ51209)

Jane Hutt: Local authorities are required to keep under review the pattern of school provision in their area and ensure that they respond to changes in demand. Where an authority concludes that a reconfiguration of its provision is necessary it will normally need to publish statutory proposals to implement these changes. In the event that statutory proposals are contested, that matter is referred to me for determination. In making my determination, I will always put the interests of learners first.

Nicholas Bourne (Mid and West Wales): Have any studies been undertaken about the effect of the proposed school closures in Gwynedd on the Welsh language and will the Minister give details? (WAQ51210)

Jane Hutt: The impact of any proposed statutory proposals on the Welsh language is a matter for the local authority to take into account. It would be a matter I would naturally consider if any disputed proposals came to me for determination, but, given my potential role in the statutory process, it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Nicholas Bourne (Mid & West Wales): Will the Minister provide details of the a) NHS drugs/medicines budget, and b) amount actually spent on drugs/medicines in the NHS in each year since 1999? (WAQ51145)

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): The allocations to Local Health Boards and their actual spend on drugs and medicines are included in Table 1 below. NHS trusts do not receive a separate allocation for drugs and medicines as funding for hospital drug costs is met from LHB and Health Commission Wales discretionary allocations. The actual spend by NHS trusts on drugs and medicines is included in Table 2 below.

Table 1: Primary care allocation to and actual spend by Health Authorities (1999-00 to 2002-03) and Local Health Boards (from 2003-04) on drugs and medicines

Source: Annual accounts of Health Authorities and LHBs in Wales

Notes

1. Up to 2002-03 drug costs were reported with other pharmaceutical services. The format of the accounts was amended following the establishment of LHBs and prescribing costs were reported separately for the first time.

2. From 2004-05 prescribing doctors drug expenditure has been coded directly to General Medical Services spend.

Table 2: Actual spend by NHS trusts on drugs and medicines from 1999-00

Source: Annual accounts of NHS trusts in Wales

Nicholas Bourne (Mid & West Wales): How many reviews has the Minister ordered into areas affecting her Health and Social Services portfolio since she took office and will she list all those ordered? (WAQ51232)

Edwina Hart: I have ordered 16 reviews into areas affecting my Health and Social Services portfolio since I took office. They are:

1. Review of Community Services in North Wales.  

2. Review of consultation process about service reconfiguration at Blaenau Ffestiniog and Prestatyn Hospitals.

3. Review of Structural Issues in the context of the changes proposed for Glan Clwyd Hospital.  

4. Review of Clinical Governance Issues in Abergele Hospital..

5. Review of the evidence of the two Travel Times Analyses for Gwent Clinical Futures.

6. Review of alignment of services between the new Community Health Facilities at Aberaeron, Cardigan and Tregaron and services provided from Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth.

7. Review of the current plans for the development of services in Merthyr Tydfil, including services at the Prince Charles Hospital site and also for the proposed facilities in the town centre.  

8. Review of Health Commission Wales, including the appeals mechanism.

9. Review of the consistency with which implementation of Agenda for Change took place.  

10. Review of Air Ambulance Service in Wales  

11. Review of Patient Transport Services.  

1. Review of Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust.  

13. Review of adult neurosciences, including spinal surgery—undertaken by Mr James Steers, Neurosurgeon, Edinburgh.

14. Review of breast surgery in North Wales.

15. Review of the future of Llandudno Hospital;

16. Review of the NHS Dental Contract;

I have also requested the following local consultation be undertaken:

Consultation on the recommendations made in the Goodwin Report—the independent inquiry into the process on consultation and implementation of the reconfiguration of general surgical services in Carmarthenshire.

In addition, the Wales Office for Research and Development has commissioned a review of the social care research priorities and capacity in Wales, which will report in August and will inform the work of the Social Care Research Advisory Group.