Written Assembly Questions tabled on 6 October 2017 for answer on 13 October 2017
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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
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the Welsh Government's plans to increase the number of medical training places in each of Wales's health boards? (WAQ74381)
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide information on the number of available medical training places in each of Wales's health boards, outlining which are filled and which are vacant, and how this compares with the last 3 years? (WAQ74382)
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the real terms changes to funding for medical training places as set out in the draft budgets for 2018-19 and 2019-20, and outline how these changes will impact each of Wales's health boards? (WAQ74383)
Answer received on 16 October 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): Last year a new process for identifying priority areas for investment in medical training places was introduced. The process involves the All Wales Strategic Medical Workforce Group putting forward a set of recommendations which is then considered by key stakeholders, including NHS Chief Executives prior to being submitted to Welsh Government for consideration.
As a result of this process I agreed a range of new training posts amounting to an additional £1.1million. The additional investment provided to support these new posts was £0.733million in 2017/18 (part year costs due to August 2017 start date), with an ongoing funding requirement of £1.1million each year from 2018/19.
Information about any additional training places to commence in 2018 will be made available during the coming weeks.
There are a number of reasons why training places could be vacant at any given time in the year, including maternity leave, resignations and trainees taking time out of training. It is not simply a matter of recruitment levels. In addition the number of training places across sites in Wales fluctuates from year to year as programmes are altered to meet training requirements. This makes comparison across years difficult.
The Wales Deanery has provided the following table which sets out the number of training posts available by health board during the years 2015 – 17, together with the percentage of posts filled.
| | 2015 | | | 2016 | | | 2017 | | |
| Health Board | Posts | Filled | % | Posts | Filled | % | Posts | Filled | % |
| ABMU | 627 | 557 | 89% | 625 | 562 | 90% | 630 | 581 | 92% |
| Aneurin Bevan LHB | 377 | 345 | 92% | 388 | 356 | 92% | 387 | 352 | 91% |
| Betsi Cadwaladr | 461 | 371 | 80% | 460 | 367 | 80% | 461 | 390 | 85% |
| Cardiff and Vale | 595 | 558 | 94% | 630 | 601 | 95% | 593 | 562 | 95% |
| Cwm Taf | 252 | 233 | 92% | 247 | 224 | 91% | 250 | 222 | 89% |
| Hywel Dda | 275 | 212 | 77% | 254 | 208 | 82% | 258 | 197 | 76% |
| Public Health | 23 | 19 | 83% | 22 | 19 | 86% | 23 | 21 | 91% |
| Velindre NHS Trust | 31 | 31 | 100% | 25 | 24 | 96% | 32 | 31 | 97% |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| TOTAL | 2641 | 2326 | 88% | 2651 | 2361 | 89% | 2634 | 2356 | 89% |
Information on detailed spending plans for 2018-19 will be published on 24th October.
Dai Lloyd (South Wales West): Will the Minister give an indication as to when the responses to the consultation on the phase 2 implementation of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 will be published, and when the finalised regulations and statutory guidance will be issued? (WAQ74390)
Answer recieved on 13 October 2017.
The Minister for Social Services and Public Health (Rebecca Evans): We intend to publish consultation summary reports in respect of both the phase 2 consultations (Service and Workforce) next month. After being revised to take account of the consultation outcomes, regulations placing requirements on Service Providers and Responsible Individuals will be laid in mid-November. A revised draft of the accompanying statutory guidance will also be made available at this time.
Dai Lloyd (South Wales West): What communications has the Cabinet Secretary had with the UK Government in relation to encouraging and enabling international nurses to come and work in Wales? (WAQ74391)
Answer received on 18 October 2017
Vaughan Gething: Health and health services in Wales, including recruitment and retention, are devolved to the Welsh Government.
Health boards and trusts are actively recruiting additional nurses, including from countries outside the UK. To support this, in May our national and international marketing campaign; This is Wales; Train, Work, Live was extended to nurses.
I have previously written to the Secretary of State for Health regarding staff from overseas. My officials also discuss a number of matters with their counterparts across the UK pertaining to recruitment of health professionals, where appropriate.
Dai Lloyd (South Wales West): What assurances can the Cabinet Secretary give that the new Health Education Improvement Wales body will be truly independent from Welsh Government, and what evidence can be provided that a special health authority will enable the appropriate level of independence? (WAQ74392)
Answer recieved on 13 October 2017.
Vaughan Gething: In July I issued a written statement detailing the plans for Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW). The legislation to establish HEIW as a Special Health Authority was laid on 13 September, and came into force on 5 October.
As I set out in Plenary on 4 October, HEIW will be led by a Board, comprising a majority of independent members appointed through public appointment. That Board will oversee the organisation and ensure its independence and impartiality.
The decision to establish HEIW as an SHA follows the advice provided Professor Robin Williams in his report and follows the path taken in the establishment of the respective organisations in England and Scotland.
HEIW will continue to exercise the statutory responsibilities currently carried out by those bodies that are being brought together, including those related to the regulators at a UK level. We continue to work with a variety of stakeholders, including the GMC and other regulators, as we take forward our plans for HEIW.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the fact that the total cost of staff training in Natural Resources Wales has increased by 19.1 per cent from 2014/15 to 2016/17, and provide an explanation for this, given that the total funds for NRW have been reduced by 16.35 per cent in the same time frame? (WAQ74384)
Answer received on 17 October 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): Natural Resources Wales (NRW) have responsibility for making decisions about how they allocate their revenue funds within their budget.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Welsh Government guarantee the same level of income for farmers between 2019 and 2022? (WAQ74385)W
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What are the Welsh Government's plans to secure the same, or a higher, level of income for farmers after 2022? (WAQ74386)W
Answer received on 18 October 2017
Lesley Griffiths: The role of the Welsh Government, in the context of farm incomes, is to work alongside the farming unions, the Country Land & Business Association Cymru (CLA Cymru), Hybu Cig Cymru and other key stakeholders, to encourage and support our farmers to become more efficient, more market focussed and more resilient. These, fundamentally, are the actions required if we are to secure and grow farm incomes.
The agriculture industry faces considerable challenges as a consequence of Brexit. We still have no clear undertakings on funding from the UK Government beyond 2022 or any certainty on trade deals once we exit the EU. These are key factors in the future prosperity of the agriculture industry in Wales and must be addressed with more urgency by the UK Government.
The close working relationship I and my officials have with our key stakeholders through my Brexit Roundtable has been very positive and has identified the requirement for more targeted business support to encourage a closer relationship between supply chains, collaboration and exploration of new market opportunities.
Approximately 7,500 of our farmers have benefited from business support delivered by Farming Connect to date and I would encourage all farmers in Wales to consider what is on offer from Farming Connect. The support available is directed squarely at further modernisation and business acumen, increased resilience and prosperity.
Although there remains considerable uncertainty on future funding and future trade arrangements, there are many things that farmers can do now to prepare for a future outside the EU. Benchmarking against the best in class, driving down input costs wherever possible, making use of the latest technologies and techniques, seeking new diversification opportunities; timber, renewable energy and tourism to name but three, are positive actions that farmers can take today to help secure their incomes and their businesses.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide information on the recent trial conducted in Barry Island and Cardiff Town Centre to collect and recycle polystyrene packaging used for food and drink on the go, exploring the system and reprocessing requirements to recycle this material effectively? (WAQ74387)
Answer received on 18 October 2017
Lesley Griffiths: This trial is being undertaken by RECOUP (RECycling Of Used Plastics Limited) and has not been commissioned by the Welsh Government. However, I will be interested to see how it develops. I would recommend you contact RECOUP directly at www.recoup.org/contact-us to obtain specific details.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Does the Welsh Government recycles polystyrene waste? (WAQ74388)
Answer received on 12 October 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): Polystyrene is not recycled on the Welsh Government's administrative estate.
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): What estimate has been made of the financial impact on consumers should a deposit return scheme for drinks bottles and containers be introduced? (WAQ74389)
Answer received on 18 October 2017
Lesley Griffiths: I have commissioned a study to assess the feasibility of Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes for Wales. The study is focusing on food and drink related packaging and will include an analysis of Deposit Return Schemes, including the financial impact on consumers.
Our draft Budget has also allocated £0.5m for 2018-19 to support schemes to test the feasibility for deposit schemes and the details will follow early next year.