Answers to the Written Assembly Questions for answer on 17 December 2009

[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 Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

To ask the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills

Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): When will the Welsh Assembly Government publish the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales Funding Gap Report for 2007/08. (WAQ55292) Transferred for answer by the Deputy Minister for Skills

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

The Deputy Minster for Skills (Leighton Andrews): The Higher Education Funding Gap analysis is produced by HEFCW and provides a comparison of funding levels in Wales, England and Scotland.  The analysis is submitted as confidential advice to the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and is published by HEFCW once Ministerial approval has been given to do so.  The latest report produced by HEFCW covered the academic year 2006/07 and was submitted for Ministerial consideration in November 2008.  This report has now been published by HEFCW and is available on their website.  

To ask the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): What fuel type is being used for the heating requirements of Letterston Social Housing Development, being developed by Pembrokeshire Housing Association. (WAQ55293) Transferred for answer by the Deputy Minister for Housing

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

The Deputy Minister for Housing (Jocelyn Davies): Pembrokeshire Housing Association has chosen to use Calor Gas fuel as mains gas is not available.

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

Nick Bourne (Mid and West Wales): What is the timescale for the Wales Job Evaluation Monitoring Group to complete its consistency checking of Agenda for Change anomalous matching outcomes. (WAQ55291)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

There is no specific timescale for this work.  The relevant information is currently being sought from the parties, and once this is available consistency checking can be completed.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much funding is being specifically spent on the NHS Blood and Transplant Special Health Authority this financial year. (WAQ55294)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

Further  to my previous answer to  WAQ55181, I have decided to provide a total of £0.593m  to NHS Blood and Transplant this financial year.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What is the survival rate for patients being admitted to hospital with a heart attack in Wales. (WAQ55295)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

This information is not held centrally.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What is the current waiting time in Wales for patients dependant on an organ donation from the NHS Organ Donor Register. (WAQ55296)

Answer issued on 15 December 2009

We do not operate waiting times targets for patients on a waiting list for organ donation.  The length of time that individual patients wait before undergoing transplant surgery varies greatly and is controlled by the patients’ specific clinical needs and the range of available organs for transplantation.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What steps in the Minister taking to stimulate research efforts into Alzheimers and other dementia-related diseases in Wales. (WAQ55297)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

The Wales Office of Research and Development for Health and Social Care (WORD) funds the Wales Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (NEURODEM), which encourages research into Alzheimers and other dementia-related diseases.  .  

WORD also provides support and funding for the establishment of the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics at Cardiff University. This is the first UK facility which harnesses the genetics revolution for research into mental disorders and includes a research programme focussing on degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimers. In addition WORD also offers a range of other funding opportunities for researchers in Wales and welcomes applications from researchers with an interest in Alzheimers and dementia related diseases. WORD has previously supported a number of research projects into dementia and related social care issues through these competitive funding schemes.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What are the breast cancer survival rates in Wales and statistically where does that place Wales in relation to the rest of the United Kingdom. (WAQ55298)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

Information on cancer survival is in the public domain, published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit in their reports 'Cancer in Wales, 1992-2006: a comprehensive report'. This includes detailed information including 5-year survival and some comparisons with other countries, at http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=242&pid=33893

A more recent but less detailed report 'One year relative survival in Wales, 1992-2006' is also available at http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=242&pid=35542

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a detailed breakdown of Wales’ survival rates for patients suffering from cancer and cardiovascular disease. (WAQ55299)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

I refer to my answers to WAQ55295 and WAQ55298.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How many doctors are currently being employed in Wales. (WAQ55300)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

The numbers of hospital medical staff, community / public health staff and General medical practitioners working in the NHS are published in Statswales at the following web-site: www.statswales.wales.gov.uk

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What steps is the Minister taking to promote the NHS Organ Donor Register, especially with regard to ethnic minorities. (WAQ55301)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

I have provided funding to support the Donate Wales - Tell a Loved One publicity campaign.  The Welsh Assembly Government also provides funding to the NHS Blood and Transplant, a Special Health Authority whose role is to promote organ donation and the UK Organ Donation Register.  NHSBT activity specifically targets hard to reach groups such as ethnic minority groups across the UK.

The implementation in Wales of the UK Organ Donation Task Force recommendations is intended to address the current barriers to organ donation such as attitudes and lower levels of registration in some ethnic minority groups.  This and the work I am taking forward on presumed consent promotes the fundamental message that organ donation is a usual, not an unusual, event for us all and that discussions about donation should be a normal part of end-of-life care.

To ask the Minister for Rural Affairs

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How many schemes have been submitted to Better Woodlands for Wales since it began and how many have been approved to date. (WAQ55302)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

1,550 schemes have been submitted to Better Woodlands for Wales since it began and 612 schemes have been approved to date.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): What proportion of the grants budget allocated to Better Woodlands for Wales has been spent in each year since its inception and what was the budget for each year. (WAQ55303)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

Please see the table below:

(* However. £3,553,811 has been committed for expenditure in 09/10)

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of grants committed for those schemes that have been approved in Better Woodlands for Wales based on (i) new planting, (ii) infrastructure and (iii) silvicultural operations. (WAQ55304)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

The grants paid to date for these activities are:

1. New Planting - £297,251

2. Infrastructure - £1,021,212

3. Silvicultural Operations - £144,707

The amount committed is:

New Planting - £833,457

The total committed Woodland Improvement Grant (WIG) for silvicultural/environmental work is £6,224,938.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of all the applicants to the Better Woodlands for Wales scheme based on customer type including size of holdings and the number of farm woodlands. (WAQ55305)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

Please see the tables below:

Non farm woodland

Farm Woodland

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How has the budget for the Better Woodlands for Wales Scheme been affected by changes in the euro exchange rate. (WAQ55306)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

As both claims and payments under Better Woodlands for Wales are made in pounds Sterling they are not affected by changes to the euro exchange rate.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Of the total Better Woodlands for Wales grant budget committed to date, how much relates to operations in coniferous woodland and how much is in support of broadleaved woodland or conversion to broadleaved woodland. (WAQ55307)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

Please see the table below:

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): What is the average time since submission for all schemes currently under consideration by Better Woodlands for Wales that have not yet been approved. (WAQ55308)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

The average time since submission of BWW Management Plans currently under consideration by Forestry Commission Wales and which are not yet approved is 52 days.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): How much has the Welsh Assembly Government spent in total in administering the Better Woodlands for Wales grant scheme since its inception, including staff costs and the cost of establishing and running the IT system, including costs recharged to Wales. (WAQ55309)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

Based on capitalisation of costs, the total spent up to the end of the current year on Better Woodlands for Wales is £1.4 million for the FC Wales contribution to the cost of the central FC IT system that carries BWW.  This is based on Wales’ contribution of 16% of costs up until 2007/08 and 25% thereafter. In addition to this around £1.8 million of staff and support costs has been spent since the inception of the scheme.

Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Will there be a mid term review of Better Woodlands for Wales. (WAQ55310)

Answer issued on 21 December 2009

A mid term review of Better Woodlands for Wales will be carried out in 2010.