Written Assembly Questions tabled on 12 January 2017 for answer on 19 January 2017
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
Suzy Davies (South Wales West): How many second-use physio and occupational therapy equipment/aids are returned to Wales' health boards by their second or third user because of malfunctioning or breakage? (WAQ71857)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Getting): Details of physiotherapy and occupational therapy equipment issued and returned to health boards is not held centrally. The Integrated/Joint Community Equipment Services delivered in partnership by the health boards hold all data of occupational therapy equipment issued and returned in Wales.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): How much has each health board paid to private providers to deliver patient services, each year for the last five years? (WAQ71869)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Vaughan Gething: The local health boards are required to report the costs of 'expenditure on healthcare from private providers' within their annual statutory accounts. Copies of these accounts as laid before the National Assembly can be found at:
http://www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/Pages/Plenary.aspx?category=Laid Document
Note
The above relates to 'healthcare' rather than specifically to the 'delivery of patient services'.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What action is the Welsh Government taking to promote responsible pet ownership across Wales? (WAQ71858)
Answer received on 24 January 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): The Wales Animal Health and Health and Welfare Framework provides the strategic direction for animal health and welfare in Wales. The promotion of responsible ownership is a key priority, requiring engagement with the veterinary profession, health, education and owners of animals in Wales. To promote animal welfare standards and responsible ownership the Welsh Government is reviewing Codes of Practice and Recommendation for pets and farm animals. The Welsh Government has been working in partnership with the animal welfare sector and the livestock industry to prepare versions, which will be subject to a public consultation later this year.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What is the Cabinet Secretary's assessment of the effectiveness of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in relation to domestic pets, and what discussions has she had with the UK Government about this legislation? (WAQ71859)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: The Welsh Government has brought forward several pieces of secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 including bans on the cosmetic tail docking of dogs and use of electronic shock collars for cats and dogs; the compulsory microchipping of dogs; and an improved dog breeding licensing scheme.
Wales also published Codes of Practice and Recommendation for a number of species which members of the public, farmers, Local Authorities, the RSPCA, as well as other animal specialists such as pet shops and veterinary surgeries, use to good effect. The Codes can be used to educate owners and keepers of pets and can evidence where good animal welfare under existing legislation is not being maintained. The Codes are currently being reviewed and will be subject to public consultation later this year.
I have not, to date, had specific discussions about this Act with the UK Government.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure long-term continuity of timber production in Wales? (WAQ71860)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: The following is a summary of ongoing work regarding timber production in Wales:
- The Welsh Government has a new planting aspiration of 2,000 hectares a year with the aim that half of this, around 1000 hectares, would be delivered through Glastir. The other half would be achieved through more privately funded planting or other means.
- Glastir Woodland Creation and Glastir Woodland Restoration provide financial support for new planting and replanting following the felling of larch affected by P ramorum.
- Latest Glastir Woodland Creation figures are encouraging (Round 2 – 400 hectares/Round 3 - 790 hectares in the pipeline). The actual amount of planting in Round 3 will depend on applications being successfully verified by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.
- The Timber Business Investment Scheme has been developed to support investment to bring woodland into management. Round one of the Scheme, which was open for expressions of interest in May 2016, made available £2 million and it attracted 49 applications, 21 of which have progressed to the detailed assessment stage.
- Round 2 will open in February 2017 with a further budget of £2 million.
- We expect the demand for woodland products generated by this Scheme to lead to new woodland areas coming into management to provide the benefits set out in the Welsh Government's strategy for woodlands and trees. It is anticipated that this will promote greater potential for timber production.
- We have established the Co-operative Forest Planning Scheme to identify places where trees should be planted to greatest overall benefit in sustainable management of natural resources, and encourage a bottom-up approach to planning involving and collaborating across the range of stakeholders. An information day for applicants is to be held on 24th January.
- The Welsh Government's woodland estate has been certified by the UK Woodland Assurance Standard enabling their customers to use the Forest Stewardship Council labelling.
- Following consultation with the timber sector, NRW have produced a Timber Marketing Plan for the period 2017-22 which explains their approach to the harvesting and marketing of timber from the Welsh Government woodland estate.
- NRW has produced this Plan to support their certification by the UK Woodland Assurance Standard and to ensure that they deliver against the relevant policy objectives set out in Woodlands for Wales.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What is the Welsh Government doing to protect Welsh woodlands from pest species and pathogens? (WAQ71861)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths:
- The Wales Tree and Plant Health Steering Group draws together Government, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), representatives from the forestry sector and environment groups to manage delivery of the Wales Tree Health Strategy.
- A Wales Tree and Plant Health Surveillance Group has been convened and it is comprised of representatives of Welsh Government, NRW, Forest Research and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. It monitors emerging plant health risks and undertakes contingency planning for response to plant health outbreaks.
- High profile tree and plant pests for Wales are monitored and reviewed by the Surveillance Group and an updated list is maintained for review by the Steering Group.
- Farming Connect are working with Forest Research to offer three "Tree Health" days for stakeholders to be briefed on tree and plant health issues.
- NRW carry out regular surveillance for quarantined organisms and key pests and diseases. This includes Phytophthora ramorum and Chalara dieback of ash.
- NRW has promoted awareness of key pests through 2 joint seminars with Forest Research (attended by approximately 100 people).
- NRW has provided awareness training to external groups such as the Wildlife Trusts.
- NRW supports Welsh Government on a number of GB groups such as DEFRA's Risk Register Group (Forestry) and the GB and NI Steering Group.
- Restocking felled areas is enabling greater ecological resilience to be built in to Wales' woodlands with a wider diversity of planting therefore ensuring that the natural resource can deliver a range of ecosystem services from climate change adaptation to timber production to access and recreation for the benefit of current and future generations.
- A biosecurity media awareness campaign "Keep it Clean" is being undertaken by the NRW Plant Health team.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Does the Cabinet Secretary have any intention of making representations to the UK Government to increase the penalties for animal welfare offences in the Fifth Assembly? (WAQ71862)
Answer received on 24 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: I have no intention of raising this issue with the UK Government at the present time.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's engagement with the England and Wales Poaching Priority Delivery Group? (WAQ71863)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: Poaching is one of the UK wildlife crime priorities agreed by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) UK. The Welsh Government is a member of the Wales Wildlife Enforcement Group which fulfils the role of PAW Cymru and is represented on the England and Wales Poaching Priority Delivery Group.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's engagement with the National Wildlife Crime Unit? (WAQ71864)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and the Welsh Government are represented on the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) UK Steering Group. In Wales, the Wales Wildlife Enforcement Group fulfils the role of PAW Cymru and sets national wildlife crime priorities. The Welsh Government and NWCU are also represented on this group.
Welsh Government officials are currently working with the NWCU to carry out a review of wildlife and environmental crime enforcement in Wales. More specifically, the Welsh Government manages and part-funds the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) in Wales which investigates cases of pesticide poisoning involving wildlife. Investigations into cases of deliberate abuse are carried out by Welsh Government officials working in partnership with the police and the National Wildlife Crime Unit.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on Recommendation 4 of the Independent Review of Learning Delivered by Further Education Colleges and the Relevance of that Delivery in Supporting Farm Businesses in Wales, which calls for the development of an Agricultural Education and Development Strategy for Wales? (WAQ71865)
Answer received on 18 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: An Agricultural Strategic Framework is being developed to set out the vision for agriculture in Wales and the actions needed by government, stakeholders and farmers if that vision is to be realised. The Strategic Framework will consider agricultural education, learning and support for farm businesses in Wales so a separate strategy specifically for education is not considered necessary.
When the Welsh Government published its response to the report in January 2015 the Colleges understood and accepted the rationale for not having a separate agricultural education strategy. They will contribute to the development of the Agricultural Strategic Framework, through the work of Amaeth Cymru and are part of the Farming Connect programme, to provide advice and guidance on a wide range of skills, training and qualifications, to benefit the agricultural industry in Wales.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What is the Welsh Government doing to increase the use of timber as a key renewable resource across Wales? (WAQ71866)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: Woodlands for Wales is the Welsh Government's fifty-year strategy for woodlands and trees in Wales. It sets out the Welsh Government's policy aims and objectives for all woodlands and trees in Wales, namely those in public and private ownership and whether in rural, peri-urban or urban
environments.
The Strategy recognises that the management of woodlands and trees is a long-term activity capable of providing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits to the people of Wales, including making a significant contribution towards mitigating the impact of climate change. Forestry, woodlands and trees are a key part of the more holistic approach to managing Wales's natural resources in a more proactive, sustainable and joined-up way.
The foundation of Woodlands for Wales is the concept of sustainable forests, woodlands and trees delivering a full range of benefits. The Woodlands for Wales Action Plan sets out the short-term actions and activities to deliver the long-term ambitions of Woodlands for Wales. The Woodlands for Wales Strategy and the Action Plan can be viewed at the following link:
http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/forestry/our-strategy/?lang=en
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): What is the Welsh Government's assessment of the Welsh pasture project report 2016? (WAQ71867)
Answer received on 24 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: The aim of the project is to highlight the potential benefits of measuring grass on various farming systems and offer a weekly real time tracker of grass growth at different altitudes and parts of the country and to communicate this to the wide agricultural industry.
The knowledge transfer events delivered through Farming Connect resulting from the Welsh pasture project allow farmers to hear first hand how measuring and managing grass growth is good for business – decreasing inputs and production costs whilst increasing profit margins. The Welsh pasture project 2016 report is an essential part of the dissemination process.
Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on improving the nutrition of in-lamb ewes across Wales? (WAQ71868)
Answer received on 20 January 2017
Lesley Griffiths: Farmers in Wales have access to a broad range of nutritional products from the market place and advice from a range of private organisations but also Farming Connect and Hybu Cig Cymru.