Answers issued to Members on 23 April 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
Alun Davies (Mid and West Wales): What is the Welsh Assembly Government’s policy on the teaching of Latin in schools in Wales? (WAQ51624)
The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (Jane Hutt): You will be aware that on 9 October 2007 I made a plenary statement announcing the introduction of a revised school curriculum to be implemented from September 2008.
As was the case with earlier versions of the National Curriculum, Latin is not a statutory subject. However, schools will have freedom and opportunity to introduce additional elements to the curriculum, should they wish to do so.
One of the underpinning principles of the revised curriculum review was furtherance of flexibility for schools in delivering the curriculum. The changes from September 2008 should facilitate further schools’ opportunities to make local decisions about such subjects as Latin.
There is a range of qualifications available in this field and here again schools are able to exercise choice in selecting courses appropriate to their pupils’ needs.
Alun Davies (Mid and West Wales): What is the Welsh Assembly Government’s policy on the teaching of Classics in schools in Wales? (WAQ51625)
Jane Hutt: You will be aware that on 9 October 2007 I made a plenary statement announcing the introduction of a revised school curriculum to be implemented from September 2008.
As was the case with earlier versions of the National Curriculum, Classics is not a statutory component. However, schools will have freedom and opportunity to introduce additional elements to the curriculum, should they wish to do so.
One of the underpinning principles of the revised curriculum was furtherance of flexibility for schools in delivering the curriculum. The changes from September 2008 should facilitate further school’s opportunities to make local decisions about such elements as Classics.
There is a range of qualifications available in this field and here again schools are able to exercise choice in selecting courses appropriate to their pupils’ needs.
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Dai Lloyd (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on accounting care assessments for each county in Wales? (WAQ51628)
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Edwina Hart): I understand that this question has been clarified as relating to the number of social care assessments of need undertaken in respect of children and adults by local authorities across Wales. On that basis I can advise that details of the number of such assessments undertaken by authorities are routinely published and can be found on the Local Government Data Unit website at: http://www.dataunitwales.gov.uk
Alun Cairns (South Wales West): Would the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Assembly Government’s position regarding Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s sufferers, and can the Minister also confirm Health Commission Wales’ position? (WAQ51629)
Edwina Hart: I am aware of the Parkinson’s Disease Society’s campaign on deep brain stimulation provision in Wales.
I have written to Assembly Members with a policy position on deep brain stimulation and neurology services for patients with Parkinson’s Disease form part of the review of adult neurosciences in Wales, which is due to report to me in the summer. I have asked Health Commission Wales to prepare an implementation plan detailing how deep brain stimulation can be introduced for Welsh residents.
I will make a further statement in due course.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the access to ITU beds in Nevill Hall Hospital? (WAQ51630)
Edwina Hart: Nevill Hall Hospital has a total of 8 adult critical care beds - 6 are for intensive care and 2 are high dependency beds. However, as circumstances permit, more high dependency patients may be accommodated when the intensive care beds are not in use. A plan to increase high dependency beds within Nevill Hall Hospital is being developed by the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust and will be considered by the South East Wales Critical care Network, which is reviewing capacity across the region.