Written Assembly Questions tabled on 17 February 2017 for answer on 24 February 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 Economy and Infrastructure
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much has the Welsh Government spent on the Accelerated Growth Programme, each year, since its implementation? (WAQ73027)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): The Welsh Government has spent a total of £3.9 million on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth programme since its launch in April 2015. This figure is broken down as follows, £1.8 million in 2015/16 and £2.1 million in 2016/17.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How many businesses have received funding from the Accelerated Growth Programme, each year since its implementation? (WAQ73028)
Answer received on 28 February 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): The Business Wales Accelerated Growth programme does not provide funding to businesses. However, since the programme was launched in April 2015 over 400 entrepreneurs and high growth companies have registered and received support from the programme.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What indicators are in place to measure the growth of businesses who are in receipt of support from the Accelerated Growth Programme? (WAQ73029)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Ken Skates: The indicators in place to measure the growth of businesses in receipt of support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth programme are number of jobs created; increases in level of investment; and increases in levels of export.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): As a result of the Accelerated Growth Programme, how many businesses have created at least 10 additional jobs and how many businesses have increased turnover by at least 20 per cent%? (WAQ73030)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Ken Skates: Businesses are recruited onto the Business Wales Accelerated Growth programme for a three year period and growth measures are assessed after this three year period. As such this data will be available each month from April 2018 onwards, when businesses have completed their three year period of support. However, to date over 1,000 jobs in total have been created as a result of the Business Wales Accelerated Growth programme.
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had regarding the termination of General Medical Services from Andrews Medical Practice, The Old Dental Suite, Llwynhendy, Llanelli? (WAQ73023)
Answer received on 23 February 2017
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): This was raised with me by the AM for Llanelli, Lee Waters, during my recent visit to a GP practice in Kidwelly with the health board chair. Hywel Dda University Health Board is responsible for the provision of health services to the people of Llanelli. I understand Rosedale Medical Group elected to serve notice to the health board of intent to terminate its contract for the GP services to the patients of Andrews Street Medical Practice in Llanelli, at 31 May 2017.
I understand the health board convened a vacant practice panel on 30 January 2017 at which a decision was made to disperse the Andrews Street Medical Practice patients to neighbouring practices in Llanelli. Currently, of the seven GP practices in Llanelli, three practices have expressed an interest in accepting the Andrews Medical Practice patients. If the patients are not happy with the practice they have been allocated, they will have the choice to move to another nearby practice in Llanelli.
The Andrews Street Medical Practice will remain open up until 31 May 2017 and patients will continue to receive care from the practice. The health board is responsible for ensuring the public continues to have access to high quality primary care services.
Mohammad Asghar (South Wales East): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the use of Vitamin D supplements to help prevent colds and flu in Wales? (WAQ73025)
Answer received on 2 March 2017
Minister for Social Services and Public Health (Rebecca Evans): Recent research published in the British Medical Journal has suggested that there may be a relationship between low vitamin D levels and acute respiratory infections. These findings have not been regarded as sufficient enough to change our existing advice which is based on the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Committee for Nutrition (SACN), an expert independent group which advises Governments in the UK.
Our advice remains that vitamin D supplements should be taken up to the age of four, and by those with very little or no sunshine exposure. The rest of the population should consider taking a vitamin D supplement, especially in the winter months.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By individual member, have any of the members of the Independent Oversight Panel, appointed as part of the Tawel Fan follow up work at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, ever been members, donors or campaigners for a political party and, if so, which party? (WAQ73032)
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the remuneration arrangements for members of the Independent Oversight Panel appointed as part of the Tawel Fan follow up work at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board? (WAQ73033)
Answer received on 24 February 2017
Vaughan Gething: We do not hold information, nor have we asked, about individual Penal Member's political affiliation as this is a personal matter. We are not aware of any issues and it did not form part of the Panel appointment process. Members were appointed on the advice of officials on the basis of their knowledge and experience of operating successfully at the most senior levels of Welsh public life, and their ability to command respect from their peers.
Panel members (or Hafal, Helen Bennett's employer) are remunerated for actual days worked, which we estimate will be between 31 and 34 days during 2017. Total remuneration for the Panel is expected to be £52,000 excluding VAT. This is based on daily rates which are comparable for consultancy and other services provided to Welsh Government for similar work by individuals of similar experience. Travel and subsistence costs for the Panel to undertake its work is based on standard Welsh Government rates. Contracts were let in line with Welsh Government Procurement practice.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): By local health board, how many community and acute hospital mental health inpatient beds were there in each of the past 5 years? (WAQ73034)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Vaughan Gething: Information on the number of inpatient beds at NHS hospitals can be found at the following link. This shows the average daily available beds by local health board and hospital, from 2009-10 onwards.
https://statswales.gov.wales/v/B7Cz
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What is the performance in each of Wales' health boards against the 10 working day milestone from referral to first consultant appointment, for patients newly diagnosed with cancer? (WAQ73035)
Answer received on 23 February 2017
Vaughan Gething: This is a health board operational standard which the Welsh Government expects each health board to implement and monitor locally.
An all Wales rate of 62% March 2016 was reported in the recent Cancer Annual Report 2016. http://gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/plans/cancer-plan/?lang=en.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): How many mothers were recorded as breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks, in each of Wales' local authorities, for the most recent year available, and the 3 years previous? (WAQ73036)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Rebecca Evans: Available statistics for breastfeeding at 6 to 8 weeks are published for Health Boards and for Wales as a whole for 2015 in 'Births in Wales: Data from the National Community Child Health Database' at: http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/births-national-community-child-health-database/?lang=en
This is a relatively new data collection and, as data quality has improved, we plan to publish rates for breastfeeding at 10 days and 6-8 weeks by local authority in the next release of these figures for 2016 births which is due to be published in August 2017.
The proportion of babies who were breastfed at 6 weeks following birth is also published, for each Health Board, in the online Public Health Wales Pregnancy and childhood surveillance tool for 2015-16 at:
http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/922/page/84657
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What proportion of children in Wales were underweight, had a healthy weight, or were overweight or obese on entry to school, in 2015/16 and for the 3 years previous, in each of Wales' local authorities? (WAQ73037)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Rebecca Evans: Information from the Child Measurement Programme is published by Public Health Wales at the following link.
http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/67762
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): To what effect have Welsh Government oral health initiatives reduced the prevalence of tooth decay in children in Wales? (WAQ73038)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Vaughan Gething: The latest dental survey of five year olds in 2014/15 (published 2016) by the Welsh Oral Health Information Unit at Cardiff University shows a 6 percentage point reduction in the proportion of children with experience of dental decay in Wales when compared with the previous survey undertaken in 2011/12 (41.4% falling to 35.4%). In the eight years since 2007/8 it demonstrates a 12 percentage point reduction in the proportion of children with at least one tooth affected by decay (from 47.6%). These reductions are a testament to the success of the Welsh Government's Designed to Smile programme.
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): What is the most recent available data on the rate of tooth decay for children living in each of Wales' local authorities, and how does this compare with previous years? (WAQ73039)
Answer received on 22 February 2017
Vaughan Gething: The latest published data can be found within the current release of Health Statistics Wales 2016 - Chapter 3; table 3.11 which can be accessed via the following link:
http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/health-statistics-wales/?lang=en
The Welsh Oral Health Information Unit has also published results from a survey of the oral health of 3 year olds which is available at:
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/research-units/welsh-oral-health-information-unit
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children
Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): What consideration has the Welsh Government given to enacting legislation that would enable social landlords to establish a sinking fund/reserve fund to help leaseholders faced with bills for major works? (WAQ73024)
Answer received on 21 February 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): To date no formal consideration has been given to this matter. The good practice guide developed by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) in 2016 on major repairs to buildings containing leasehold properties makes clear that establishing a sinking fund is one of the options which should be considered by landlords where the lease allows
To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Of the 294 projects which qualified for EU structural funding between 2007 and 2013, will the Cabinet Secretary provide the most up-to-date figures specifying the number and names of the projects whose targets have changed, and how they changed? (WAQ73026)
Answer received on 24 February 2017
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): In response to a series of Freedom of Information requests last year, information on initial targets, any revised targets, and actual achievements against those targets for around 180 projects approved under the Structural Funds programmes 2007–2013 are available on the Welsh Government website at: http://gov.wales/about/foi/responses/?lang=en
I will write to you shortly concerning the remaining projects.
For all projects supported by the Structural Funds 2007–2013, details of final targets and actual achievements are available via the following link http://gov.wales/funding/eu-funds/previous/searchprojects1/?lang=en
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): At the end of the 2000-2006 and 2007-2013 EU structural funding cycles, how much, if any, unspent money from these funding tranches was returned to the European Commission? (WAQ73031)
Answer received on 24 February 2017
Mark Drakeford: Wales is paid by the European Commission in Euros. The final expenditure position confirmed by the EC for the 2000–2006 Structural Funds programmes* in Wales was 96.4% (€2.2bn), making Wales among the best performing regions in the European Union.
WEFO will be submitting its final 2007–2013 Structural Funds programmes+ payment claim to the EC by the end of March 2017 and this will be based on 100% declared expenditure (€2.2bn). The final expenditure position will be confirmed by the EC in due course as part of formal programme closure arrangements.
* European Structural Funds programmes 2000–2006 included the European Regional Development, European Social, Rural Development and Fisheries funds.
+ European Structural Funds programmes 2007–2013 include the European Regional Development and European Social Funds.