​Written Assembly Questions tabled on 18 November 2016 for answer on 25 November 2016

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 First Minister

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister make available any correspondence received from Lord Kinnock in relation to Circuit of Wales and Heads of the Valleys Development Company Limited? (WAQ71511)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the First Minister confirm whether any correspondence received from Neil Kinnock in relation to the Circuit of Wales was on House of Lords header paper or on Heads of the Valleys Development Company Limited headed paper? (WAQ71512)

Answer received on 30 November 2016

The First Minister (Carwyn Jones): I can confirm that we have received correspondence from Lord Kinnock in relation to the Circuit of Wales. The correspondence was on House of Lords paper. We are not proposing to release this correspondence.

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What discussions has the Minister had regarding reinstating a request stop for trains at St Clears? (WAQ71513)

Answer received on 24 November 2016

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): I have not had any specific discussions regarding the reinstatement of a request stop for trains at St Clears. St Clears is listed in the National Transport Finance Plan as a potential new station for consideration using assessment criteria.

Steffan Lewis (South Wales East): How many firms based in Wales are in receipt of EU research and innovation funding? (WAQ71518)

Answer received on ​23 October 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Mark Drakeford): ​Since 2007, 721 businesses have been financially supported through the Research & Innovation Priority of the 2007-2013 European Structural Fund programmes in Wales, through projects such as SEREN and the award winning BEACON project.

Going forward, we have already approved 16 Research & Innovation projects worth over £215m in EU funds through the 2014-20 programmes and are forecasting financial support for 647 businesses by programme end.

In addition to this, Horizon2020, the EU's largest research and innovation programme managed directly by the EC has, to date, assisted 34 private sector businesses worth €10m. Its predecessor, FP7, assisted 110 businesses from the private sector in Wales worth €22 million EU funding.  

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): In the last five financial years, how many instances of 'superbug' infections – including, but not restricted to, MRSA, CRE, VRE – have been recorded in NHS Wales hospitals? (WAQ71514)

Answer received on 30 November 2016

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): All Wales surveillance of hospital in-patient MRSA bacteraemias, MSSA bacteraemias and C.difficile infections undertaken by Public Health Wales reported the following information for the last five financial years:

In addition, Public Health Wales has provided the following information on VRE and CRE bacteraemias.

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the use of confectionary vending machines across Wales's hospital estate? (WAQ71515)

Answer received on 30 November 2016

Vaughan Gething:The Welsh Government believes all hospitals in Wales should promote health and be exemplars of best practice.  To support hospitals we have introduced a range of initiatives aimed at improving food in hospitals, including the Health Promoting Hospital Vending Directions and Guidance.  This restricts the vending of less healthy product options by placing restrictions on saturated fat, salt and sugar content.

In addition, all NHS organisations are engaged in the Corporate Health Standard which is the national quality framework for employers to improve health and well-being in the workplace.  The Corporate Health Standard includes criteria to support the introduction of healthy nutrition policies within workplaces and all Health Boards are actively engaged in this programme. The Corporate Health Standard has recently been refreshed to include strengthened criteria for healthy vending. All NHS organisations and wider employers in Wales will be encouraged to align their approaches with the new criteria as part of our Healthy Working Wales programmes.

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): What progress has been made on implementing the South Wales Plan with regard to relieving the pressure on neonatal services highlighted by the BLISS and NNAP reports and how will progress be monitored? (WAQ71516)

Answer received on 30 November 2016

Vaughan Gething: Under the leadership of the Wales Neonatal Network, all neonatal units in Wales have considered the findings of the National Neonatal Audit Programme (NNAP) and BLISS reports. Progress against national standards will continue to be monitored through Neonatal Network compliance reports and the NNAP audit produced by the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health (RCPCH).
The Network has supported the development of innovative medical roles to attract more staff and promoted training of a number of Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners to complement medical staffing roles in each unit. The Network is working with the post graduate deanery to help recruit and retain more trainee doctors.
Welsh Government has provided £7.472m for first phases of neonatal services at the University Hospital of Wales. This has provided significantly more physical space around the cots than the previous layout which is beneficial to both infection prevention and undertaking clinical interventions.
I have approved the release of capital funding to construct the Specialist and Critical Care (SCCC) at Llanfrechfa Grange from 2016-17 to 2021-22. The SCCC represents an investment of some £350m in the creation of a modern, purpose designed hospital which will enable the provision of high quality outcomes for patients.

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Will the Minister provide a statement on the use of confectionery vending machines across Wales' hospital estate? (WAQ71517)

Answer to follow.