Answers to the Written Assembly Questions for answer on 26 November 2009
[R] signifies that the Member has declared an interest.
[W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
Contents
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs
Questions to the Representative of the Assembly Commission
To ask the Minister for the Economy and Transport
Alun Davies (Mid and West Wales): How much money has the Welsh Assembly Government spent on the Heads of the Valleys road duelling project in each of the following financial years: 2003/2004; 2004/2005; 2005/2006; 2006/2007; 2007/2008; 2008/2009; 2009/2010. (WAQ55168)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
The Welsh Assembly Government’s spend on the Heads of the Valleys road dualling project in the financial years requested is as follows:
2003/2004: £16,493,391.18
2004/2005: £10,571,163.39
2005/2006: £14,326,784.96
2006/2007: £20,228,515.13
2007/2008: £15,226,324.40
2008/2009: £5,861,000.00
*2009/2010: £1,129,000.00
* to date
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What are the drop out rates for nursing degree courses and will the Minister provide a breakdown for the last five years. (WAQ55156)
Answer issued on 25 November 2009
The attrition rate for the 2008/09 academic year across all pre-registration nursing courses in Wales was 12.9%.
Attrition over the last 5 years is:
2004/05: 16.4%
2005/06: 15.1%
2006/07: 14.5%
2007/08: 14.7%
2008/09: 12.9%
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What proportion of the Welsh population has been offered the swine flu vaccine and what proportion has received the vaccine. (WAQ55157)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
In the initial phase of the vaccination programme, about 750,000 people (25% of the population) are being offered the vaccine as a priority. Arrangements are in place to capture vaccination uptake from each Health Board area and first reports are expected by the end of the month.
I have no reason to believe that the level of willingness to be protected against this strain of flu virus is likely to be any less than seasonal flu. We are working closely with health care professionals and through the media to ensure that people have the information that they need to make an informed decision.
I will provide the information on uptake as soon as it is available.
David Melding (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on bereavement services for children and young people. (WAQ55158)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
The Palliative Care Implementation Board is currently undertaking a scoping exercise to assess the bereavement services available for children and young people. The final report will make recommendations intended to enable every child or young person affected to have access to appropriate support. The work is due for completion next year.
David Melding (South Wales Central): What measures are in place to train GPs and other primary healthcare workers in palliative care. (WAQ55159)
Answer issued on 25 November 2009
Training in palliative care for GPs and other primary care staff is identified through regular appraisal and continuing professional development; this includes those junior doctors training to become GPs as part of their curriculum requirements.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What assessment has the Minister made of which demographic groups in society are most likely to decline the offer of the swine flu vaccine, and what action does the Minister intend to take to increase the uptake within those groups. (WAQ55160)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
In the initial phase of the vaccination programme, about 750,000 people (25% of the population) are being offered the vaccine as a priority. Arrangements are in place to capture vaccination uptake from each Health Board area and first reports are expected by the end of the month.
I have no reason to believe that the level of willingness to be protected against this strain of flu virus is likely to be any less than seasonal flu. We are working closely with health care professionals and through the media to ensure that people have the information that they need to make an informed decision.
I will provide the information on uptake as soon as it is available.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Does the Minister commission services to provide rapid access for people with neurological conditions where their condition is rapidly progressing. (WAQ55161)
Answer issued on 25 November 2009
It is for Local Health Boards to plan, secure and deliver appropriate services to meet the needs of patients with neurological conditions. The clinical management and referral of each individual patient is the responsibility of their treating clinicians.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What is the Minister doing to stimulate and support research efforts into Motor Neurone Disease. (WAQ55162)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
WORD invests in the all-Wales Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (NEURODEM). The Network has a wide portfolio of research projects but Motor Neurone Disease research is not currently on their portfolio of research projects. However they are engaged in ongoing activity to stimulate and encourage researchers in Wales to research into this condition.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much is being spent specifically on psychological care for patients with a neurological condition. (WAQ55163)
Answer issued on 25 November 2009
The Welsh Assembly Government does not collate this information.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much funding will be used to increase support for Motor Neurone Disease sufferers and to target palliative care for those with an intense neurological condition. (WAQ55164)
Answer issued on 26 November 2009
Planning and funding health services to support people with motor neurone disease, including palliative care, is a matter for Local Health Boards. I have recognised, however, that access to and the quality of palliative care for all patients who need it, including those with neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease, needs to improve. I have increased my central recurrent funding for palliative care to £4 million in 2009-10.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): How much is being spent specifically on new technologies to develop a better understanding of Motor Neurone Disease in Wales. (WAQ55165)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
I am not aware of any specific funding for new technologies in this area. I wrote to Assembly Members on 16 October to explain that I had received reports from the North Wales and the Mid and South Wales Neuroscience Implementation Planning Groups and setting out the process for implementing them. Both reports make recommendations relating to services for patients with neurological conditions, including Motor Neurone Disease.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What steps is the Minister taking to improve out-of-hours support for Motor Neurone Disease patients and their families. (WAQ55166)
Answer issued on 19 January 2010
Patients with neurological disease such as Motor Neurone Disease would need to access out of hours support through the normal out of hours services. There is work currently ongoing looking at improving access to services out of hours.
To ask the Minister for Rural Affairs
Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Will the Minister give an update on the planning stages for the operation of the capital grant for renewable energy under Glastir. (WAQ55169)
Answer issued on 26 November 2009
The Agricultural Carbon Reduction Scheme (ACReS) capital grant scheme is being developed as part of Glastir. The capital grant scheme details are still being developed but it is envisaged that farmers will be able to apply for this scheme when they have a live Glastir contract.
Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire): Will the Glastir capital grant scheme for renewable energy preclude farmers from benefiting from Feed-in-Tariffs. (WAQ55170)
Answer issued on 26 November 2009
The proposed renewable grant scheme in Glastir is being designed primarily to meet on farm energy uses and provide efficiency savings. We are however in ongoing negotiations with the EC about whether changes could be made to regulations or their interpretation to enable any surplus energy to be fed into the national grid. Welsh Assembly Government is also in discussion with officials at the Department of Energy and Climate Change over the operational rules governing eligibility for Feed In Tariffs.
To ask a Representative of the Assembly Commission
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): Is the Assembly Commission signed up to the 10:10 Campaign. (WAQ55167)
Answer issued on 25 November 2009
Assembly Commissioner for the Sustainable Assembly, Lorraine Barrett AM:
Yes. The 10:10 campaign is committed to supporting businesses, organisations and individuals to reduce their emissions by 10% in 2010. For organisations, the scheme requires a reduction of at least 3% in carbon emissions in a single year.
Participation in the campaign was originally raised by a member of the Assembly’s Green Team. This comprises interested individuals from across the Assembly estate (Assembly staff, AMSS, Welsh government staff and contractors) who meet periodically to discuss current and future 'green’ initiatives and ideas about how we can improve our environmental performance.
Before signing up, we ensured that the Assembly was meeting the reduction requirements of the scheme and are happy to report that our energy reduction alone is currently 12% on last year. This is reflected in the improvements to the Building Energy Certificate ratings in each of our buildings.
We are hopeful that through our continual improvement program driven by the Assembly’s Level 5 Green Dragon Environmental Management System, we can make equal or more impressive reductions in 2010 and beyond.
The scheme has been promoted on the intranet to encourage individuals to sign up and we are in the process of arranging a publicity shoot with 10:10 to further increase exposure of the campaign in Wales.