Written Assembly Questions tabled on 20 March 2014 for answer on 27 March 2014
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 Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister disclose the total freight handled at Cardiff Airport for each of the last three financial years, including the year to date? (WAQ66629)
Answer reveived on 27 March 2014
The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): Commercial and operational questions are a matter for the Airport directly.
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of teachers workload on stress related illnesses in schools? (WAQ66624)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis): An assessment of the impact of workload on specific causes of illness in schools has not been carried out by the Welsh Government. There are already a number of statutory provisions designed to address workload in schools and all schools must comply with these. These include statutory provisions within the non-devolved School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document as well as a requirement for employers to ensure that their staff have a suitable work/life balance. They also should ensure the health and safety and welfare of their employees, so far as is reasonably possible.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): When did the Welsh Government last undertake a workload assessment on the roles and responsibilities of teachers? (WAQ66625)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
Huw Lewis: The roles and responsibilities of teachers are not devolved to the Welsh
Government and are primarily contained within the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document which remains the responsibility of the Department for Education. Therefore, the Welsh Government has not undertaken any workload assessments specifically on the roles and responsibilities of teachers.
However, I recognise the need to be alert to potential implications for the school workforce in implementing our priorities and have put in place a number of measures to address this, including encouraging partnership working through forums such as the Education Group (a sector group to the Workforce Partnership Council) and the Union Partnership Group (where all education unions in Wales meet and discuss forthcoming policies with DfES officials) so that the implications for the workforce can be addressed at the earliest opportunity.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What discussions has the Minister had with teachers unions in regards to stress related illnesses amongst teachers? (WAQ66626)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
Huw Lewis: I have not been involved in discussions with teachers’ unions that have focussed specifically on stress related illnesses amongst teachers. However, I recognise the need to be alert to potential implications for the school workforce in implementing our priorities and have put in place a number of measures to address this, including encouraging partnership working through forums such as the Education Group (a sector group to the Workforce Partnership Council) and the Union Partnership Group (where all education unions in Wales meet and discuss forthcoming policies with DfES officials) so that the implications for the workforce can be addressed at the earliest opportunity.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister outline what investment has been made with regards to supporting teachers on stress related illness to get back to work? (WAQ66627)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
Huw Lewis: Statutory provisions within the non-devolved school teachers’ pay and conditions document are intended to ensure that teachers have a suitable work/life balance. Employers should ensure the health and safety and welfare of their employees, so far as is reasonably possible including establishing appropriate arrangements to support teachers who are absent through extended illness to get back to work. I understand that local authorities in Wales provide a confidential occupational health and counselling service that is open to all employees, including teachers.
In response to reports from Estyn and the Wales Audit Office on the impact of teacher absence, we will be producing guidance in September. This guidance will deal with a range of issues that relate to both planned and unplanned absences of teachers and the wider school workforce, including reference to the role and responsibility of employers in managing absence.
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister outline what investment has been made in reducing stress related illnesses amongst teachers? (WAQ66628)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
Huw Lewis: There are already a number of statutory provisions designed to address workload in schools which can be a cause of stress-related illness and all schools must comply with these. These include statutory provisions within the non-devolved school teachers’ pay and conditions document as well as a requirement for employers to ensure that their staff have a suitable work/life balance. They also should ensure the health and safety and welfare of their employees, so far as is reasonably possible. I understand that local authorities in Wales provide a confidential occupational health and counselling service that is open to all employees, including teachers.
In response to reports from Estyn and the Wales Audit Office on the impact of teacher absence, we will be producing guidance in September. This guidance will deal with a range of issues that relate to both planned and unplanned absences of teachers and the wider school workforce, including reference to the role and responsibility of employers in managing absence.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on Mindfulness and Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy in the curriculum? (WAQ66630)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
Huw Lewis: I appreciate the important role that school can play in the lives of children and young people, and that a positive experience at school can help lay the foundations for good mental health in later life. I therefore fully recognise the value of Mindfulness and Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy.
Building on the Welsh Government’s School-based Counselling Strategy, as of April 2013 local authorities have been required to make reasonable provision of counselling services for children and young people aged between 11 and 18, and pupils in Year 6 in primary school. Counselling services, which can include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, are available for children and young people when they are upset, worried, confused or afraid.
As part of the Foundation curriculum where a child is in need of specific support then plans and strategies will be put in place, such as play therapy, counselling and nurture support groups and schools across Wales are taking steps to professionally develop their staff in order to support wellbeing in young children.
Personal and social development, wellbeing and cultural diversity remains at the heart of the Foundation Phase and as such children are encouraged to learn about themselves and relationships with others, develop their self esteem and become emotionally literate. Within this area of learning children in schools across Wales are provided with opportunities such as quiet reflective times.
In relation to the curriculum, Personal and social education (PSE) forms part of the basic curriculum for all registered pupils in maintained schools. The Personal and social education framework for 7 to 19-year-olds in Wales
provides the foundation for a broad, balanced holistic approach to PSE which features a range of experiences to promote the personal and social development and well-being of learners. Although it is for schools to decide on the focus of their provision, this framework is the key document that schools should use in planning their personal and social education programme.
One of the themes of PSE is Health and emotional well-being in which there are opportunities for learners to be helped to maintain their emotional, physical health and well-being and to consider the successful management of feelings and emotions and the impact upon personal and social effectiveness. Central to the process is equipping learners with knowledge and practical skills and to know where and how to access personal information and support. Schools can work with specialist providers to ensure that they deliver relevant learning experiences
On 12 March I announced that I have asked Professor Graham Donaldson to undertake a wide ranging review of the national curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales from Foundation Phase to Key Stage 4, linking directly to our new Qualifications system. This will encompass the Basic Curriculum, which includes PSE, SRE and RE.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales) : What steps is the Welsh Government taking to work with the Westminster Government to introduce a UK wide lung allocation system based on need not location? (WAQ66623)
Answer received on 27 March 2014
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford):
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government is directly involved in work to create such a system. A panel of experts is already looking at improving the allocation of donated lungs to ensure the system is efficient and equitable for patients across the UK.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What consideration has the Minister given to workforce planning for Emergency Department consultants in Wales and will he make a statement on suggestions from the College of Emergency Medicine that Wales requires an increase in the number of annual training posts available? (WAQ66631)
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What consideration has the Minister given to improving the terms and conditions of Emergency Department consultants as a means of addressing recruitment challenges in the speciality? (WAQ66632)
Answer received on 27 March 2014 (WAQ66631/2)
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government works with the Wales Deanery, the Workforce and Development Service and the NHS to identify the requirements for medical staffing in the future. This takes into account service change plans and changes recommended in the Greenaway review into postgraduate training for doctors.
In relation to the specific area of emergency medicine, health boards in Wales have been actively recruiting emergency medicine doctors. As at January 2014, 99% of A&E consultant posts in Wales were filled. Where necessary, to sustain the level of service required, locum consultants may be used.
There is currently a UK-wide shortage of emergency department trainees and Wales is not immune to this. The approach we have taken is to ensure that trainees have the best experience possible when in Wales. In this way we hope to attract a greater number of trainees in the future. This is, however, a complex issue. Trainees make decisions about where they wish to train based upon a wide range of factors including the quality of training, the range of opportunities they have to become involved in research activities and the work life balance offered by individual programmes.
Finally, there are no current plans to differentiate terms and conditions between emergency department and other consultants in Wales
Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): How is the Welsh Government planning to improve survival rates for ovarian cancer in Wales? (WAQ66633)
Answer received on 31 March 2014
Mark Drakeford: Our plans for improving cancer survival rates are set out in the Cancer Delivery Plan. The latest annual report on the Plan was published on 31 January and can be accessed via the link below:-
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/health/publications/health/reports/cancer-plan/?lang=en