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Written Assembly Questions tabled on 22 April 2015 for answer on 29 April 2015

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 Minister confirm the number of temporary or agency staff currently employed by each Welsh Government department and will he disclose the annual spend on agency staff in each of the last three complete financial years? (WAQ68625)

Answer Received 24 April 2015

The First Minister of Wales (Carwyn Jones): Staffing within the Welsh Government is a matter for the Permanent Secretary. I have asked him to write to you separately with the information you have requested.

To ask the Minister for Natural Resources

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What steps is the Welsh Government taking to reduce the prevalence of rabies in dogs in Wales? (WAQ68630)

Answer Received 28 April 2015

The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food (Rebecca Evans): Rabies was eradicated from all UK animals except bats in 1922. The last case in an imported animal outside of quarantine was in England in 1970. 

The UK maintains a high level of protection against rabies.  Under the EU pet travel scheme the risk of a pet (dog, cat or ferret) with rabies entering the UK is very low, and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is lower still.  Every dog entering the UK must be vaccinated and have a valid pet passport.  Dogs entering from higher risk counties need to wait an additional three months and be accompanied by a blood test that demonstrates an effective immune response against rabies.  Stringent penalties are in place for those that breach the law by smuggling dogs or using false documentation.

For commercial imports or those importing more than 5 pets the requirements for microchipping, rabies vaccination, blood tests, pre–entry waiting period and tapeworm treatment are the same as for non-commercial imports under the Pet Travel Scheme. Additional conditions under the 'Balai' rules must also be met  which include obtaining a veterinary health certificate from the country of origin, pre-notification of commercial imports of pet animals and adherence to European Regulation 1/2005 regarding the welfare of the animals during transport.

There are procedures and processes outlined in the Welsh Government Contingency Plan for Exotic Animal Diseases and the England and Wales Rabies Control Strategy to respond to any outbreak of rabies in Wales.

To ask the Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport

David Melding (South Wales Central): Will the Minister make a statement on the Charter of Sustainable British Steel and the prospects for EU directions in this policy area? (WAQ68612)

David Melding (South Wales Central): What action has the Welsh Government taken to encourage the UK Government to promote the BES 6001 standard regarding the use of sustainable steel in infrastructure projects? (WAQ68613)

David Melding (South Wales Central): What measures has the Welsh Government taken and what further measures are planned to support the use of steel products that meet the BES 6001 standard? (WAQ68614)

Answer Received 28 April 2015 (WAQ 68612/13/14)

The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): The Welsh Government welcomes the Charter for Sustainable British Steel's call for organisations to commit to purchasing carbon steel reinforcement for concrete only from vendors that adhere to the Framework Standard for Responsible Sourcing (BES 6001).  I have instructed officials to include this in the quality element of my Department's procurement of major projects.

Suzy Davies (South Wales West): Will the Minister outline what conditions the Welsh Government placed upon the funding awarded to Ideoba? (WAQ68616)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West): Will the Minister outline what objectives the Welsh Government hoped to achieve by providing funding to Ideoba? (WAQ68617)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West): Will the Minister outline what steps the Welsh Government took to protect its investment in Ideoba? (WAQ68618)

Answer Received 28 April 2015 (WAQ 68616/17/18)

Edwina Hart: Our objectives for research and development are set out in our strategy Innovation Wales.  The terms of Welsh Government funding awarded to Ideoba are commercially in confidence.

To ask the Minister for Finance and Government Business

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): What steps are being taken by the Welsh Government to reduce costs in the following departments: Communities and Tackling Poverty; Economy, Science and Transport; Education and Skills; Finance; First Minister; Health and Social Services; Natural Resources; and Public Services? (WAQ68619)

Answer Received 28 April 2015

The Minister for Finance and Government Business (Jane Hutt):  During our process of planning and resource allocation and then later in the context of in-year financial management we work closely as a Government. We carefully manage across our budgets to identify savings that can be made. 

Individual Ministers are each responsible for the management of their own funding programmes and in that management give consideration to both Value for Money and the impact on Programme for Government priorities.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm what the communications budget for each of the following Welsh Government department was in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2014-15: Public Services; Communities and Tackling Poverty; Economy, Science and Transport; Education and Skills; Finance; First Minister; Health and Social Services; and Natural Resources? (WAQ68620)

Answer Received 28 April 2015

Jane Hutt:  The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.  Communication costs are not budgeted for separately but reflected in the overall budgets of individual programmes and projects.  Therefore, the information could only be captured by reviewing the individual records of every programme and project delivered by the Welsh Government over the period 2010-11 to 2014-15. 

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister confirm what each of the following departments' advertising and communications expenditure was in each month since April 2014, up to and including March 2015: Communities and Tackling Poverty; Economy, Science and Transport; Education and Skills; Finance; First Minister; Health and Social Services; Natural Resources; and Public Services? (WAQ68626)

Answer Received 28 April 2015

Jane Hutt:  The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.  There is no separate cost category for communication activities within the financial systems operated by the Welsh Government. Therefore, the information could only be captured by reviewing and then cross referencing payments with individual records held by each Department.

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales): What intention does the Minister have to legislate on electronic cigarettes and devices that contain nicotine, which are used for vaping? (WAQ68615W)

Answer Received 01 May 2015

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford):  The Public Health White Paper contained a proposal to restrict the use of electronic cigarettes in enclosed and substantially enclosed public places. A summary report of the responses to the consultation was published in November.

The Public Health Bill will contain a range of legislative proposals to be considered by the National Assembly.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown, for the last 3 financial years, of the number of patients that have received NHS services from private healthcare providers? (WAQ68621)

Answer Received 5 May 2015

Mark Drakeford: The table below shows the number of NHS patients that have been treated in independent providers in both Wales and England.

Data Source: NWIS

Over the last two years, the number of NHS patients treated in independent providers has reduced by 53%.

This data is subject to change as health boards revise the data on a monthly basis.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide the average cost to the Welsh NHS of a missed outpatient appointment? (WAQ68622)

Answer Received 5 May 2015

Mark Drakeford: NHS Wales organisations do not report costs for missed outpatient appointments.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown, for the last 3 financial years, of the amount paid to private healthcare providers for the provision of NHS services? (WAQ68623)

Answer Received 5 May 2015

Mark Drakeford:  Health boards are required to report the costs of 'expenditure on healthcare from private providers' within their annual statutory accounts, which are publicly-available documents.  The costs disclosed within the NHS summarised account for the last three years is shown below. Audited information for the 2014-15 financial year is not yet available.

Note

These costs do not just relate to patients treated but also include costs for other aspects of healthcare including, for example, the hire of equipment and services, such as mobile MRI scanners and staff to carry out the scans, and the costs of providing specialist packages of care for people with very complex mental health needs.

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide a breakdown of all health services which are funded by the Welsh NHS but carried out by private providers? (WAQ68624)

Answer Received 5 May 2015

Mark Drakeford:   This information is not held centrally.  Each individual health board in Wales will hold this information.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister make a statement to detail the number of people living within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Area who received treatment for mental health illness in England in the years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 and the average waiting time for each? (WAQ68627)

Answer to follow.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What steps is the Welsh Government taking to alert members of the public to the dangers of dinitrophenol? (WAQ68628)

Answer Received 5 May 2015

Mark Drakeford: The Chief Medical Officer issued advice to the health service and local authorities in Wales in 2013 to raise awareness of 'fat burners', 'slimming aids' and other products containing 2,4-dinitrophenol. The Food Standards Agency has also issued warnings to the public not to take any tablets or powders containing this ingredient.

More than £2m continues to be invested into the joint Welsh Government/Police and Crime Commissioner-funded All Wales Substance Misuse Liaison Core Programme, which operates in 99% of schools across Wales. It has developed a specific lesson about the dangers of steroids and other image-enhancing drugs (SIEDS).

In 2014, we supported Public Health Wales to develop a training package for frontline substance misuse workers about SIEDs; undertake an online survey to improve the data around the scale and nature of SIEDS and to develop a SIEDs harm reduction website.

We continue to work with our national drug and alcohol helpline DAN 24/7 to educate the public about the risks of taking drugs.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister make a statement detailing the number of people living in Wales who received treatment for mental illness in England in the years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 and the average waiting time for each? (WAQ68629)

Answer Received 28 April 2015

The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): This information is not held centrally by the Welsh Government. It is held by health boards

To ask the Minister for Public Services

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): What steps is the Welsh Government taking to work with the UK Government to reduce the level of organised crime involving dogs in Wales? (WAQ68631)

Answer Received 01 May 2015

The Minister for Public Services (Leighton Andrews): We have regular discussions with the UK Government on the welfare of dogs and we worked closely with them on the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.  The Deputy Minister for Farming and Food recently announced that the RSPCA will produce a report on responsible dog ownership by the autumn. Organised dog fighting is a banned activity under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and has been for 150 years, but if found, we would expect an appropriate police response.