​Written Assembly Questions tabled on 23 June 2017 for answer on 30 June 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): With reference to WAQ73585, is there a lease agreement between the Welsh Government and Pinewood studios, and if so, what are the details of this agreement, and how much rent is paid by Pinewood studios to the Welsh Government? (WAQ73711)

Answer received on 27 June 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): The lease between Welsh Ministers and Pinewood Studios Wales Limited is for a term of 15 years from 12 January 2015. The annual rent is £546,876.

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

Leanne Wood (Rhondda):  How many vacancies exist across Wales for psychologists trained to deal with patients with learning difficulties? (WAQ73712) Leanne Wood (Rhondda):  How many psychologists trained to deal with learning disabilities are employed across Wales? (WAQ73714) Leanne Wood (Rhondda):  What is the maximum number of psychologists trained to deal with learning disabilities that Wales can produce each year? (WAQ73716)

Answer received on 4 July 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-Being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): Information relating to vacancies across Wales for psychologists trained to deal with patients with learning difficulties, relies on bringing data from systems within a range of organisations, and as a result is not routinely held centrally. 
 
Despite the difficult financial climate I have been clear about the need to maintain our investment in the education and training of health professionals. In February, I announced a £95m package to support a range of education and training programmes in Wales.  As part of this package, I was able to maintain the level of investment in training places for clinical psychologists, which for the years 2015 to 2017 is the highest level of training places since devolution.

The table below sets out the level of training places commissioned in Wales from 2008 to 2017.

The training to become a clinical psychologist is not specific to learning disabilities. This is a chosen specific area that staff move into following the completion of the general training. Therefore, information on the number of psychologists trained to deal with learning disabilities is not held centrally. 

Leanne Wood (Rhondda):  How many psychologists trained to treat patients with learning difficulties are employed in the Cwm Taf University Health Board region? (WAQ73713) Leanne Wood (Rhondda):  How many vacancies exist in the Cwm Taf University Health Board for psychologists trained to treat patients with learning difficulties? (WAQ73715)

Answer received on 4 July 2017

Vaughan Gething: Cwm Taf University Health Board adopt a two pronged strategy to treat their patients with learning difficulties.

For adult mental health, the learning difficulties service is commissioned through ABMU University Health Board. There are three clinical psychologists in post to provide services for Cwm Taf patients.

The health board does not employ any psychologists specifically to treat patients with learning difficulties in their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). The health board employ a model consisting of a consultant psychiatrist and a specialist nurse for their CAMHS learning difficulties service.

As at 27 June 2017, Cwm Taf is recruiting to two vacancies which exist across its service.

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs

Darren Millar (Clwyd West): What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary given to amending current planning guidance and regulations to take into account the latest evidence on the impact of mobile telephone masts on public health? (WAQ73710)

Answer received on 29 June 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): Planning Policy Wales Chapter 12 Infrastructure deals with telecommunications, and includes advice regarding public health implications of telecommunications development. Whilst matters relating to public health are continually monitored by the Welsh Government, I am not aware of any new evidence in this respect which would suggest a change in planning guidance on telecommunications is required.
The Welsh Government is advised by Public Health England (PHE) in relation to the protection of communities from exposure to radiofrequencies and electromagnetic fields. PHE advises that exposures to electromagnetic fields should comply with the guidelines on limiting such exposure published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In addition, PHE keeps emerging scientific studies worldwide under review and publishes comprehensive reviews of the evidence from time to time.
The most recent comprehensive review of the potential health effect of radio waves was carried out by the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR), an independent advisory group reporting to PHE. The group’s report which was published in April 2012 concludes ‘although a substantial amount of research has been conducted in this area, there is no convincing evidence radio wave exposures below guideline levels cause health effects in either adults or children.’ The AGNIR review includes a summary of several thousand measurements of public exposure levels which have been made by Ofcom near to mobile phone masts. The maximum exposure found at any location was hundreds of times below the ICNIRP guideline levels, and typical exposures were lower still.
The Code of Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development states all sites must be designed to comply with national health and safety legislation and compliance with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) public exposure guidelines. All new base stations are expected to meet the ICNIRP guidelines.
Planning Policy Wales and Technical Advice Note 19: Telecommunications give details on the process of consultation which should take place between the mobile operator and a body potentially affected by the installation of a mobile telephone mast through the planning system. It also gives guidance on how this evidence should be considered by Planning Authorities.
Health considerations can be material when determining applications for planning permission or prior approval, as can public concerns in relation to such effects. Whether such matters are material is ultimately a matter for the courts, as it is for the decision-maker to determine what weight to attach to such considerations in any particular case.

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education

Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the potential contribution of the Sony Digital Literacy Programme to the Welsh Government's aims to extend digital literacy and coding skills? (WAQ73717)

Answer received on 30 June 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Kirsty Williams): I visited the Sony UK Technology Centre in Bridgend last year to see first-hand the activities they are undertaking with schools to support the development of digital skills. Following that, my officials met Sony to discuss their programme and how it aligns with Welsh Government priorities for digital competency and coding skills.
On 19 June, I launched ‘Cracking the code – a plan to expand code clubs in every part of Wales’ as part of our drive to improve the coding skills of children and young people, which includes the development of computer science in the curriculum as part of a new Area of Learning and Experience for Science and Technology, and the Digital Competence Framework published last year. The Cracking the Code plan provides further impetus by setting out how Welsh Government will work with regional education consortia, colleges and universities now to support the introduction of coding skills through the curriculum and through code clubs. It is supported by £1.3 million over 4 years as part of the additional £100 million we are investing in school standards.
To realise our coding plan, we are also working with partners in business, industry and the third sector to support the development of coding skills in schools. We are continuing to identify a growing and broad range of partners who agree to work with us to take forward our shared ambitions for digital competency and coding skills. I am pleased Sony UK Technology Centre are among the partners backing this plan.
Our regional education consortia will now work with Sony UK Technology Centre to explore in detail the potential for expanding the programme across more schools in Wales.