National Assembly for Wales

I am replying as responsibility for the DAF falls within my portfolio.  Between March 2020 and December 2020, the Discretionary Assistance Fund has made a total of 154,791 awards with a value of £16.38m in grant funding.  Of these awards, 149,708 relate to Emergency Assistance Payments totalling £10.347m and 5,083 relate to Individual Assistance Payments totalling £6.033m. 

The total number of applications, awards and funding spent since April 2016 to December 2020 is broken down in the table below: 

I am replying as responsibility for the DAF falls within my portfolio.  Between March 2020 and December 2020, the Discretionary Assistance Fund has made a total of 154,791 awards with a value of £16.38m in grant funding.  Of these awards, 149,708 relate to Emergency Assistance Payments totalling £10.347m and 5,083 relate to Individual Assistance Payments totalling £6.033m. 

The total number of applications, awards and funding spent since April 2016 to December 2020 is broken down in the table below: 

Early Medical Abortion (EMA) at home assessments by phone or video call are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). These consultations take place via video-link or on the telephone, but experience from providers who regularly use telemedicine shows that both women and staff value video-links, with solutions that can be delivered from a mobile phone without the need to download additional software being easiest to implement.

Provided appropriate information governance safeguards are in place, a woman may provide their medical and other history using an online history form transmitted to the provider prior to the consultation.

Safeguarding is an essential part of the assessment for abortion care, and providers should follow their processes and assess each case on an individual basis. Clinicians have identified no difficulty in assessing duress during video or telephone conversations. Remote consultation may enable vulnerable women, for example those with a coercive partner, to access care more discreetly, especially during COVID-19 and lockdown.

Clinicians providing Early Medical Abortion at home provision have provided assurance that they have no concern about missing such cases when using telemedicine. The telemedicine process provides women with a reliable confidential point of care and follow-up appointments have confirmed that women are comfortable accessing the service.

Early Medical Abortion (EMA) at home assessments by phone or video call are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). These consultations take place via video-link or on the telephone, but experience from providers who regularly use telemedicine shows that both women and staff value video-links, with solutions that can be delivered from a mobile phone without the need to download additional software being easiest to implement.

Provided appropriate information governance safeguards are in place, a woman may provide their medical and other history using an online history form transmitted to the provider prior to the consultation.

Safeguarding is an essential part of the assessment for abortion care, and providers should follow their processes and assess each case on an individual basis. Clinicians have identified no difficulty in assessing duress during video or telephone conversations. Remote consultation may enable vulnerable women, for example those with a coercive partner, to access care more discreetly, especially during COVID-19 and lockdown.

Clinicians providing Early Medical Abortion at home provision have provided assurance that they have no concern about missing such cases when using telemedicine. The telemedicine process provides women with a reliable confidential point of care and follow-up appointments have confirmed that women are comfortable accessing the service.

The number of new trainee GPs in Wales has reached record levels following the establishment of a number of initiatives to promote Wales as a great place to train, work and live.

The following information has been provided by Health Education and Improvement Wales.

NHS Wales organisations and GP practices actively manage their staffing requirements with local, national and international recruitment when vacancies arise. Welsh Government does not currently hold or publish vacancy information for doctors.

Collection and publication of vacancy information alone does not provide a picture of the dynamic reality on the ground. Nevertheless, we continue to work with Health Education and Improvement Wales and other partners to improve data collection across a range of workforce metrics. As noted in response to WQ81606, an approach has been agreed to enable routine collection of vacancy information for the directly employed NHS workforce, with the intention to produce a regular statistical statement on Stats Wales.

The implementation of the Wales National Workforce Reporting System now provides a workforce intelligence tool allowing GP practices and health boards to better understand the primary care workforce demographic and so support more effective workforce planning.  

New Stats Wales data published on 10 February shows the medical workforce continues to grow and the number of new GP trainees is at record levels.

NHS Wales organisations and GP practices actively manage their staffing requirements with local, national and international recruitment when vacancies arise. Welsh Government does not currently hold or publish vacancy information for doctors.

Collection and publication of vacancy information alone does not provide a picture of the dynamic reality on the ground. Nevertheless, we continue to work with Health Education and Improvement Wales and other partners to improve data collection across a range of workforce metrics. As noted in response to WQ81606, an approach has been agreed to enable routine collection of vacancy information for the directly employed NHS workforce, with the intention to produce a regular statistical statement on Stats Wales.

The implementation of the Wales National Workforce Reporting System now provides a workforce intelligence tool allowing GP practices and health boards to better understand the primary care workforce demographic and so support more effective workforce planning.  

New Stats Wales data published on 10 February shows the medical workforce continues to grow and the number of new GP trainees is at record levels.

NHS Wales organisations and GP practices actively manage their staffing requirements with local, national and international recruitment when vacancies arise. Welsh Government does not currently hold or publish vacancy information for doctors.

Collection and publication of vacancy information alone does not provide a picture of the dynamic reality on the ground. Nevertheless, we continue to work with Health Education and Improvement Wales and other partners to improve data collection across a range of workforce metrics. As noted in response to WQ81606, an approach has been agreed to enable routine collection of vacancy information for the directly employed NHS workforce, with the intention to produce a regular statistical statement on Stats Wales.

The implementation of the Wales National Workforce Reporting System now provides a workforce intelligence tool allowing GP practices and health boards to better understand the primary care workforce demographic and so support more effective workforce planning.  

New Stats Wales data published on 10 February shows the medical workforce continues to grow and the number of new GP trainees is at record levels.

Substantive response

I have had no direct contact with the National Pig Association. Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is the industry-led organisation responsible for the development, promotion and marketing of Welsh red meat, which includes Pork.

The Welsh Government is pursuing all options – short, medium and long term – for supporting our seafood sector in Wales following the detrimental impacts of both Covid-19 and the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

One effect of the TCA is that the European Union will no longer accept the import of any un-depurated Live Bi-valve Molluscs (LBMs) from class B waters from third countries such as the United Kingdom, whether from aquaculture or the wild. 

I have met with and written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, demanding immediate resolution in order that trade in LBMs from class B waters may continue. LBM businesses in Wales are a valuable industry and incredibly important to our coastal communities.

The impact on the industry has been immediate and devastating. I continue to press the UK Government to find a resolution to the issue. I have also made it very clear the UK Government must bring forward immediate support measures for the entire seafood sector, including producers of LBMs, to be implemented in a way that respects the devolution settlement.

In parallel Welsh Government officials are exploring all options with other UK administrations and LBM stakeholders, including, for example, medium-term responses such as the development of purification plants.

I have had no discussions with the UK Government on the announcement of their consultation on the deregulation of gene editing. The powers to authorise genetically modified organisms for use in Wales remains with Welsh Ministers and we have no intention of amending our GM regulations, which are currently in line with the European Union.

The Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations are based upon good practice recommendations and are targeted at the causes of pollution. The impact of the Regulations will be dependent upon individual farm practices and the degree to which farms already follow good practice guidelines. Those who already carry out nutrient management planning and ensure they store manures appropriately will see little change, whilst those who do not follow good practice will see the greatest impact.

This is a proportionate approach targeted on the basis of risk. It is necessary to protect the reputation our farmers who already operate to recognised standards and for the well-being of every person in Wales.

Agricultural pollution is not limited to point source incidents affecting waterbodies. It is also caused by diffuse pollution and atmospheric emissions. Taking into account the impacts of agricultural pollution in all its forms across Wales, it is clear a geographically targeted approach would not be effective, particularly when establishing baseline standards. 

It must also be recognised, only a small proportion of agricultural pollution incidents are self-reported and, due to the rural nature of these events, they often go unnoticed and unrecorded. 

The Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations are based upon good practice recommendations and are targeted at the causes of pollution. The impact of the Regulations will be dependent upon individual farm practices and the degree to which farms already follow good practice guidelines. Those who already carry out nutrient management planning and ensure they store manures appropriately will see little change, whilst those who do not follow good practice will see the greatest impact.

This is a proportionate approach targeted on the basis of risk It is necessary to protect the reputation our farmers who already operate to recognised standards and for the well-being of every person in Wales.

On Friday 29 January, we further enhanced our package of support to businesses affected by alert level four restrictions by £200m to take its total to £650m. Supply chain businesses will be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period, subject to meeting wider eligibility requirements.

Discretionary support is available through local authorities in Wales for businesses not on the non-domestic rates (NDR) system who are materially impacted by the restrictions, with discretionary grants of £2,000 available. https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/restrictions-business-fund-local-authorities

Most businesses should also be able to access certain support available from the UK Government – including the Job Retention Scheme or the Self Employed Income Support Scheme – subject to meeting eligibility criteria. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

In addition, alternative funding can be accessed such as the UK Government Bounce Back Loans https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-coronavirus-bounce-back-loan and the Development Bank of Wales has loan and equity funding available immediately to Welsh businesses https://developmentbank.wales/