National Assembly for Wales

The Translation and Reporting Service provided Welsh into English interpretation for every session organised by the Assembly Commission.

All the other sessions held in both Societies Pavilions (of which there were approximately 8 per day) were organised by the Eisteddfod with the various partners making their own arrangements for interpretation.

There were many more events at the stand than organised by the Assembly Commission. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the information about who was invited to participate in all of the events by other partners.

The approach to secure Assembly Members for relevant events arranged by the Assembly Commission during the National Eisteddfod is outlined below. In order to comply with the Eisteddfod’s language policy, the Members that were sourced were able to participate through the medium of Welsh.

• The Chair of the Culture Welsh Language and Communications Committee nominated Delyth Jewell AM as the Committee’s representative for the panel event ‘Understanding our history – Teaching Welsh history and culture’ on Monday 05 August.
• Bethan Sayed AM was requested by Aberystwyth University’s International Politics Department to participate in the panel event on Wednesday 06 August, as an alumna of the Department/University but was unable to attend.
• The Llywydd was approached to be the Assembly’s representative on the panel for the ‘Women and devolution in Wales’ event held on Thursday 08 August.
• The Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee’s Clerking Team suggested that we approach Llyr Gruffydd AM to represent the Committee on the panel for the ‘What to do with our waste?’ event, held by Welsh Youth Parliament on Friday 09 August

211 Commission employees have line management responsibilities for 1 or more employees, which equates to 44.14% of the Commission workforce. 

A further 31 employees have management titles, but do not line manage employees, and this equates to 6.49%. In these instances, the management label refers to the management of a function: Information Governance Manager, for example. 

Therefore, 242 Commission employees have management responsibilities, which equates to 50.63% of the Commission workforce.

The ‘Supporting Learners with Healthcare Needs’ guidance was published in March 2017. It provides statutory guidance for governing bodies and local authorities, and advice to those with a supporting role.  Stakeholders played an essential part in the development of this guidance and all local authorities have since confirmed that their healthcare needs policy has been implemented and published online.

Whilst developing the ‘Supporting Learners with Healthcare Needs’ guidance, we identified through stakeholder engagement that it would be beneficial to produce ‘easy-read’ versions of the guidance that are accessible to teachers & support staff, parents and young people.

Following further engagement with relevant stakeholder groups, in 2018 we published three easy-read healthcare needs guides for support teachers and support staff; parents; and young people.  These guides are available on the Welsh Government website.

We currently have no plans to update this guidance but will keep this under review in light of any new information that may emerge that could impact on this policy area.

The ‘Supporting Learners with Healthcare Needs’ guidance was published in March 2017. It provides statutory guidance for governing bodies and local authorities, and advice to those with a supporting role.  Stakeholders played an essential part in the development of this guidance and all local authorities have since confirmed that their healthcare needs policy has been implemented and published online.

Whilst developing the ‘Supporting Learners with Healthcare Needs’ guidance, we identified through stakeholder engagement that it would be beneficial to produce ‘easy-read’ versions of the guidance that are accessible to teachers & support staff, parents and young people.

Following further engagement with relevant stakeholder groups, in 2018 we published three easy-read healthcare needs guides for support teachers and support staff; parents; and young people.  These guides are available on the Welsh Government website.

We currently have no plans to update this guidance but will keep this under review in light of any new information that may emerge that could impact on this policy area.

The Welsh Government is committed to developing a world class, low carbon, multi-modal and integrated transport system to deliver the economic, social and environmental ambitions we have as a nation over the coming decade and beyond. 

Crucially, the Welsh Government wants to encourage modal shift and increase the number of people using public transport by encouraging travellers to switch from private car use; reducing pollution and congestion as well as improving air quality.

In addition to this, encouraging those that do use a car to shift to electric vehicles is an important focus of our work.  The primary incentive to support the purchase of low-emission vehicles are the grants offered in Wales through the UK Government’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). We encourage the take up of these in Wales. For further information please see link: https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants

We are liaising with counterparts across the UK on this agenda.  To support our work, last year the Welsh Government announced rapid electric charging points will be rolled out across strategic road links in Wales as part of £2million of funding for the charging network.

The Welsh Government is taking State aid policy forward in the context of overall negotiations on Brexit. We are working closely with other UK administrations to press for ongoing alignment with EU State aid rules.

For this reason and in liaison with the UK Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive, we did not submit a response to the European Commission's recent consultation on State aid rules governing regional investment aid on the basis that this may be counterproductive.

There will be further opportunities to influence European competition policy, including State aid rules, ideally as an ongoing member of the European Union.

I agree the cuts in funding the justice system imposed by the UK Government have fundamentally compromised the ability of people to secure legal support and fair representation at hearings, and so have undermined access to justice and the rule of law. The UK Government’s own Post Implementation Review of the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 recognised there were many adverse consequences arising from implementation of the Act and costs were indirectly transferred to a wide range of other public sector departments and third sector agencies.  I anticipate that The Commission on Justice in Wales will have more to say on this subject when it reports later this year.

Notwithstanding that justice is reserved and the responsibility of the UK Government, we recognise the real devastation caused to people’s lives by the UK Government’s policies. We are doing everything we can to help people who, because of these cuts, would otherwise not have any access to legal advice at all. We are providing more than £8 million of funding annually to support the provision of integrated and quality assured social welfare legal advice services across Wales and are working with advice providers in regional networks across Wales to provide a joined up, ‘no wrong door’ service.

We remain committed to establishing a Mother and Baby Unit in Wales and this work is being progressed as a matter of priority, but it should be recognised the implementation of such a specialised service is complex and requires consideration of a number of factors including location, workforce and premises. This work is being led by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and I have committed to provide the Children, Young People and Education Committee with an update on progress in due course and will ensure that you receive a fuller response at that time. This will also include an update in relation to specialist provision for North Wales.

Welsh Government does not routinely collect the numbers of specialist perinatal midwives and health visitors by health board. However, we are aware that at March 2019 Betsi Cadwaladr, Cwm Taf, Powys and Swansea all reported having either a specialist perinatal midwife or a specialist perinatal health visitor.   Individual health boards are building perinatal teams with a range of roles which include psychologists, community psychiatric nurses and nursery nurses.

The table below sets out the specific additional recurrent funding allocated from Welsh Government to support the development of perinatal mental health services.  From 2018 this includes where health boards have opted to invest some of the wider resource allocated for mental health  service development to perinatal mental health services in order to deliver on the requirement for all health boards to meet the All Wales Perinatal Mental Health Standards by March 2020 and the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Perinatal Community Standards by March 2021 This does not include funding which health boards direct towards perinatal mental health from their discretionary allocations. We have also made perinatal mental health a priority area within the service improvement funding which commenced this year.

We are currently developing a mental health core data set which will then ensure formal mechanisms for collecting performance management and outcome data from the new community perinatal mental health services are in place. As with any new health service, building a comprehensive and robust data collection system is a complex process and takes time.  Whilst the formal data collection systems are being established, as part of our monitoring of the community services in health boards, we have been requesting information on the number of staff in posts, number of referrals and interventions offered every six months.  

From 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2019, 853 referrals were accepted across Wales, Welsh Government does not hold complete data on the average length of time before access; this information should be obtained from the health board directly.

We remain committed to establishing a Mother and Baby Unit in Wales and this work is being progressed as a matter of priority, but it should be recognised the implementation of such a specialised service is complex and requires consideration of a number of factors including location, workforce and premises. This work is being led by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and I have committed to provide the Children, Young People and Education Committee with an update on progress in due course and will ensure that you receive a fuller response at that time. This will also include an update in relation to specialist provision for North Wales.

Welsh Government does not routinely collect the numbers of specialist perinatal midwives and health visitors by health board. However, we are aware that at March 2019 Betsi Cadwaladr, Cwm Taf, Powys and Swansea all reported having either a specialist perinatal midwife or a specialist perinatal health visitor.   Individual health boards are building perinatal teams with a range of roles which include psychologists, community psychiatric nurses and nursery nurses.

The table below sets out the specific additional recurrent funding allocated from Welsh Government to support the development of perinatal mental health services.  From 2018 this includes where health boards have opted to invest some of the wider resource allocated for mental health  service development to perinatal mental health services in order to deliver on the requirement for all health boards to meet the All Wales Perinatal Mental Health Standards by March 2020 and the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Perinatal Community Standards by March 2021 This does not include funding which health boards direct towards perinatal mental health from their discretionary allocations. We have also made perinatal mental health a priority area within the service improvement funding which commenced this year.

We are currently developing a mental health core data set which will then ensure formal mechanisms for collecting performance management and outcome data from the new community perinatal mental health services are in place. As with any new health service, building a comprehensive and robust data collection system is a complex process and takes time.  Whilst the formal data collection systems are being established, as part of our monitoring of the community services in health boards, we have been requesting information on the number of staff in posts, number of referrals and interventions offered every six months.  

From 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2019, 853 referrals were accepted across Wales, Welsh Government does not hold complete data on the average length of time before access; this information should be obtained from the health board directly.

We remain committed to establishing a Mother and Baby Unit in Wales and this work is being progressed as a matter of priority, but it should be recognised the implementation of such a specialised service is complex and requires consideration of a number of factors including location, workforce and premises. This work is being led by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and I have committed to provide the Children, Young People and Education Committee with an update on progress in due course and will ensure that you receive a fuller response at that time. This will also include an update in relation to specialist provision for North Wales.

Welsh Government does not routinely collect the numbers of specialist perinatal midwives and health visitors by health board. However, we are aware that at March 2019 Betsi Cadwaladr, Cwm Taf, Powys and Swansea all reported having either a specialist perinatal midwife or a specialist perinatal health visitor.   Individual health boards are building perinatal teams with a range of roles which include psychologists, community psychiatric nurses and nursery nurses.

The table below sets out the specific additional recurrent funding allocated from Welsh Government to support the development of perinatal mental health services.  From 2018 this includes where health boards have opted to invest some of the wider resource allocated for mental health  service development to perinatal mental health services in order to deliver on the requirement for all health boards to meet the All Wales Perinatal Mental Health Standards by March 2020 and the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Perinatal Community Standards by March 2021 This does not include funding which health boards direct towards perinatal mental health from their discretionary allocations. We have also made perinatal mental health a priority area within the service improvement funding which commenced this year.

We are currently developing a mental health core data set which will then ensure formal mechanisms for collecting performance management and outcome data from the new community perinatal mental health services are in place. As with any new health service, building a comprehensive and robust data collection system is a complex process and takes time.  Whilst the formal data collection systems are being established, as part of our monitoring of the community services in health boards, we have been requesting information on the number of staff in posts, number of referrals and interventions offered every six months.  

From 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2019, 853 referrals were accepted across Wales, Welsh Government does not hold complete data on the average length of time before access; this information should be obtained from the health board directly.

We remain committed to establishing a Mother and Baby Unit in Wales and this work is being progressed as a matter of priority, but it should be recognised the implementation of such a specialised service is complex and requires consideration of a number of factors including location, workforce and premises. This work is being led by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and I have committed to provide the Children, Young People and Education Committee with an update on progress in due course and will ensure that you receive a fuller response at that time. This will also include an update in relation to specialist provision for North Wales.

Welsh Government does not routinely collect the numbers of specialist perinatal midwives and health visitors by health board. However, we are aware that at March 2019 Betsi Cadwaladr, Cwm Taf, Powys and Swansea all reported having either a specialist perinatal midwife or a specialist perinatal health visitor.   Individual health boards are building perinatal teams with a range of roles which include psychologists, community psychiatric nurses and nursery nurses.

The table below sets out the specific additional recurrent funding allocated from Welsh Government to support the development of perinatal mental health services.  From 2018 this includes where health boards have opted to invest some of the wider resource allocated for mental health  service development to perinatal mental health services in order to deliver on the requirement for all health boards to meet the All Wales Perinatal Mental Health Standards by March 2020 and the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Perinatal Community Standards by March 2021 This does not include funding which health boards direct towards perinatal mental health from their discretionary allocations. We have also made perinatal mental health a priority area within the service improvement funding which commenced this year.

We are currently developing a mental health core data set which will then ensure formal mechanisms for collecting performance management and outcome data from the new community perinatal mental health services are in place. As with any new health service, building a comprehensive and robust data collection system is a complex process and takes time.  Whilst the formal data collection systems are being established, as part of our monitoring of the community services in health boards, we have been requesting information on the number of staff in posts, number of referrals and interventions offered every six months.  

From 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2019, 853 referrals were accepted across Wales, Welsh Government does not hold complete data on the average length of time before access; this information should be obtained from the health board directly.

We remain committed to establishing a Mother and Baby Unit in Wales and this work is being progressed as a matter of priority, but it should be recognised the implementation of such a specialised service is complex and requires consideration of a number of factors including location, workforce and premises. This work is being led by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee and I have committed to provide the Children, Young People and Education Committee with an update on progress in due course and will ensure that you receive a fuller response at that time. This will also include an update in relation to specialist provision for North Wales.

Welsh Government does not routinely collect the numbers of specialist perinatal midwives and health visitors by health board. However, we are aware that at March 2019 Betsi Cadwaladr, Cwm Taf, Powys and Swansea all reported having either a specialist perinatal midwife or a specialist perinatal health visitor.   Individual health boards are building perinatal teams with a range of roles which include psychologists, community psychiatric nurses and nursery nurses.

The table below sets out the specific additional recurrent funding allocated from Welsh Government to support the development of perinatal mental health services.  From 2018 this includes where health boards have opted to invest some of the wider resource allocated for mental health  service development to perinatal mental health services in order to deliver on the requirement for all health boards to meet the All Wales Perinatal Mental Health Standards by March 2020 and the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s Perinatal Community Standards by March 2021 This does not include funding which health boards direct towards perinatal mental health from their discretionary allocations. We have also made perinatal mental health a priority area within the service improvement funding which commenced this year.

We are currently developing a mental health core data set which will then ensure formal mechanisms for collecting performance management and outcome data from the new community perinatal mental health services are in place. As with any new health service, building a comprehensive and robust data collection system is a complex process and takes time.  Whilst the formal data collection systems are being established, as part of our monitoring of the community services in health boards, we have been requesting information on the number of staff in posts, number of referrals and interventions offered every six months.  

From 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2019, 853 referrals were accepted across Wales, Welsh Government does not hold complete data on the average length of time before access; this information should be obtained from the health board directly.

The Integrated Autism Service is open in all seven regions in Wales.  In April 2019 we introduced a national monitoring system, measuring outcomes in relation to agreed service standards. This includes feedback returns from autistic people, parents and carers.  Each service is also using the Outcome Star approach to measure the distance travelled by every individual supported though the service. In this way there will be a clear picture about where the Integrated Autism Service is benefitting people seeking support, and the areas where further progress is needed.  The data collection is currently being tested for quality and consistency, and will be published as soon as possible.

For Children and Young People’s autism assessment, we are working with NWIS and health boards to resolve issues with the consistency and reliability of data currently being recorded in relation to waiting times for assessment by neurodevelopment teams. Our intention is to publish this data once we have assurance of the quality and integrity of the data.

The Integrated Autism Services are funded currently through the Integrated Care Fund.  Each region of Wales receives an allocation to fund the development and delivery of the IAS.

The funding for the service is focused on staffing to ensure that each team has a NICE guidance compliant team to undertake the multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessment.  Each region should maintain data on the split between its staffing costs and other costs, however, this data is not collected centrally. 

The National Autism Team supports the delivery of the Integrated Autism Services.  Details about the support it provides to each IAS can be found in its 2018/19 Annual Report[1].  For the current operating year the team’s responsibilities are reflected in its annual work plan[2].  Further information on the support and resources provided by the team can be seen on their website. www.asdinfowales.co.uk

All Integrated Autism Services promote their services locally.  This includes through attending local events, and speaking to professionals groups, for example GP networks.  Services have also produced promotional literature which is circulated throughout the regions and is available on DEWIS[3].  The Integrated Autism Services also hold drop in sessions, link with national and local autism groups and any other groups who could benefit from the services offered, such as People First.  Adult autism forums are being established throughout Wales. 

[1] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team Annual Report 2018/19

[2] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team – Annual Work Plan 2019/20

[3] DEWIS: Information website 

The Integrated Autism Service is open in all seven regions in Wales.  In April 2019 we introduced a national monitoring system, measuring outcomes in relation to agreed service standards. This includes feedback returns from autistic people, parents and carers.  Each service is also using the Outcome Star approach to measure the distance travelled by every individual supported though the service. In this way there will be a clear picture about where the Integrated Autism Service is benefitting people seeking support, and the areas where further progress is needed.  The data collection is currently being tested for quality and consistency, and will be published as soon as possible.

For Children and Young People’s autism assessment, we are working with NWIS and health boards to resolve issues with the consistency and reliability of data currently being recorded in relation to waiting times for assessment by neurodevelopment teams. Our intention is to publish this data once we have assurance of the quality and integrity of the data.

The Integrated Autism Services are funded currently through the Integrated Care Fund.  Each region of Wales receives an allocation to fund the development and delivery of the IAS.

The funding for the service is focused on staffing to ensure that each team has a NICE guidance compliant team to undertake the multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessment.  Each region should maintain data on the split between its staffing costs and other costs, however, this data is not collected centrally. 

The National Autism Team supports the delivery of the Integrated Autism Services.  Details about the support it provides to each IAS can be found in its 2018/19 Annual Report[1].  For the current operating year the team’s responsibilities are reflected in its annual work plan[2].  Further information on the support and resources provided by the team can be seen on their website. www.asdinfowales.co.uk

All Integrated Autism Services promote their services locally.  This includes through attending local events, and speaking to professionals groups, for example GP networks.  Services have also produced promotional literature which is circulated throughout the regions and is available on DEWIS[3].  The Integrated Autism Services also hold drop in sessions, link with national and local autism groups and any other groups who could benefit from the services offered, such as People First.  Adult autism forums are being established throughout Wales. 

[1] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team Annual Report 2018/19 

[2] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team – Annual Work Plan 2019/20

[3] DEWIS: Information website 

The Integrated Autism Service is open in all seven regions in Wales.  In April 2019 we introduced a national monitoring system, measuring outcomes in relation to agreed service standards. This includes feedback returns from autistic people, parents and carers.  Each service is also using the Outcome Star approach to measure the distance travelled by every individual supported though the service. In this way there will be a clear picture about where the Integrated Autism Service is benefitting people seeking support, and the areas where further progress is needed.  The data collection is currently being tested for quality and consistency, and will be published as soon as possible.

For Children and Young People’s autism assessment, we are working with NWIS and health boards to resolve issues with the consistency and reliability of data currently being recorded in relation to waiting times for assessment by neurodevelopment teams. Our intention is to publish this data once we have assurance of the quality and integrity of the data.

The Integrated Autism Services are funded currently through the Integrated Care Fund.  Each region of Wales receives an allocation to fund the development and delivery of the IAS.

The funding for the service is focused on staffing to ensure that each team has a NICE guidance compliant team to undertake the multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessment.  Each region should maintain data on the split between its staffing costs and other costs, however, this data is not collected centrally. 

The National Autism Team supports the delivery of the Integrated Autism Services.  Details about the support it provides to each IAS can be found in its 2018/19 Annual Report[1].  For the current operating year the team’s responsibilities are reflected in its annual work plan[2].  Further information on the support and resources provided by the team can be seen on their website. www.asdinfowales.co.uk

All Integrated Autism Services promote their services locally.  This includes through attending local events, and speaking to professionals groups, for example GP networks.  Services have also produced promotional literature which is circulated throughout the regions and is available on DEWIS[3].  The Integrated Autism Services also hold drop in sessions, link with national and local autism groups and any other groups who could benefit from the services offered, such as People First.  Adult autism forums are being established throughout Wales. 

[1] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team Annual Report 2018/19 

[2] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team – Annual Work Plan 2019/20

[3] DEWIS: Information website 

The Integrated Autism Service is open in all seven regions in Wales.  In April 2019 we introduced a national monitoring system, measuring outcomes in relation to agreed service standards. This includes feedback returns from autistic people, parents and carers.  Each service is also using the Outcome Star approach to measure the distance travelled by every individual supported though the service. In this way there will be a clear picture about where the Integrated Autism Service is benefitting people seeking support, and the areas where further progress is needed.  The data collection is currently being tested for quality and consistency, and will be published as soon as possible.

For Children and Young People’s autism assessment, we are working with NWIS and health boards to resolve issues with the consistency and reliability of data currently being recorded in relation to waiting times for assessment by neurodevelopment teams. Our intention is to publish this data once we have assurance of the quality and integrity of the data.

The Integrated Autism Services are funded currently through the Integrated Care Fund.  Each region of Wales receives an allocation to fund the development and delivery of the IAS.

The funding for the service is focused on staffing to ensure that each team has a NICE guidance compliant team to undertake the multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessment.  Each region should maintain data on the split between its staffing costs and other costs, however, this data is not collected centrally. 

The National Autism Team supports the delivery of the Integrated Autism Services.  Details about the support it provides to each IAS can be found in its 2018/19 Annual Report[1].  For the current operating year the team’s responsibilities are reflected in its annual work plan[2].  Further information on the support and resources provided by the team can be seen on their website. www.asdinfowales.co.uk

All Integrated Autism Services promote their services locally.  This includes through attending local events, and speaking to professionals groups, for example GP networks.  Services have also produced promotional literature which is circulated throughout the regions and is available on DEWIS[3].  The Integrated Autism Services also hold drop in sessions, link with national and local autism groups and any other groups who could benefit from the services offered, such as People First.  Adult autism forums are being established throughout Wales. 

[1] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team Annual Report 2018/19 

[2] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team – Annual Work Plan 2019/20

[3] DEWIS: Information website 

The Integrated Autism Service is open in all seven regions in Wales.  In April 2019 we introduced a national monitoring system, measuring outcomes in relation to agreed service standards. This includes feedback returns from autistic people, parents and carers.  Each service is also using the Outcome Star approach to measure the distance travelled by every individual supported though the service. In this way there will be a clear picture about where the Integrated Autism Service is benefitting people seeking support, and the areas where further progress is needed.  The data collection is currently being tested for quality and consistency, and will be published as soon as possible.

For Children and Young People’s autism assessment, we are working with NWIS and health boards to resolve issues with the consistency and reliability of data currently being recorded in relation to waiting times for assessment by neurodevelopment teams. Our intention is to publish this data once we have assurance of the quality and integrity of the data.

The Integrated Autism Services are funded currently through the Integrated Care Fund.  Each region of Wales receives an allocation to fund the development and delivery of the IAS.

The funding for the service is focused on staffing to ensure that each team has a NICE guidance compliant team to undertake the multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessment.  Each region should maintain data on the split between its staffing costs and other costs, however, this data is not collected centrally. 

The National Autism Team supports the delivery of the Integrated Autism Services.  Details about the support it provides to each IAS can be found in its 2018/19 Annual Report[1].  For the current operating year the team’s responsibilities are reflected in its annual work plan[2].  Further information on the support and resources provided by the team can be seen on their website. www.asdinfowales.co.uk

All Integrated Autism Services promote their services locally.  This includes through attending local events, and speaking to professionals groups, for example GP networks.  Services have also produced promotional literature which is circulated throughout the regions and is available on DEWIS[3].  The Integrated Autism Services also hold drop in sessions, link with national and local autism groups and any other groups who could benefit from the services offered, such as People First.  Adult autism forums are being established throughout Wales. 

[1] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team Annual Report 2018/19 

[2] Welsh Local Government Association: National Autism Team – Annual Work Plan 2019/20

[3] DEWIS: Information website 

Vaccine development and production is a lengthy, complex and expensive process. The number of companies manufacturing vaccines is therefore limited and they tend to operate globally. Only vaccines licensed in the UK are available for purchase. For some vaccines eg MMR there is more than one supplier but for others such as Meningitis B there is only a single licensed product worldwide. Every vaccine has different characteristics which will make it more or less suitable for use in NHS programmes.

All immunisation programmes in Wales are based on independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI recommends the use of vaccines which are cost effective and which will provide the maximum population protection.

To benefit from economies of scale, the majority of vaccines used in routine programmes are procured centrally at the UK level. Due to the required volumes, vaccine supply contracts are awarded to one or more suppliers for a specific period of time, usually three or four years, following competitive tendering or negotiation depending on the number of appropriate suppliers. It is rarely possible to purchase sufficient supplies ‘off-the-shelf”. Buffer stocks are held to mitigate against potential shortages due to supply interruptions. The vaccines currently used in routine national programmes can be found in the schedule published on the NHS Direct web site at: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/pdfs/Scheduleadult.pdf

Other vaccines, including most influenza vaccines and those for ‘non routine’ or travel purposes, are purchased directly from suppliers by health boards or general practices as required.

A list of influenza vaccine suppliers for the coming season can be found on page 16 at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/788903/Annual_national_flu_programme_2019_to_2020_.pdf

The Chief Medical officer issues guidance each season on the most effective influenza vaccines available based on the JCVI’s advice. The guidance for 2019-20 can be found in Welsh Health Circulars (2018)045 and (2019)002 at:

https://gweddill.gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/circulars/public-health/?lang=en.

Advice on the availability of other vaccines, including those for ‘non-routine’ or travel purposes, is provided at the UK level by Public Health England.  Should there be a shortage of a particular vaccine, as happened worldwide in 2017 with hepatitis B vaccine, the Welsh Government will issue guidance to NHS Wales on prioritisation of the available supplies. Supply information is provided regularly in ‘Vaccine Update’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-update

The reasons for ‘vaccine hesitancy’ are varied and can relate to vaccine safety, religious or cultural concerns, complacency about the seriousness of the disease, potential side effects or vaccination accessibility. All these can be exacerbated by misinformation on social media. I welcome recent announcements by some social media companies to remove inaccurate or misleading sites from their platforms.

The vast majority of parents, however, are still choosing to have their children vaccinated automatically at the scheduled age. Immunisation uptake rates in Wales remain at the top of international benchmarks. A recent parental attitudinal study carried out in 2018 by Public Health England showed that confidence in immunisation is high with only 9% of parents identifying any concerns about having their child vaccinated. A much higher level of trust was indicated in information provided by the NHS and health professionals (92%) than from social media (36%).

There is no single intervention strategy that addresses all instances of vaccine hesitancy. It is important that we continue to offer ‘catch up’ opportunities for those children who have not been vaccinated at the scheduled age. Research and practice show that the opportunity to discuss vaccine concerns with a health care professional can be the decisive factor for parents who have changed their minds about previously rejected or delayed vaccines. The Welsh Government will continue to support health boards and Public Health Wales to ensure immunisation information is accurate and accessible and that all those delivering immunisations are well trained and confident when providing immunisation information.

Vaccine development and production is a lengthy, complex and expensive process. The number of companies manufacturing vaccines is therefore limited and they tend to operate globally. Only vaccines licensed in the UK are available for purchase. For some vaccines eg MMR there is more than one supplier but for others such as Meningitis B there is only a single licensed product worldwide. Every vaccine has different characteristics which will make it more or less suitable for use in NHS programmes.

All immunisation programmes in Wales are based on independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI recommends the use of vaccines which are cost effective and which will provide the maximum population protection.

To benefit from economies of scale, the majority of vaccines used in routine programmes are procured centrally at the UK level. Due to the required volumes, vaccine supply contracts are awarded to one or more suppliers for a specific period of time, usually three or four years, following competitive tendering or negotiation depending on the number of appropriate suppliers. It is rarely possible to purchase sufficient supplies ‘off-the-shelf”. Buffer stocks are held to mitigate against potential shortages due to supply interruptions. The vaccines currently used in routine national programmes can be found in the schedule published on the NHS Direct web site at: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/pdfs/Scheduleadult.pdf

Other vaccines, including most influenza vaccines and those for ‘non routine’ or travel purposes, are purchased directly from suppliers by health boards or general practices as required.

A list of influenza vaccine suppliers for the coming season can be found on page 16 at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/788903/Annual_national_flu_programme_2019_to_2020_.pdf

The Chief Medical officer issues guidance each season on the most effective influenza vaccines available based on the JCVI’s advice. The guidance for 2019-20 can be found in Welsh Health Circulars (2018)045 and (2019)002 at:

https://gweddill.gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/circulars/public-health/?lang=en.

Advice on the availability of other vaccines, including those for ‘non-routine’ or travel purposes, is provided at the UK level by Public Health England.  Should there be a shortage of a particular vaccine, as happened worldwide in 2017 with hepatitis B vaccine, the Welsh Government will issue guidance to NHS Wales on prioritisation of the available supplies. Supply information is provided regularly in ‘Vaccine Update’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-update

The reasons for ‘vaccine hesitancy’ are varied and can relate to vaccine safety, religious or cultural concerns, complacency about the seriousness of the disease, potential side effects or vaccination accessibility. All these can be exacerbated by misinformation on social media. I welcome recent announcements by some social media companies to remove inaccurate or misleading sites from their platforms.

The vast majority of parents, however, are still choosing to have their children vaccinated automatically at the scheduled age. Immunisation uptake rates in Wales remain at the top of international benchmarks. A recent parental attitudinal study carried out in 2018 by Public Health England showed that confidence in immunisation is high with only 9% of parents identifying any concerns about having their child vaccinated. A much higher level of trust was indicated in information provided by the NHS and health professionals (92%) than from social media (36%).

There is no single intervention strategy that addresses all instances of vaccine hesitancy. It is important that we continue to offer ‘catch up’ opportunities for those children who have not been vaccinated at the scheduled age. Research and practice show that the opportunity to discuss vaccine concerns with a health care professional can be the decisive factor for parents who have changed their minds about previously rejected or delayed vaccines. The Welsh Government will continue to support health boards and Public Health Wales to ensure immunisation information is accurate and accessible and that all those delivering immunisations are well trained and confident when providing immunisation information.

Vaccine development and production is a lengthy, complex and expensive process. The number of companies manufacturing vaccines is therefore limited and they tend to operate globally. Only vaccines licensed in the UK are available for purchase. For some vaccines eg MMR there is more than one supplier but for others such as Meningitis B there is only a single licensed product worldwide. Every vaccine has different characteristics which will make it more or less suitable for use in NHS programmes.

All immunisation programmes in Wales are based on independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI recommends the use of vaccines which are cost effective and which will provide the maximum population protection.

To benefit from economies of scale, the majority of vaccines used in routine programmes are procured centrally at the UK level. Due to the required volumes, vaccine supply contracts are awarded to one or more suppliers for a specific period of time, usually three or four years, following competitive tendering or negotiation depending on the number of appropriate suppliers. It is rarely possible to purchase sufficient supplies ‘off-the-shelf”. Buffer stocks are held to mitigate against potential shortages due to supply interruptions. The vaccines currently used in routine national programmes can be found in the schedule published on the NHS Direct web site at: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/pdfs/Scheduleadult.pdf

Other vaccines, including most influenza vaccines and those for ‘non routine’ or travel purposes, are purchased directly from suppliers by health boards or general practices as required.

A list of influenza vaccine suppliers for the coming season can be found on page 16 at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/788903/Annual_national_flu_programme_2019_to_2020_.pdf

The Chief Medical officer issues guidance each season on the most effective influenza vaccines available based on the JCVI’s advice. The guidance for 2019-20 can be found in Welsh Health Circulars (2018)045 and (2019)002 at:

https://gweddill.gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/circulars/public-health/?lang=en.

Advice on the availability of other vaccines, including those for ‘non-routine’ or travel purposes, is provided at the UK level by Public Health England.  Should there be a shortage of a particular vaccine, as happened worldwide in 2017 with hepatitis B vaccine, the Welsh Government will issue guidance to NHS Wales on prioritisation of the available supplies. Supply information is provided regularly in ‘Vaccine Update’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-update

The reasons for ‘vaccine hesitancy’ are varied and can relate to vaccine safety, religious or cultural concerns, complacency about the seriousness of the disease, potential side effects or vaccination accessibility. All these can be exacerbated by misinformation on social media. I welcome recent announcements by some social media companies to remove inaccurate or misleading sites from their platforms.

The vast majority of parents, however, are still choosing to have their children vaccinated automatically at the scheduled age. Immunisation uptake rates in Wales remain at the top of international benchmarks. A recent parental attitudinal study carried out in 2018 by Public Health England showed that confidence in immunisation is high with only 9% of parents identifying any concerns about having their child vaccinated. A much higher level of trust was indicated in information provided by the NHS and health professionals (92%) than from social media (36%).

There is no single intervention strategy that addresses all instances of vaccine hesitancy. It is important that we continue to offer ‘catch up’ opportunities for those children who have not been vaccinated at the scheduled age. Research and practice show that the opportunity to discuss vaccine concerns with a health care professional can be the decisive factor for parents who have changed their minds about previously rejected or delayed vaccines. The Welsh Government will continue to support health boards and Public Health Wales to ensure immunisation information is accurate and accessible and that all those delivering immunisations are well trained and confident when providing immunisation information.

Vaccine development and production is a lengthy, complex and expensive process. The number of companies manufacturing vaccines is therefore limited and they tend to operate globally. Only vaccines licensed in the UK are available for purchase. For some vaccines eg MMR there is more than one supplier but for others such as Meningitis B there is only a single licensed product worldwide. Every vaccine has different characteristics which will make it more or less suitable for use in NHS programmes.

All immunisation programmes in Wales are based on independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI recommends the use of vaccines which are cost effective and which will provide the maximum population protection.

To benefit from economies of scale, the majority of vaccines used in routine programmes are procured centrally at the UK level. Due to the required volumes, vaccine supply contracts are awarded to one or more suppliers for a specific period of time, usually three or four years, following competitive tendering or negotiation depending on the number of appropriate suppliers. It is rarely possible to purchase sufficient supplies ‘off-the-shelf”. Buffer stocks are held to mitigate against potential shortages due to supply interruptions. The vaccines currently used in routine national programmes can be found in the schedule published on the NHS Direct web site at: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/pdfs/Scheduleadult.pdf

Other vaccines, including most influenza vaccines and those for ‘non routine’ or travel purposes, are purchased directly from suppliers by health boards or general practices as required.

A list of influenza vaccine suppliers for the coming season can be found on page 16 at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/788903/Annual_national_flu_programme_2019_to_2020_.pdf

The Chief Medical officer issues guidance each season on the most effective influenza vaccines available based on the JCVI’s advice. The guidance for 2019-20 can be found in Welsh Health Circulars (2018)045 and (2019)002 at:

https://gweddill.gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/circulars/public-health/?lang=en.

Advice on the availability of other vaccines, including those for ‘non-routine’ or travel purposes, is provided at the UK level by Public Health England.  Should there be a shortage of a particular vaccine, as happened worldwide in 2017 with hepatitis B vaccine, the Welsh Government will issue guidance to NHS Wales on prioritisation of the available supplies. Supply information is provided regularly in ‘Vaccine Update’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-update

The reasons for ‘vaccine hesitancy’ are varied and can relate to vaccine safety, religious or cultural concerns, complacency about the seriousness of the disease, potential side effects or vaccination accessibility. All these can be exacerbated by misinformation on social media. I welcome recent announcements by some social media companies to remove inaccurate or misleading sites from their platforms.

The vast majority of parents, however, are still choosing to have their children vaccinated automatically at the scheduled age. Immunisation uptake rates in Wales remain at the top of international benchmarks. A recent parental attitudinal study carried out in 2018 by Public Health England showed that confidence in immunisation is high with only 9% of parents identifying any concerns about having their child vaccinated. A much higher level of trust was indicated in information provided by the NHS and health professionals (92%) than from social media (36%).

There is no single intervention strategy that addresses all instances of vaccine hesitancy. It is important that we continue to offer ‘catch up’ opportunities for those children who have not been vaccinated at the scheduled age. Research and practice show that the opportunity to discuss vaccine concerns with a health care professional can be the decisive factor for parents who have changed their minds about previously rejected or delayed vaccines. The Welsh Government will continue to support health boards and Public Health Wales to ensure immunisation information is accurate and accessible and that all those delivering immunisations are well trained and confident when providing immunisation information.

Funding for prevention programmes such as those indicated are already included within Public Health Wales and Local Health Boards discretionary funding allocations. The specific level of funding allocated to each programme is a matter of local determination.

The Welsh Government has continued to provide additional funding to health and social care in the Budget every year – this includes extra funding to meet the Nuffield gap, identified by the Nuffield Trust in its 2014 report A Decade of Austerity in Wales? The funding pressures facing the NHS in Wales to 2025-26.

A Healthier Wales – our long-term plan for health and social care has prevention and early intervention at its heart. The strategy sets out how resources will be channelled to “support new models of care that are consistent with the national design principles [which] will mean increased investment in prevention and early intervention”.

We are also committed to supporting a multiagency partnership called Building a Healthier Wales, which aims to transform health and social care services to become more prevention focused. The partnership will be considering the question of what additional funding is required to develop preventative services and I will shortly be announcing proposals for investing £10m to help support effective early interventions in key areas.  Similarly we are also considering the funding options available to support the implementation of Healthy Weight Healthy Wales which is due to be published in the autumn.

I will write to you as soon as possible and a copy of my letter will be published on the internet.

I will write to you as soon as possible and a copy of my letter will be published on the internet.

I will write to you as soon as possible and a copy of my letter will be published on the internet.

Substantive Response

Substantive Response

Substantive Response

The Welsh Revenue Authority Annual Report and Accounts (https://gov.wales/welsh-revenue-authority-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-2019) published in July includes a Tax Statement which states that £227.8 million of land transaction tax was received for the 2018/19 year.