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WALES
North Wales Health Authority
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date his Department informed the North Wales Health Authority of its capital expenditure allocation for 1999-2000. [87998]
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Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Capital allocations for 1999-2000 were issued to health authorities on the 27 May 1999 as part of the health authority cash allocation announcement. NHS Trusts were issued with their capital allocations on 22 June 1999.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what preparations he is undertaking to develop within Wales appropriate financial management and payment systems for European Social Fund delivery for the period after 2000; and if he will make a statement. [87994]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is in discussion with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment over arrangements under which responsibility for payments and financial management of ESF in Wales would transfer to the National Assembly for Wales from 2000. The terms will, however, need to be acceptable to the Assembly.
Mr. Rowlands:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for how many appointments to non-departmental public bodies he was responsible prior to the passing of the Government of Wales Act 1998; and for how many he is currently responsible. [88587]
Mr. Michael:
I currently have sole responsibility for making 404 appointments to Executive, Advisory and Health Non-departmental Public Bodies in Wales. Responsibility for all these appointments will transfer to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July.
As Secretary of State, I will retain responsibility for a small number of appointments to bodies which do not have NDPB status, such as the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales and the Courts and Councils of the Universities.
There are also several UK bodies to which I make appointments, or where I have joint responsibility for making appointments, or am consulted on appointments. These responsibilities will also transfer to the Assembly by means of an Order in Council under Section 30 of the Government of Wales Act 1998.
Detailed information about public appointments for which I have had responsibility as Secretary of State for Wales is published quarterly in "Appointments made by the Secretary of State for Wales". The latest edition is dated March 1999 and is available in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Rowlands:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many non-departmental public bodies there were in Wales prior to the Government of Wales Act 1998; and how many there are currently. [88586]
Mr. Michael:
There were 42 non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department immediately prior to the Government of Wales Act 1998; there are now 37. The five bodies that have been abolished since 31 July 1998 are the Development Board for Rural Wales; the
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Land Authority for Wales; the Residuary Body for Wales; Tai Cymru; and the Welsh Advisory Committee on Drug and Alcohol Misuse.
Mr. Rowlands:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list (a) the non-departmental public bodies which have been abolished and (b) established since May 1997. [88642]
Mr. Michael:
Since 1 May 1997, the following non-departmental public bodies have been abolished: the Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales; the Development Board for Rural Wales; the Land Authority for Wales; the Residuary Body for Wales; the Staff Commission for Wales; Tai Cymru; the Welsh Advisory Committee on Drug and Alcohol Misuse; and the Welsh Council for Post-Graduate Medical and Dental Education. In addition, the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation has been identified for abolition. No new non-departmental public bodies have been established by the Secretary of State since 1 May 1997.
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently waiting (a) 0 to six months, (b) six to 12 months and (c) over 12 months for heart bypass operations in each NHS trust in Wales. [88924]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Information on the number of people waiting less than six months for coronary heart bypass operations is not collected centrally. At 31 March 1999, the numbers waiting 6 to 12 months and over 12 months in each of the relevant NHS trusts in Wales is given in the following table.
| Number waiting | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trust | 6 to 12 months | over 12 months |
| Morriston Hospital NHS trust(6) | 36 | 3 |
| University Hospital of Wales NHS trust(7) | 76 | 5 |
(6) Forms part of the new Swansea NHS trust
(7) Forms part of the new UHW/Llandough trust
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Refugees
Mr. Livsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Welsh Administration and Welsh local authorities about the implications of the Immigration and Asylum Bill for refugees in Wales. [89049]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: The Home Office is in the lead on this matter, but Welsh Office officials have been directly involved in considering the strategic and operational implications for Wales from the outset.
Strategically, Welsh Office officials liaise with the Home Office and, together with the Welsh Local Government Association and Welsh Refugee Council, attend meetings of the Home Office Stakeholder Group.
Operationally, with particular regard to the proposed support and consortium arrangements, Welsh Office officials initiated consultation with interested parties in
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Wales such as the WLGA, Local Authorities, the Welsh Refugee Council and other potential consortium agencies, and play an active part in the planning group which has arisen from this consultation.
Internally, a group drawing together all the relevant interests meets on a regular basis.
From 1 July, this role will fall to the National Assembly for Wales. I expect Assembly officials will continue to play an active and supportive role in conjunction with other interested parties to ensure that the implications of the Bill for Wales are fully considered and that the interests of Wales are fully taken into account.
Mr. Touhig:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average waiting time for appointments with consultants in (a) obstetrics, (b) trauma and orthopaedics, (c) ENT, (d) coronary, (e) general surgery, (f) urology, (g) ophthalmology, (h) oral surgery, (i) gynaecology and (j) other specialties in each health authority area in Wales. [88904]
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Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Information on routine out-patient waiting times for some common procedures, by consultant, is contained in the quarterly "Hospital Waiting Times Information for GPs and Patients" publication, a copy of which is held in the Library.
Information on average out-patient waiting times by health authority and specialty is not collected centrally.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Touhig:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average waiting time between first appointments and any surgery deemed necessary in (a) obstetrics, (b) trauma and orthopaedics, (c) ENT, (d) coronary, (e) general surgery, (f) urology, (g) ophthalmology, (h) oral surgery, (i) gynaecology and (j) other specialties in each health authority area in Wales. [88905]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
For all patients treated in a given period, data is available which gives the average waiting time between the decision of a consultant to admit a patient for treatment and the actual date of admission to hospital. For 1998, the average (mean) waiting times in weeks for each specialty and health authority are given in the following table.
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| Speciality | Gwent | Bro Taf | Dyfed Powys | North Wales | Morgannwg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General surgery | 16 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 12 |
| Urology | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
| Trauma and orthopaedic | 29 | 23 | 26 | 23 | 22 |
| Ear, nose and throat | 20 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 16 |
| Ophthalmology | 22 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 |
| Oral surgery | 9 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
| Cardiac surgery | 31 | 26 | 27 | 13 | 22 |
| Obstetrics | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Gynaecology | 12 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 10 |
| All other specialties | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 11 |
(8) Mean waits are calculated using information in respect of the residents of each health authority treated in Welsh hospitals during 1998
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Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
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