§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the initiatives undertaken by his Department since 1 May 1997 which have involved the establishment of(a) action zones and (b) pilot schemes limited to particular geographical areas, indicating the name of the programme and the action zone or pilot scheme areas covered in each instance. [47058]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesOn 1 May this year, I announced a Social Exclusion Programme for Wales which will feature at least six, and up to ten, "demonstration projects" across Wales consisting of small communities within different local authority areas. The actual communities have not yet been selected. The total funding available for 1998–99 for this Programme is £750,000, which can be used for revenue or capital expenditure.
On 7 November 1997, I announced the creation of three NHS locality commissioning pilot schemes in the Blaenau Gwent, Taff Ely and Teifi Valley areas. The purpose of the initiative is to explore and evaluate alternative models of locality commissioning of health services; to identify robust and viable mechanisms for a primary-care-focused commissioning function; and to increase the degree to which groups of GPs and other primary care professionals, working with local government and others, are involved in commissioning health services for their patients. The lessons may inform the process of implementing the NHS Wales White Paper "Putting Patients First".
In July 1997, an additional £250,000 was provided for the continuation of the Welsh Office £3 million dental initiative, first launched in 1995, which has enabled Health Authorities to offer unprecedented levels of grant 64W (up to £50,000 in some areas) to attract new dentists into those parts of Wales where they are most needed and for the expansion of the Community Dental Service.