2020 No. 955 (W. 213)

National Health Service, Wales

The Healthy Start Scheme (Description of Healthy Start Food) (Wales) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2020

Made

Laid before Senedd Cymru

Coming into force

The Welsh Ministers make these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 13(1) and (6) of the Social Security Act 19881 and sections 47(1) and 203(9) and (10) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 20062.

Title, commencement and interpretation1

1

The title of these Regulations is the Healthy Start Scheme (Description of Healthy Start Food) (Wales) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2020.

2

These Regulations come into force on 1 October 2020.

3

In these Regulations:

  • “the principal Regulations” (“y prif Reoliadau”) means the Healthy Start Scheme (Description of Healthy Start Food) (Wales) Regulations 20063;

  • “the 2004 Regulations” (“Rheoliadau 2004”) means the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 20044.

Amendment of the principal Regulations2

1

The principal Regulations are amended as follows.

2

In regulation 3—

a

for “tablets or vitamin drops” substitute “products”; and

b

after “containing vitamins” insert “of a form and quantity”.

3

In the Schedule—

a

in column 1 (category of food) of the table, in the third entry, for “Fresh or frozen” substitute “Fresh, frozen or canned”;

b

in column 2 (qualification) of the table, for the third entry, substitute—

Fresh, frozen or canned fruit and vegetables including but not limited to loose, pre-packed, whole, sliced, chopped, or mixed fruit or vegetables, fruit in fruit juice, or fruit or vegetables in water, but not fruit or vegetables to which fat, salt, sugar, flavouring or any other ingredients have been added.

c

at the end of the table insert—

Pulses

Fresh, dried or canned pulses, including but not limited to lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas but not pulses to which fat, salt, sugar, flavouring or any other ingredients have been added.

Amendment to the 2004 Regulations3

In Schedule 4 to the 2004 Regulations (list of prescribed medical certificates)—

a

in column 1 (description of medical certificate) of the table, omit the second entry;

b

in column 2 (enactment under or for the purpose of which certificate required) of the table, omit “Section 13 of the Social Security Act 1988 (Schemes for distribution etc of welfare foods)”.

Vaughan GethingMinister for Health and Social Services, one of the Welsh Ministers
EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Healthy Start Scheme (Description of Healthy Start Food) (Wales) Regulations 2006 (“the principal Regulations”). These Regulations also amend the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2004.

Regulation 2 of the principal Regulations provides that Healthy Start food, in relation to the operation of the Healthy Start scheme in Wales, is as set out in the Schedule to those Regulations. Regulation 2(3) of these Regulations expands the definition of Healthy Start food to include canned fruit and vegetables and pulses.

Regulation 3 of the principal Regulations provides the description of Healthy Start vitamins that will apply in relation to the operation of the Healthy Start scheme in Wales. Regulation 2(2) of these Regulations makes amendments to remove the restriction that Healthy Start vitamins must be provided in tablet or drop form only, with the effect that they may be produced in any form.

Regulation 3 of these Regulations amend the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Wales) Regulations 2004 to remove the requirement to produce a certificate confirming pregnancy for the purposes of obtaining welfare food.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.