David Rees AM, Unit 6, Water Street Business Centre, Gwyn Terrace, Aberavon 01639 870779

Printed and published by David Rees AM, Unit 6, Water Street Business Centre, Gwyn Terrace, Aberavon, Port Talbot SA12 6LG

WELSH GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO UK GOVERNMENT BUDGET

Welsh Labour’s Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt has responded to the UK Government’s Budget. Jane Hutt said: “This Budget is the third in ten months. Plans announced in November have been reviewed already. This chaotic stop-start approach is not helpful to us in terms of our own Budget planning or for businesses who need consistency not constant change. We have barely agreed our plans for 16-17 and the underlying figures have changed again. This contrasts sharply with the stability and certainty that the Welsh Government seeks to provide in our budget process.

“The small addition to our Budget, does not reverse six years of austerity. Yet again it is the most vulnerable in our society that will be on the receiving end of these further spending cuts and welfare changes. As we’ve seen so often from the Chancellor, there has been no hesitation to apply yet more needless austerity despite the consequences.”

“As a Government, we have always been clear that austerity is a choice and we are providing an alternative clear way forward despite austerity. We have a track record of delivering in these difficult financial times and will continue to do all we can to mitigate the effects of these further cuts to public spending in Wales. We have never shied away from investing in our infrastructure during the recession. I was pleased that after months of detailed negotiations, we were able to secure a City Deal for the Cardiff Capital Region - it will have a positive long term economic impact across the region. Yesterday’s City Deal has opened the door for other areas of Wales including the Swansea Bay Region’s bid and North Wales. We look forward to working with these regions to support their ambitions.”

“We’ve always called for the abolition of the Severn Tolls - the Chancellor has half listened but should have gone further and abolished them. It is disappointing once again that there is nothing on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon in this Budget. It is also disappointing that the UK Government has decided to continue its procrastination over the devolution of Air Passenger Duty. This discriminatory approach is unacceptable and unjustifiable and we will now look at ways of offsetting the impact of this tax on our national airport and our economy.”

PORT TALBOT WATERFRONT ENTERPRISE ZONE CREATED

Welsh Labour’s Economy Minister Edwina Hart has announced the establishment of the Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone to help create economic growth and jobs for the area recently hit by steel job losses.

The Enterprise Zone status will offer financial incentives to companies based there, including tax and business rate breaks, and was one of the key actions to come out of the Tata Steel Task Force to help support the steel industry.

Port Talbot Waterfront is already well placed to become an Enterprise Zone because of its high skill levels, location, infrastructure, and connectivity. The Enterprise Zone will be based around established and potential employment sites in the area which have significant capacity for supporting new businesses.

The Enterprise Zone will be based around the employment sites of: • Baglan Energy Park • Baglan Industrial Estate and • Habourside / Port Talbot Docks.

A map of the area will be made available shortly. Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone is Wales’ eighth Enterprise Zone. As of end of September 2015, the other seven Zones had created, assisted or safeguarded over 7,795 jobs in Wales and paved the way for further

investment and development.

1% PAY RISE FOR ALL WELSH NHS STAFF

NHS Wales employees will receive a 1% pay rise, the Welsh Government has announced.

More than 7,000 of the lowest paid NHS staff will also receive a backdated pay rise as the uplift to the living wage applied from 1 January – the living wage has risen to £8.25 from £7.85. The Welsh Labour Government has led the way with its commitment for the NHS in Wales to be a Living Wage employer which means that the lowest earners in NHS Wales are paid a fair salary, as recommended by the Living Wage Foundation.

Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has accepted the recommendations on pay from both the NHS Pay Review Body and the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration. The pay rises, including the living wage, will cost an estimated £40m a year.

The deal includes: • A 1% consolidated pay increase for all Agenda for Change staff in the Welsh NHS; • A 1% consolidated pay increase for salaried doctors and dentists; • A 1% increase to the minimum and maximum of the salary range for salaried GPs; • GPs in Wales will receive an overall uplift of 2.2% in pay and expenses on a similar

basis to that in England; • Dental contracts will increase by 1.1% for pay and practice costs.; • No pay rise for NHS Senior Executives;

NEW AUTISM SERVICE FOR WALES TO BE ESTABLISHED

A new national autism service for Wales, which will provide lifetime support for children and adults, will be set up in Wales, Welsh Labour’s Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has announced. The service is a key part of the Welsh Labour Government’s refreshed Autistic Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan, which has been launched for consultation. The Welsh Government published its original strategic action plan in 2008, which was the first of its kind in the UK. The refreshed Autistic Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan focuses on raising awareness of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD); ensuring information, advice and training is available to all; improving assessment, diagnosis and support for people with ASD; addressing support needs and ensuring people have access to a good education and career advice and support. For more informatin contact Lisa on 01639 870779

EXTRA STAFF TO SUPPORT NEW MOTHERS

NEW CHOOSE PHARMACY SCHEME TO BE ROLLED OUT ACROSS WALES

Pharmacists across Wales will provide new NHS services for people with minor illnesses, Welsh Labour’s Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething has announced. The Choose Pharmacy service will see pharmacists take responsibility for managing a range of minor ailments. People will be able to see their pharmacist for free treatment instead of making an appointment to see their GP.

The scheme will help to free up GP time to deal with people with more complex needs – up to 18% of GPs’ workload and 8% of emergency department consultations are estimated to relate to minor ailments, such as coughs, colds, ear ache, hay fever, conjunctivitis and head lice.

Choose Pharmacy will also see pharmacists undertaking medication reviews when people are discharged from hospital and providing an emergency supply of prescribed medicines at evenings and weekends. These services will also help demand on both out-of-hours GPs and emergency departments.

Community pharmacies in Wales will be fully integrated with GPs and hospitals as part of a £750,000 investment from the Welsh Government’s Efficiency Through Technology Fund.

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WELSH GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES ALTERNATIVE WALES BILL

The Welsh Labour Government has published an alternative to the UK Government’s draft Wales Bill, one which would deliver a stable, long-term devolution settlement for the people of Wales.

Welsh Labour’s First Minister, Carwyn Jones said his government was taking the unprecedented step in the spirit of moving the devolution process forward.

The Government and Laws in Wales Bill is designed to bring clarity and stability to the Welsh devolution settlement within the context of a strong United Kingdom. It has been designed to put a full stop to the years of constitutional wrangling which has been a feature of the Welsh devolution story over the last 18 years and would bring the Welsh system more closely into line with devolution in the rest of the UK.

The Welsh Government’s Bill includes a reduced number of ‘reserved’ matters, based on the principle of subsidiarity and careful consideration of which matters need to be dealt with at a UK level. It also introduces a future-proofing element by including the areas the Silk Commission envisaged would be devolved over the next decade, including responsibility for the civil and criminal law and the administration of justice. In the meantime, the Bill provides for a distinct legal jurisdiction for Wales, along lines which the National Assembly for Wales has already supported

unanimously.

Welsh Labour’s Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has announced that new perinatal mental health services will be set up across Wales, with 30 new specialist staff backed by £1.5m of new investment. The new community-based specialist services in every Welsh health board will help to improve mental health outcomes for women with perinatal illnesses, their babies and their families. The teams will include doctors, nursing staff and other healthcare professionals who will provide prenatal and postnatal care. They will work closely with general mental health services and maternity services to offer treatment and support at this important time for women and their babies. Figures show that that between one in 10 and one in 15 mothers experience postnatal depression and around one in 500 mothers can experience severe but treatable mental illness. Each health board has submitted proposals which have been agreed for collaborative and multi-disciplinary perinatal services, which will build on existing services and can be rolled out across their local area.

NEW PLAN TO TRANSFORM UROLOGY SERVICES Urology services in the Welsh NHS will be transformed to ensure people are seen by the right clinician, in the right place and at the right time as part of a new plan unveiled by Welsh Labour’s Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething. The new National Urology Implementation Plan, produced by the Planned Care Programme, aims to improve patient experience and deliver sustainable services by ensuring the Welsh NHS cares for those with the greatest needs first; carries out the minimum appropriate interventions while focusing on a smaller number of areas with greater impact and outcomes. The plan requires health boards to understand and measure demand, capacity and activity in urology and establish a patient experience measure for urology services in Wales. Urology covers care for diseases of kidneys, bladder and prostate and includes conditions such as incontinence, impotence, infertility, cancer and reconstruction of the genito-urinary tract. There are approximately 53,000 new urology outpatient referrals every year in Wales, with 74% of people receiving some kind of treatment. More than 4,000 people every year

are diagnosed with a urological cancer in Wales.

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You can watch committee meetings and Plenary live

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Watch and listen

Petitions

A petition is a way of asking the National Assembly

to consider any issue, problem or proposal that the

Assembly has the power to do something about.

The Assembly’s rules mean that any petition that the

Presiding Officer decides is admissible must be

considered by the Assembly. The Assembly has set up a

Petitions Committee to consider admissible petitions and to decide what action should be taken.

If you need any assistance with the e-petitions system

or require any further information about the petitions

process, please feel free to email us:

website@assembly.wales or contact Lisa (01639 870779)

Consultations

To view a list of the issues that the Assembly

committees are currently consulting on please go to: www.assembly.wales/en/bushome/Pages/consultation

TWO WEEKS TO GO UNTIL MAJOR CHANGES TO WALES’ SOCIAL SERVICES

From April 6, people will have a greater say about how social services assess and deliver their care and support when a landmark new Welsh law – the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 – comes into force.

The new law will radically transform the way social services are delivered in Wales to meet the needs of individuals and make services sustainable for the future. The Act ensures services will be available to provide the right support at the right time and gives people a stronger voice and real control over the support they need to remove barriers to their wellbeing. It focuses on earlier intervention, increasing preventative services within the community and helping people maintain their independence. It provides a framework to enable people to get the help they need before their situation becomes critical. The Act promotes integration between health and social care to achieve improved wellbeing outcomes and provides for a strengthened approach to safeguarding people.

A national awareness campaign, which is being delivered in partnership with local organisations across Wales, includes bus and radio adverts, digital adverts and a Facebook and Twitter campaign.

Trade Union Bill should “not be pursued” says First Minister

First Minister for Wales, Carwyn Jones recently called on the UK Government to withdraw the controversial Trade Union Bill in light of recent overwhelming defeat in the House of Lords.

In January, the National Assembly of Wales opposed the application to Wales of key provisions in the UK Government’s Trade Union Bill.

Carwyn Jones said: "This Bill is damaging, divisive, intrudes on the delivery of public services in Wales. The Lords vote yesterday reflects the overwhelming opposition to this Bill across the country from all quarters.

"We made our position on the Bill clear in the National Assembly at the start of the year, believing implementation of the Bill will lead to a confrontational relationship between employers and workforce.

"It contrasts sharply with the constructive social partnership approach in Wales – valuing the workforce, supporting public services and encouraging enterprise.

"We are pleased the Lords have agreed with us that the Bill is flawed and should not be pursued in its current form. It is time for a fundamental re-think by the UK Government, one

which respects the democratic will of the people of Wales."

WELSH GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO DELIVER A FLYING START FOR 36,000 CHILDREN

New statistics reveal the Welsh Government is on track to meet its ambitious target of providing Flying Start services to 36,000 children for the second year running. The figures show that 33,252 children benefitted from Flying Start between April and December 2015. This is over 600 more children than benefited at the equivalent stage in 2014-15, a year in which the programme was delivered to more than 37,000 children – reaching and exceeding the Welsh Labour Government’s target a year early. Flying Start supports families living in some of the most disadvantaged communities across Wales. It offers 12 and a half hours of high quality childcare a week for 2-3 year olds; support for the development of children’s speech, language and communication; parenting support;

and an enhanced health visitor service.

MY TRAVEL PASS SCHEME CELEBRATES ITS 5,000TH MEMBER

More than 5,000 young people have signed up to and are benefiting from My Travel Pass, a Welsh Government funded scheme offering discounted bus travel to 16-18 year olds in Wales, since its launch six months ago.

The milestone number was reached recently when Dulcie Jones from Penrhyndeudraeth was presented with the 5,000th pass by Welsh Labour’s Economy, Science & Transport Minister Edwina Hart. Funded by the Welsh Government, developed in partnership with the bus industry and local authorities, and operated by the company that delivers Traveline Cymru, My Travel Pass aims to help young people aged between 16 and 18 to travel more easily and cheaply. The scheme is free to sign up to and eligible pass holders receive a third off the price of an adult fare on all local buses and TrawsCymru journeys throughout Wales.

16-18 year olds can apply for a My Travel Pass via the website: Gov.wales/mytravelpass

1,500 BENEFIT FROM PILOT PROJECT TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO CULTURE

An innovative new programme using the arts, culture and heritage to support some of our most disadvantaged communities has seen over 1,500 people take part in activities during its pilot year.

The Welsh Labour Government’s Fusion: Tackling Poverty through Culture is helping people to develop skills to improve attainment and find employment and is supporting local authorities and Communities First areas to find new and exciting opportunities to get people who would not normally engage with culture and heritage to give it a go. At the end of the project’s successful first year, Welsh Labour’s Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates has welcomed an evaluation of progress so far and has announced an additional £165,000 funding to expand the programme. The project has also seen over 500 people take part in structured courses and schemes, many leading to accreditation and qualifications. ‘Pioneer Areas’ have been established in Wrexham, Gwynedd, Swansea, Cardiff/Merthyr, Newport and Torfaen to pilot the programme. Discussions are underway to increase the number of areas taking part in 2016-17.

A progress report can be obtained from Lisa Donovan on 01639 870779

KEY CANCER WAITING TIMES IMPROVE

Waiting times for a key cancer target in Wales have improved - the best performance in six months, new figures have shown.

The figures for January 2016 show 86.5% of people (492 out of 569) newly-diagnosed with cancer started treatment, following an urgent GP referral within the target time of 62 days (known as the urgent suspected cancer route) – this includes all diagnostic tests and consultations with experts. This is up from 86.2% in December 2015 and is the best performance since July 2015.

Three of Wales’ seven health boards achieved 90% or higher in January: • Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: 92.9% - the second

consecutive month it has achieved more than 90% • Aneurin Bevan University Health Board: 92.6% - the third

consecutive month it has achieved more than 90% • Hywel Dda University Health Board: 90.9% - its best January

performance since 2012.

In addition, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg treated 114 out of 139 people within target time – the most treated within 62 days since June 2015. Meanwhile, 96% of people (787 out of 820) who were newly-diagnosed with cancer started definitive treatment following diagnosis within 31 days (not via the urgent route). The improvements in the 62-day cancer waiting time performance comes after Welsh Labour’s Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething asked each of Wales’ health boards to produce 100-day plans to improve cancer services in October 2015.

NEW PLAN TO TACKLE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION The first national action plan to tackle child sexual exploitation in Wales has been launched by Welsh Labour’s Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford. The All-Wales National Action Plan to Tackle Child Sexual Exploitation provides a comprehensive framework through which the wide range of safeguarding partners will demonstrate co-ordinated and cross-agency action to prevent and protect children from abuse and sexual exploitation.

It set out minimum standards the safeguarding children boards and partner agencies will work collectively and individually towards and build on to:

• Prevent and protect children and young people from sexual exploitation

• Provide responsive, appropriate and consistent support to those identified as being subject to or at risk of child sexual exploitation

• Contribute to the identification and prosecution of perpetrators

The launch of the plan follows appointments to the National Independent Safeguarding Board, which will play an important role in ensuring the right policies and initiatives are in place to safeguard children and adults across

Wales.

£26M INVESTMENT FOR SOLAR ENERGY INITIATIVE CENTRED IN WALES A £26 million EU-backed investment to drive forward the solar energy industry has been announced by Welsh Labour’s Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt.

The funding is made up of £15m of EU funds, £4m from the Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC) and Innovate UK, and £7m investment from Swansea and Cardiff Universities, coupled with crucial investment from industry partners. The funding will support a new phase of research and commercialisation of technology being developed at Port Talbot-based SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre.