A 5p charge for single-use carrier bags came into force in Wales on October 1st. The money collected by the charge will be donated to charities that work in Wales. Business groups raised concerns that many traders are still confused about the scheme. Exemptions to the charge include bags used for medicines and some foods.
The National Farmers Union of Wales has said that farmers on lower quality land will miss out on subsidies under changes made...
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Monday, 31 October 2011
Monday, 24 October 2011
Scotland the brave, Unionists the confused, Wales the nervous
The SNP held their annual conference in Inverness over the weekend. There's a video and link to the text of Alex Salmond's keynote speech over at Syniadau.
The other parties are pushing for a clear timetable for an independence referendum and called for clarification on other independence related issues, for example defence. The Scottish Government produced a white paper in 2009 called "Your Scotland, Your Voice" which addressed many key points...
Thursday, 20 October 2011
The smacking ban and devolution
As you might have heard, a cross-party Assembly group put forward a motion proposing that the Welsh Government introduce new legislation to outlaw "smacking". The vote on the motion was won 24-15, but Social Services & Children Minister Gwenda Thomas (Lab, Neath) has ruled out any legislation.
As for my personal view on any potential ban, I'm firmly on the fence.
The state shouldn't mandate how children are disciplined in the home - it's...
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater
I'm often critical of what constitutes a "scandal" in Wales these days. In the past few years we've had cigar smoking, iPods, Lib Dem administrative oversights and this week a provocatively expensive table. However the goings-on at the University of Wales have "shamed" the institution to such an extent that the proverbial last rites are being administered by Leighton Andrews.
What was once a federation of all of Wales' higher education establishments...
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
The Nation's MOT - Chief Medical Officer's Report 2010
The Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, released his annual report for 2010 yesterday. As usual the gloomy Welsh media have decided to accentuate the negative – focusing on a dire warning that life expectancies might be lower in the future and on the state of children's teeth - heavily linked to deprivation in the report. This is justifiable to a certain extent.
The most startling and depressing finding in the report in my opinion...
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Draft Budget announced
The draft budget for 2012-13 was announced yesterday by the Minister for Finance Jane Hutt (Lab, Vale of Glamorgan).
In her statement to the Senedd she said:
"We have a responsibility to use all the levers we have to stimulate the economy against the backdrop of failing economic performance, with the UK Government having no credible plan for long term growth. Our vision for Wales is for a more prosperous economy with better, more efficient public...
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Senedd Watch - September 2011
The Welsh Government has unveiled a new blueprint for local government in Wales. The 22 local authorities will be placed in 6 "regional groups" with the intention of increased cooperation in the delivery of local government services. There will be no reduction in the number of councils or councillors. Peter Black AM (Lib Dem, South Wales West) has described this new blueprint as "reorganisation via the back door".
Former Rural Affairs minister Elin...
