Senedd Watch - June 2012

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• The First Minister paid tribute to Elizabeth II to mark her Diamond Jubilee celebrations by saying she has offered a “steadfast support to Wales over the last 60 years”. In Wales some 300 street parties took place, and 200 beacons lit, to mark the occasion.
• The new Older People's Commissioner, Sarah Rochira,  said that it's “vital” to act on issues raised by elderly people. Sarah said she had a clear focus on what needs to be done, saying that “We need to move on action that makes a real difference to lives of older people.”
• The Welsh Government have been accused by Eluned Parrott AM (Lib Dem, South Wales Central) of “skewing” cancer funding figures. The Welsh Government says it spends £4.50 more per person on cancer treatments than England. However, once England's Cancer Fund is taken into account, the figure is 47p and £300 less per cancer patient.
• Plaid Cymru expressed concerns that new, stricter, visa rules could hit Welsh university funding plans. Simon Thomas AM (Plaid, Mid & West Wales) said overseas students pay more for their education here, and are a “crucial funding stream for universities.” The Welsh Government responded by saying that they have made their concerns known to the UK Government.
• Business Minister Edwina Hart (Lab, Gower) welcomed the news of an exports rise in Wales - the only UK nation to see a rise. Exports rose from £3.298bn in Q4 2011 to £3.312bn in Q1 2012, meaning Wales continues to run a trade surplus in goods.
• A party divide has opened up in the Liberal Democrats over regional pay proposals. Welsh Leader Kirsty Williams continues to “strongly and firmly oppose” regional pay, while UK Treasury Minister, Liberal Democrat Danny Alexander is keen to “see local, market-facing pay introduced across the UK.”
• A rescue operation was undertaken in parts of Ceredigion and Powys following heavy rain and gale force winds on 8^th/9^th June, which led to substantial flooding. The Environment Agency said up to five inches of rain fell in 24 hours in the area. Later this month, the Assembly's environment committee was told by Environment Minister John Griffiths (Lab, Newport East) that the budget for flood defences was to be cut by £30million over the next four years.
• The NSPCC has said that child neglect referrals have risen by 67% between April 2011 and March 2012. In a separate report, it has been suggested that Wales is “lagging behind” the rest of the UK in child accident prevention, while “good progress” is being made.
• A report from a Task & Finish Group, led by Prof. Brian Morgan of Cardiff Metropolitan University, suggested that business rates should be devolved to the Assembly and that local authorities should be able to retain more of their business rate income.
• Pembrokeshire Council have been given a final warning by the Welsh Government to improve child protection after special experts were sent in 2011 after reports of serious problems with regard child abuse in schools.
• Health Minister Lesley Griffiths (Lab, Wrexham) launched a new five year cancer plan, which will “focus on early diagnosis” and ensure more cooperation between different care providers in the health service. The minister did, however, rule out an English-style Cancer Drugs Fund, saying that there was no evidence it could improve or extend quality of life.
• The Assembly's Standards Commission is to launch an investigation into AMs dealings with lobbyists following UK Government proposals for a statutory register of lobbyists.
• Child poverty rates - excluding housing costs - fell by 3% in Wales over the last three years, from 26% to 23%, but remain higher than overall UK figures (20%).
• The UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, accused Welsh Labour of playing a “blame game” and said that the Welsh Government should take more fiscal responsibility.
• The Welsh Government revealed its proposed “opt out” organ donation bill. The draft Human Transplantation Bill is out for consultation until September. If the Bill is passed it will come into effect in 2015.
• The UK Government reaffirmed its commitment to building a new nuclear power station at Wylfa on Anglesey. The existing power station is due to stop generating in 2014.
• The Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Government, Dame Gillian Morgan, announced her retirement after four years in the post. She said it was “a great honour for me to lead an organisation that is committed to supporting ministers to improve the lives of the people of Wales.” Peter Black AM (Lib Dem, South Wales West) called for an “independent” civil service, answerable to the Assembly.
• Unemployment in Wales fell by 2,000 compared to the previous quarter, with unemployment at 132,000 or 9% - the fifth highest rate of the 12 nations and regions of the UK.
• The First Minister said that there would be “more than a welcome” to the UK's nuclear submarine fleet in Pembrokeshire, should they move from their current base in Scotland. Plaid Cymru criticised the statement, with Simon Thomas AM saying the First Minister “has no grip on reality if he believes that the people of Wales want nuclear weapons stored in Milford Haven.” Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM (Plaid, Carmarthen East & Dinefwr) suggested that such a move would jeopardise the existing jobs at the oil and gas works in the vicinity.
• Doctors across the UK took part in industrial action on June 21^st in protest against the UK Government's proposed reforms to their pension scheme. Routine and non-emergency appointments were affected.
• Education Minister Leighton Andrews (Lab, Rhondda)  ruled out re-introducing “O-Levels” in Wales following an announcement by England's Education Secretary Michael Gove that he was considering replacing GCSEs with the new exams, along with other reforms. The Welsh Government are currently undertaking their own review of qualifications.
• A cross-party group of AMs have delivered, what has been described as, a “last ditch push” to the UK Government to secure funding for electrification for the Valley Line network in south Wales and main line to Swansea.
• Bethan Jenkins AM (Plaid, South Wales West) temporarily left social networking site Twitter, after coming under attack for describing a handshake between the Queen and former IRA commander, and Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, as “naive”.
• Plans to create marine conservation zones should be restarted according to Dr Dylan Evans, who believes they “cannot work without the support of local communities”. Environment Minister John Griffiths said the plans were still in an early stage.
• The Welsh Government have accused the UK Government of “confusion” over a proposed introduction of regional rates of welfare payments. The Welsh Government vowed to “resist” any such move.
• Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan cancelled a debate on changes to the Assembly election arrangements. Shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith claimed that the 11:30am start time was too early for many MPs, who would not have returned from their constituencies before then.
• Education Minister Leighton Andrews unveiled plans to fine parents of persistent truants up to £120. In 2004 the Welsh Government refused to follow the UK Government in instituting the fines. The number of unauthorised absences in Wales fell slightly from 1.6% in 2002-03 to 1.5% in 2010-11. The First Minister later added that fines would only be used as a “last resort”.
• The First Minister launched an appeal for a National Mining Memorial at the site of the Senghenydd disaster in Caerphilly county. The appeal aims to raise something in the region of £200,000.
• The Welsh Conservatives said that as many as 10,000 people are waiting longer than 12 hours in Welsh accident & emergency departments, and around 840 longer than 24 hours. The party have called on the Welsh Government to publish statistics on longer waits.
• CBI Wales are claiming that firms are losing out of “up to £2billion” in public contracts because the Welsh Government is “ideologically against private firms delivering public services.”
• Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said in an article for The Scotsman that Wales will be independent “within a generation” and part of a “British neighbourhood of nations”.
• Cardiff has been announced as the host of the 2014 UEFA Super Cup Final. It will be held at the Cardiff City Stadium. The First Minister welcomed the announcement, saying it “confirms once again how our capital is in the champions league itself when it comes to hosting major sporting events.”

Projects announced in June 2012 include : A £100million mixed-use development at Holyhead harbour, a £50million “super school” in Aberdare, a £500k scheme to boost exports in the Welsh biotechnology sector and a scheme to regenerate two open cast mines in Neath Port Talbot post-2018.