Annus horribilis

I'm not very festive at the best of times, but this year Christmas can go f**k itself. (Pic : Bargain Bin Blasphemy Tumblr) It's not often I quote Bet Windsor directly, but 2014 has been a personal "annus horribilis" - so I think I've earned the right to brood.Firstly, I somehow managed get a BBC interview but didn't even...

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What's all this then?

You probably didn't know, but the devolution of policing was discussed at length in the National Assembly last week. (Pic : BBC Cymru Fyw) This is one of those rare occasions where I'm spoiled for choice in terms of what to cover from the National Assembly. It's just a shame everything was crammed into the last fortnight...

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Kirsty's Law to set minimum nursing levels?

Wednesday saw the introduction of the fifth Member's Bill this Assembly term on behalf of Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader, Kirsty Williams (Lib Dem, Brecon & Radnor) – the Safe Nurse Staffing Levels Bill.The Bill's available here (pdf), explanatory memorandum here (pdf).The need for a Bill Few local health boards currently...

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Qualifications Bill introduced

Yesterday, Education Minister Huw Lewis (Lab, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney) launched the first of two pieces of Welsh legislation due to be introduced this week – more from me on the second law on Friday.The Qualifications Bill (pdf) will create Qualifications Wales, a new body which will, funnily enough, regulate and accredit...

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Bridgend's Deprivation Mapped

The Caerau Park and Tudor estates are placed near the top of the most relatively deprived areas in Wales. What about the rest of the county? (Pic : zoopla.com) Last week, the latest figures from the triennial Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) were released by the Welsh Government and Office of National Statistics....

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Senedd Watch - November 2014

Former Labour peer, Joel Barnett - creator of the (controversial) Barnett Formula, which determines public expenditure levels in the devolved administrations – died age 91 on November 1st. He was described as an “extraordinary individual” who did “his best to ensure the best for the people of this country”. Education Minister, Huw Lewis (Lab, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), launched a campaign to raise awareness of changes to GCSEs and A-Levels in...

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Mental health services for young people criticised

Mental health services are often inadequate for adults, being described as a "Cinderella service", meaning it's often ignored by a cruel stepmother (aka. the government).So what about younger people with mental illnesses?The National Assembly's Children & Young People Committee recently published its report (pdf) on...

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