Senedd Watch - December 2014

• The Welsh Government will receive an extra £123million as a result of the UK Chancellor's autumn statement, while advanced discussions are to be held regarding a proposed £1billion tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay. It was estimated partial devolution of tax-varying powers - in line with the Wales Act 2014, which was granted Royal Assent on December 17th – could eventually be worth up to £3billion.
• Cardiff University's Prof. Max Munday said tax powers shouldn't be devolved until detailed information on the Welsh economy, inward investment and support for businesses was provided by the Welsh Government - echoing long-standing concerns of the National Assembly's Business & Enterprise Committee.
• Education Minister, Huw Lewis (Lab, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), introduced the Qualifications Bill on December 2^nd. It'll create Qualifications Wales, a new executive body to regulate qualifications and awarding bodies. The Minister said the proposed law ensures, “decisions about qualifications are taken....in the interest of Welsh learners”.
• Kirsty Williams AM (Lib Dem, Brecon & Radnor) introduced the Safe Nursing Staffing Levels Bill on December 3^rd, which will place duties on health bodies to ensure a minimum ratio between the numbers of registered nurses, and both patients and health care support workers.
• The National Assembly approved a cross-party motion on December 3rd by 34 votes to 10 with 2 abstentions calling for the devolution of policing. The First Minister demanded the UK Government stop “cherry-picking” the conclusions of Silk II, calling for parity with Scotland, but falling short of supporting devolution of the criminal justice system.
• Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM (Plaid, Carms. E & Dinefwr) later called for Police & Crime Commissioners to be scrapped when their current five year term ends due to the annual £3.2million cost of the posts, calling it an “unnecessary tier of bureaucracy”.
• The National Assembly approved a Plaid Cymru motion by 33 votes to 14 welcoming trade between the US and Wales, but expressing caution over aspects of the proposed Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) – notably private involvement in public services and investor-state dispute settlement agreements.
• The UK Information Commissioner ordered the Welsh Government to release details on job creation and investment levels at seven enterprise zones, following a complaint from Plaid Cymru. Business & Economy Minister, Edwina Hart (Lab, Gower), said it was “sensitive information”, but Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Plaid, Ynys Môn) said the public “deserve to be told the truth”.
• Edwina Hart announced a not-for-profit Welsh Government subsidiary will be established with the intention of running Welsh rail services from 2018 following devolution of the rail franchise. Plaid Cymru supported the move, but Shadow Transport Minister, Byron Davies (Con, South Wales West), said the exclusion of private companies was “Marxist”.
• UKIP held their first Welsh annual conference at Margam Park, announcing that former Plaid Cymru and Conservatives councillors had defected. They said they would carry out a “massive assault” on the National Assembly in 2016 and were confident of becoming the official opposition. Nathan Gill MEP was formally announced as the leader of the party's Welsh branch.
• A Sheffield University report suggests a 50p per unit minimum price for alcohol - proposed as part of the forthcoming Public Health Bill - could save the economy £882million over 20 years, reduce alcohol consumption by 4% in Wales, and lead to 53 fewer deaths and 1,400 fewer hospital admissions.
• Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews (Lab, Rhondda), expressed disappointment that only 11 of Wales' 22 local authorities responded to the Welsh Government's white paper on local government reform. Over 170 responses were received in total. On December 9^th, 10 local authorities announced they would create a strategic body for south east Wales, but said this wouldn't conflict with council mergers.
• Plaid Cymru announced proposals to change the business rate relief system which would take 70,000 businesses out of rates altogether at a cost of £25million. They also (re)announced a target for up to 75% of public procurement contracts to go to Welsh companies, which they estimate would create up to 50,000 jobs.
• The Welsh budget for 2015-16 was passed by 26 votes to 22 with 4 abstentions on December 9^th following an agreement between Labour and the Welsh Liberal Democrats worth a reported £223million.
• The National Assembly approved the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) Regulations 2014, which will introduce new standards for dog breeding, including a minimum ratio of staff to dogs. The Welsh Lib Dems said the new regulations were “inadequate”, while Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans (Lab, Mid & West Wales), said they would, “help stamp out irresponsible breeding practices”.
• The latest gross value added (GVA) figures for Wales in 2013 showed that Wales remained the poorest performing nation or region at £16,893 per head (~72% of the UK average), with total GVA at just over £52billion. Wales did, however, see the joint fastest rise in GVA of the UK's nations and regions at 3.4%.
• The National Assembly rejected a cross-party motion supporting the principles of the Assisted Dying Bill – proposed in the UK House of Lords - on December 10^th by 12 votes to 21 with 20 abstentions. Simon Thomas AM (Plaid, Mid & West Wales) – who supports the Bill – said, “it was vital that our own parliament has an opportunity to form a view”.
• The Welsh Government opened a new thirty-year National Transport Plan for consultation, which includes improvements to the A55 and A40, previously-announced bypasses of Newtown, Llandeilo and Caernarfon, projects to improve rail capacity and a youth concessionary scheme for buses.
• Farmers' group Fairness for the Uplands won a legal challenge against the Welsh Government over EU subsidies, which were awarded on the basis of being worth ten times less for land above 400 metres. Deputy Minister Rebecca Evans said she was “disappointed” by the ruling, but will consult on revised payment arrangements.
• The new chief executive of NHS Wales, Dr Andrew Goodall, warned that non-urgent operations could be cancelled over winter “as a last resort” due to demand. It comes as non-urgent operations were cancelled in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg local health board until after Christmas.
• Multiple AMs representing Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot called on Celtic Energy to restore two opencast mines after a fraud case involving the ownership of the sites was dismissed. It's understood the offshore company which now owns the sites – Oak Regeneration – will be unable to meet the costs of restoration unless mining is allowed to continue.
• Unemployment rose sharply by 8,000 in the three months to October 2014 to stand at 7.1% - the sharpest rise of the UK's nations and regions. Across the UK, unemployment fell by 63,000.
• The latest figures from the Research Excellence Framework showed more than a third of university projects in Wales were categorised as “world class”, with Wales outperforming the UK in the highest 4* and 3* categories. Cardiff University is now said to rank in the top 5 research institutions in the UK with 87% of projects ranked 4* or 3*.
• The National Assembly Health & Social Services Committee inquiry into medical technologies recommended a national approach to prevent excessive regional variations in availability. Committee Chair, David Rees AM (Lab, Aberavon), said, “The role new technology has to play in improving the delivery of health and social services is long recognised."
• The National Assembly's Environment & Sustainability Committee inquiry into recycling recommended that, despite impressive recycling rates, the Welsh Government should prove kerbside recycling is the best option, and research whether weight-based recycling targets are working at the expense of overall waste reduction.
• The Welsh Government launched a consultation on changes to teacher assessment of pupils work, which will be compared on a regional basis to ensure consistency. The proposals were welcomed by teachers' unions who say in-class assessments can be as robust as external exams.
• Plaid Cymru accused the Welsh Government of exacerbating a doctor recruitment crisis after freedom of information requests showed just over £1,000 was spent on medical recruitment in 2013-14 compared to more than £45,000 a year earlier. Plaid's health spokesperson, Elin Jones AM (Plaid, Ceredigion), said the government was, “sitting on its hands and refusing to take workforce planning seriously”.

Projects announced in December include : A £150million investment in flood defences from 2018; a 7,000-home “garden city” to the west of Cardiff; a new five-year suicide prevention plan, a £35million innovation centre at Aberystwyth University; a “Pupil Offer” scheme to encourage low-income pupils to pursue interests out of school; an extra £2.2million towards a Citizens Advice Bureau benefits assistance scheme and a £31.7million round of Communities First funding.