- An
“opt-out” organ donation system, created by the Human
Transplantation Act 2013, came into effect on 1st
December. Consent to have organs donated after death will be presumed
unless Welsh residents aged over 18 have either specifically
opted-out or their families object.
- The National Assembly's
Health & Social Care Committee failed to draw a conclusion on a
proposed ban on the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public spaces
after committee members split over the issue. Labour committee
members supported the proposal, but opposition members
disagreed.
- During the Stage 1 debate on December 8th, Health
Minister, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West), announced the Welsh
Government would amend the Public Health Bill to only prohibit the
use of e-cigarettes in schools, food establishments and on public
transport due to contested evidence on the risk of harm.
-
Education
Minister, Huw Lewis (Lab, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), defended
college regulation after BBC Wales discovered fraud at a
privately-run college in Cardiff, where faked credentials were used
to access Welsh Government-funded student grants. He said, “No
system of regulation....could be 100% fraud-proof.” A police
investigation was launched.
- An Enterprise and Business
Committee short inquiry into travel problems during the 2015 Rugby
World Cup called for “urgent improvements” to Cardiff Central
station, improved travel information and the creation of a single
command centre during major events. Committee Chair, William Graham
AM (Con, South Wales East) said, "It is imperative that the
lessons learned from the Rugby World Cup are acted on to ensure an
enjoyable experience for all."
- The National Assembly
unanimously approved a cross-party motion calling for extra
assistance for the steel industry by both Welsh and UK Governments
following a number of job losses in Scotland and Yorkshire. AMs were
critical that high energy costs hadn't been addressed and that
exemptions of green levies for steelmakers won't come into effect
until 2017.
- The UK House of Commons voted in favour of air
strikes against so-called Islamic State in Syria by 397 votes to 223.
65% of Welsh MPs, all from Labour, Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru, voted
against while 67 Labour MPs defied UK leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and
voted in favour. The Royal Air Force carried out its first missions
on December 3rd.
- The
First Minister told BBC Wales that although Labour had no plans to
raise income taxes after the 2016 National Assembly election, tax
rises could be introduced to “pay for a specific thing”. He also
said the UK Government's tax devolution proposals would lock-in
relative under-funding for Wales.
- The Constitutional &
Legislative Affairs Committee report into the draft Wales Bill said
it would “roll back” the Assembly's powers and failed to meet the
principles of subsidiarity. They also criticised restrictions on
passing criminal and civil laws, an over-reliance on Whitehall
departments' help in developing the draft Bill and a failure to
produce a workable reserved powers model. They recommended it should
not proceed without serious amendments.
- Chair of the Petitions
Committee, William Powell AM (Lib Dem, Mid & West Wales), wrote
to the Education Minister claiming that the policy of fining parents
who take their children on holiday during term time had resulted in
confusion, with councils incorrectly advising schools. The Welsh
Government said, “Prolonged absence from school really does damage
the attainment prospects of young people”.
- A war of words
erupted between Labour and Plaid Cymru over Barnett formula
consequentials as a result of England's High Speed 2 project. Plaid
maintain Wales will receive no extra money as a direct result of the
project, unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Welsh Government
said spending increases at the UK Department of Transport will result
in an extra £755million over five years. FOI requests revealed the
Welsh Government made no formal approaches to Whitehall over the
project.
- Finance Minister, Jane Hutt (Lab, Vale of Glamorgan)
introduced the draft budget for 2016-17 on December 8th.
Key proposals include a £293million funding boost for the NHS, as
well as £115million and £41million cuts to local government and
higher education respectively. Funding was also increased for the
pupil deprivation grant as part of a £223million deal agreed between
Labour and the Lib Dems in 2014.
- As a result of the draft
budget, the local government settlement for 2016-17 was cut by
£57million, described by Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews
(Lab, Rhondda), as “better than expected”. Rural authorities were
hit with cuts of up to 4%, while Cardiff's budget was cut by just
0.1%. This prompted complaints from the Lib Dems and Conservatives,
with the Lib Dems threatening to oppose the budget as a
result.
- HEFCW - which represents the Welsh higher education
sector - described a £41million cut to university funding as
“unsustainable”, saying they were “seriously concerned” at
the severity of the cuts.
- Welsh language campaigners
criticised a 6% cut to support for the Welsh language as undermining
policy commitments. Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg repeated calls for 1% of the
budget - £150million – to be spent on language support.
- The National Assembly unanimously approved a cross-party backbench motion opposing cuts to arts and music education by local authorities and schools, and calling for a new strategy on arts education from the Welsh Government. There was also criticism of a lack of skilled music teachers.
-
2014's
Gross Value Added (GVA) figures for Wales showed that while GVA
increased by 2.4%, Wales remained the lowest-performing nation or
region of the UK with GVA per head at just 71.4% (£17,573) of the UK
average (£24,616). Total Welsh GVA in 2014 was £54.3billion
($82.4billion) and Wales would nominally be ranked 29th
in the world by GVA-per-head in 2015.
- The National Assembly
backed a Plaid Cymru motion calling for a tax on sugary drinks by 38
votes to 10. Those voting in favour included the First Minister and
other Labour AMs, who had previously mocked the plans as unworkable
and counter-productive. The Finance Minister said a tax could help
address obesity levels.
- The Children & Young People's
Committee inquiry into Welsh-medium education strategies recommended
targets be included in the strategies, clearer guidance be issued to
local authorities and ministerial intervention be considered where
local authorities are failing to deliver the strategies.
- A
separate inquiry by the same committee into supply teachers called for a review of the
system, with particular concerns over continuous professional
development and lack of data on why full-time teachers take sick
leave. The Committee recommended a thorough investigation into where
supply teachers are most commonly used and the reasons why.
- Alice
Hooker-Stroud was elected leader of the Green Party in Wales on
December 16th.
She said, “We enter the Welsh Assembly election as a determined and
energetic party; we can and we will win seats.” Cardiff West
candidate, Hannah Pudner, was named Deputy Leader.
- A Public
Accounts Committee report criticised high pay-offs for senior staff
at National Museum Wales at a time when weekend top-up payments for
front line staff were cut, leading to strike action earlier in 2015.
The Committee also investigated recouping of costs at the National
Library of Wales following a serious fire in 2013, criticising the
library's £75,000 legal bill.
- An interim report on a review
of student finance by Prof. Ian Diamond stated that current
arrangements are “not an option”. Welsh students carried less
debt than English students, but there was “lack of consensus on the
way forward” and concerns of a funding gap developing between Welsh
and English universities.
- Anglesey's Wylfa nuclear power
station stopped generating electricity on 30th
December, and began a shutdown and decommissioning process. Plans for
the £8billion Wylfa Newydd power station are due to be submitted in
2017, with the new plant generating energy by the mid-2020s.
- Natural
Resources Minister, Carl Sargeant (Lab, Alyn & Deeside),
announced an extra £1million will be made available to communities
affected by serious flood damage caused by Storm Eva and Storm Frank.
The north west of England was hardest hit, but north Wales endured
floods which closed the A55 near Bangor, prompting calls from Plaid
Cymru for immediate action on drainage.
Projects announced in
December include : The launch of a new university-backed scheme to
encourage the take up of modern foreign languages; a £12million
joint bio-refining research programme at Aberystwyth, Bangor and
Swansea universities; a £290million expansion of the Help to Buy
scheme; £3.9million towards business management and leadership
skills training; a £7.5million modernisation of a premature baby
unit at University Hospital Cardiff and a plan to protect historic
places of worship.
