Senedd/Election Watch - January 2016

• Jonathan Edwards MP (Plaid, Carms E. & Dinefwr) criticised the formula used to determine rail fares after regulated fares – such as season tickets – rose by 1.1%. He said, “Calculating prices based on Retail Price Index (RPI) is an unpopular system which has attracted criticism from respected economists.”
  
• The Welsh Conservatives called for the responsibility for safety at sports grounds to be devolved. Leader of the Opposition, and supporter of “safe standing”, Andrew Davies (Con, South Wales Central) said he would write to the UK Sports Minister asking for a pilot to be launched in Wales.
• The First Minister and UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, held a debate on EU membership on January 11^th ahead of the proposed referendum, due to take place by the end of 2017. The First Minister said 200,000 jobs were reliant on EU membership and it was about “money in people's pockets”. Nigel Farage called for Britain to “reclaim its birthright” and become a “proper democracy”.
• Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood (Plaid, South Wales Central), said that although the EU needed to be reformed it was “too important to be discarded” and the benefits of EU membership outweighed the drawbacks. Plaid held a "day of action" against the EU-USA TTIP treaty on January 30th.
• A review of the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework found there had been no significant improvement in skill levels since its introduction in 2013, though it was said it could take several years for the reforms to have an effect.
• In evidence relating to the draft budget for 2016-17, HEFCW warned that proposed budget cuts to higher education “threaten to undermine Welsh Government priorities” and risk creating a £115million funding gap between Welsh and English universities. Higher education courses taught through the medium of Welsh via Coleg Cenedlaethol Gymraeg could also be severely impacted.
• The Prime Minister said he was “losing enthusiasm” for a proposed £1billion tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay due to concerns that subsidies could make it unviable. Peter Black AM (Lib Dem, South Wales West) said, “If we're going to increase our renewable energy generation, we must invest in these new technologies.”
• Campaigners claimed victory after Education Minister, Huw Lewis (Lab, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), wrote to headteachers saying their power to issue fines for term-time holidays should be used with discretion, not via a blanket ban. A BBC Wales investigation found wide variations in fine policies between local authorities; campaigners subsequently asked to be repaid.
• The National Assembly unanimously agreed several motions in a debate on the Constitutional & Legislative Affairs Committee report on the draft Wales Bill on January 13th. AMs backed calls for the creation of a distinct Welsh legal jurisdiction, a bilingual consolidation of Welsh law and a simplification of proposed reserved powers.
• Huw Lewis became the latest senior Labour AM to announce they were standing down at the 2016 Election, having represented Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney since 1999. He said, “Nothing is forever. I became an AM at the age of 35 and I feel now is the time to move on - for me and the constituency.”
• The UK Government are considering devolving Attendance Allowance to Wales and English local councils, which is used to pay for personal care for elderly persons with physical or mental disabilities. The Welsh Government expressed caution, while charities expressed worries about the future of the benefit, which is worth £400million annually in Wales.
• Tata Steel Europe announced 1,050 job losses at steel plants in Wales and England, with the vast majority of redundancies at Port Talbot steelworks. The First Minister described it as a “devastating blow to the community”, while Tata called for action by the EU Commission and UK Government to combat Chinese “steel dumping” which has artificially deflated prices.
• On January 19^th, Business & Economy Minister, Edwina Hart (Lab, Gower) announced a task force would be set up to discuss the long-term future of steel-making in Port Talbot, while Port Talbot would be designated an enterprise zone – subject to UK Government approval. On January 25^th, the Welsh Government announced a £7.5million investment in an advanced engineering centre in the town.
• Although there was widespread welcome of the statement, Plaid Cymru criticised the Welsh Government for ruling out “taking a stake” in Tata. Bethan Jenkins AM (Plaid, South Wales West) called for investment in a new power station at Port Talbot to cut energy costs.
• Five Welsh MPs called for UK Chancellor, George Osborne, to reconsider his decision to devolve income tax varying powers to Wales without a referendum. In a letter they said, “To drop the commitment to a referendum would put us in breach of a clear manifesto commitment.” Nick Ramsay AM (Con, Monmouth) also called for the policy to be “looked at again”.
• The Welsh Government were criticised for granting £9.5million to a charity, Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which was commissioned to undertake a waste strategy on behalf of the government. It's understood the money was used to provide private healthcare to WRAP employees. The Welsh Government said employee remuneration was a matter for WRAP.
• In a letter to Deputy Health Minister, Vaughan Gething (Lab, Cardiff S. & Penarth), the Health Committee welcomed progress made on ambulance response times since the introduction of new targets, but criticised regional variations. They also criticised changes to how performance data was published, calling for monthly instead of quarterly reports.
• Children's Commissioner, Sally Holland, called for a mandatory register of home-schooled children, after a case of neglect in Pembrokeshire, where an 8-year-old boy died after developed scurvy, was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.
• The Public Accounts Committee report on the defunct Regeneration Investment Fund for Wales (RIFW) strongly condemned the “cavalier approach” taken to sales of government-owned land for £21million, which grossly underestimated their open market value. The First Minister formally apologised saying it “fell well below the standards we would expect”.
• The National Assembly rejected a Legislative Consent Motion on the Trade Union Bill by 43 votes to 13 on January 26^th. Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews (Lab, Rhondda), called for four clauses which impact devolved services to either be removed from the Bill or disapplied in Wales. The UK Government said they would press on despite the vote.
• The National Assembly's Standards Committee ruled that three AMs breached the members' code of conduct. Mark Drakeford AM (Lab, Cardiff West) and Jenny Rathbone AM (Lab, Cardiff Central) failed to declare paid membership of a committee, while Ann Jones AM (Lab, Vale of Clwyd) misused the Assembly estate for political reasons. The Assembly unanimously agreed that no further action be taken.
• A report by the Wales Audit Office suggested the Welsh Government paid up to £20-30million too much to nationalise Cardiff Airport in 2013, and that passenger growth had been slower than anticipated. The Welsh Conservatives described it as, “a stunning failure to safeguard taxpayers' money”.

Projects announced in January include : A UK Government-backed £50million “innovation centre” specialising in compact semiconductors; a £9million Lottery-backed project to improve rural areas; £4.2million for flood defence schemes in Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan; an alert scheme to inform authorities about people sleeping rough in order to combat homelessness; outline plans for a £500million redevelopment of Swansea city centre and a review of Welsh heritage sites to improve commercial performance.

• Plaid Cymru unveiled ten “National Objectives” should they form the next Welsh Government, including resolutions on the economy, education and health. Leanne Wood said, “Our programme for government will include key indicators to measure our success in achieving the National Objectives so people there will be full transparency on our progress.”
• Plaid Cymru also announced a “Cancer Contract”, promising 28 day waiting times for diagnosis, new treatment funds and one-to-one care. Elin Jones AM (Plaid, Ceredigion) said, “Waiting times for many lifesaving diagnostic tests are substantially longer in Wales than elsewhere in the UK.”
• The Welsh Conservatives pledged to keep all existing accident and emergency departments open, reopen minor injury units and restore maternity services at Withybush Hospital in Pembrokeshire. They also ruled out any further reorganisation of the Welsh NHS.
• Plaid Cymru would revive the Welsh Development Agency (WDA) as a public-private partnership run arms-length from government. Economy spokesperson Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Plaid, Ynys Môn) said, “We need not be the poor relation of the UK.”
• The Welsh Lib Dems called for Wales to become a “Nation of Sanctuary” for refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East, calling for the devolution of extra powers over equalities, housing and social care, as well as taking measures to encourage asylum-seekers to participate in local communities.
• In the first leaders' debate of the election - on BBC Radio Wales on January 17^th - the First Minister called for UK Government help for the Welsh steel industry. The Conservatives and UKIP focused on entrepreneurship and small businesses, while Plaid Cymru outlined NHS reorganisation proposals – something the Lib Dems believe was “as welcome as a hole in the head”.
• Leader of the Green Party in Wales, Alice Hooker-Stroud, criticised the BBC for not including a Green representative on the panel. She said, "Politics is changing, and our media needs to keep up : in Wales as it has done in the rest of the UK."  
• Plaid Cymru would create 50,000 apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds using a share of the UK Government's apprenticeship levy, worth £150million. Simon Thomas AM (Plaid, Mid & West Wales) said, “This landmark investment in young people's future would help boost prospects for the next generation”.
• The Welsh Lib Dems would replace tuition fee subsidies with grants to support living costs for first-time students. This would apply regardless of where a student chooses to study. Education Minister, Huw Lewis, later confirmed that the grants would remain as is should Labour be returned to government.
• A senior UKIP member in Wales, Cllr. Kevin Mahoney, threatened to quit the party if prominent personalities, like former MP Mark Reckless, were “parachuted” into candidate lists for the election. He accused the party of “cronyism”.
• South Wales PCC Alun Michael (Lab) came under criticism for appointing Labour party members as deputy commissioners ahead of the PCC Election in May. He also came under criticism from Independent candidate, Mike Baker, for being “invisible”.
• In an edition of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions from Pembroke Dock, Welsh party leaders clashed over reorganisation of hospital services in west Wales. Plaid Cymru, Conservatives and Lib Dems criticised proposals to centralise maternity services in Carmarthen. Meanwhile, Mark Reckless denied UKIP planned to privatise the NHS.
• The Welsh Lib Dems unveiled proposals for housing, pledging to build 20,000 affordable homes over the next five years as well as creating 2,500 “rent to own" homes. Peter Black AM accused Conservatives and Labour of “ideological dogma” on housing and right-to-buy.
• The Welsh Conservatives could raise business rates for large businesses in order to reduce bills for smaller businesses as part of plans for a rates revaluation should they win the election. Andrew Davies AM said, “Wales is a nation of shopkeepers, and those small firms are the lifeblood of the Welsh economy.”