Assembly Committee Slams Wales Bill

(Pic : BBC Wales)

Last Thursday, the National Assembly's Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee published its report into the latest draft of the Wales Bill, which is now in the unelected House of Lords (pdf).

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Plaid's Infrastructure Commission

(Pic : Plaid Cymru)

(Owen : It's funny how things turn out. I'm sure that counts as three correct predictions in a row. As for the recent controversial episode of Question Time this sums up what happens in pretty much every episode and why I don't watch political programmes. "Don't feed the trolls.")

On Monday, the Shadow Ministers for the Economy & Infrastructure – Adam Price AM (Plaid, Carms. E & Dinefwr) and Dai Lloyd AM (Plaid, South Wales West) respectively – launched a policy paper outlining their proposal to create a National Infrastructure Commission (pdf).

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Local Government Reform : Mergers Ditched

In case you were wondering, it's in reference to this.

Yesterday, Finance & Local Government Secretary, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West), unveiled the Welsh Government's latest proposals for local government reform.

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FMQs : Breakfast, Food & Cadw Merger

Another Tuesday, another FMQs and, as usual, there was plenty up for discussion.

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Senedd Watch - September 2016

• Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams (Lib Dem, Brecon & Radnor), announced government funding for Techniquest – a science education charity with sites in Cardiff and Wrexham – would end from 2021. Around a third of its £3.3million annual income is from government grants.

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AMs press for "decisive action" on Bovine TB

(Pic : The Guardian)

The issue of precisely how to deal with Bovine tuberculosis is one of the longest-running sagas in post-devolution Wales, and something that has become a serious threat to the livelihoods of dairy and beef farmers, even if they're compensated for the loss of livestock.

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The Big Brexit To Do List

Before Brexit can happen, we need to know what needs to be done beforehand.

I'm getting as fed up with the endless hot air surrounding Brexit as much as you probably are. This will be my final post on Brexit for the foreseeable future. I'm also considering ignoring any future statements/questions on this in the Senedd as nothing's actually happened yet and nobody seems to be in a rush to make anything happen either.

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FMQs : Refugees, Vetoes & Bloody Brexit

The weekly theatre of Carwyn Jones' questioning by AMs rolls into town yet again.

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Boundary Commission Carves-Up Wales

Would you like a slice of De Clwyd a Gogledd Sir Faldwyn?
(Pic : iceandtime.net)

Earlier this week, the Boundary Commission for Wales unveiled their draft proposals for a reorganisation of the 40 Westminister constituencies in Wales.

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Law to replace stamp duty introduced

(Pic : policyexpert.co.uk)

The first piece of legislation of the Fifth Assembly was introduced on Tuesday (13^th September) by Finance & Local Government Secretary, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West) – the snappily-titled Land Transaction Tax & Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes Bill.

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A Guide to the Welsh Third Sector

(Pic : Barnardo's)

I'm going to guess most people reading this know what the Third Sector is as it's been in and out of the headlines – directly and indirectly – for many years, having become a friendlier face of private involvement in public services and alternative to top-down state planning.

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Boring, Boring Senedd

(Pic : topnews.in)

He hasn't been in there long, but one of the new intake of AMs – Steffan Lewis AM (Plaid, South Wales East) – caused (a bit of) a ruckus a few weeks ago after claiming Assembly proceedings were "dull to watch".

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Why was the Commonwealth Games bid ditched?

Not coming to a town or city near you....
(Pic : ITV Wales)

Towards the end of July, Economy & Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates (Lab, Clwyd South), announced that a speculative Welsh bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games would not go ahead following a feasibility study - a 12-page summary of which was released on July 26^th (pdf).

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Senedd Watch - August 2016

• At the 2016 National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny, the First Minister unveiled a drive to produce 1 million Welsh-speakers by 2050. Minister for Lifelong Learning & Welsh Language, Alun Davies (Lab, Blaenau Gwent), added it was “a deliberately ambitious target” whilst acknowledging the “challenges ahead”.
  

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The End of the Senedd?

I know many people dream of this, but it's time
to wake them up; silly season's almost over.

2016's silly season has been a classic. The period between the end of July and the start of September always brings out the creative side in politicians, their press officers and producers of yellow journalism as they try to draw attention to themselves, keeping eyes focused on pages and screens amidst other distractions.

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Done up like a kipper?

He might have backed Brexit, but where will Nathan Gill Remain?
(Pic : BBC Wales)

Update 17/08/2016 : Nathan Gill has made his choice - he's keeping both jobs. Bizarrely, he's leaving the UKIP Assembly group to sit as an Independent, but will remain a UKIP member, UKIP MEP for Wales and leader of UKIP's Welsh branch. You couldn't make it up. Do-do-dodododo-do-do-do-do.

Another Update 18/08/2016 : Just when you thought the hole couldn't be dug any deeper, Channel 4 News reveal this little problem....I may have to return to that once more details come out.

It's taken them just over three months, but – as widely anticipated – the signs are that the UKIP Assembly group is beginning to dismantle itself.

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Senedd Watch - July 2016

• The First Minister believed the vote to leave the EU could lead to a federal UK, adding that he wanted to avoid Wales becoming “an annexe to England”. At an extraordinary meeting of the British-Irish Council in Cardiff on July 22^nd, the First Minister said any future EU withdrawal deal should be ratified by the four UK parliaments, saying they needed to “work together to map out a successful way forward”.

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Senedd Watch - June 2016

• Plaid Cymru warned Welsh produce could lose its geographically protected status if the UK voted to leave the EU. Simon Thomas AM (Plaid, Mid & West Wales) said, “These special designations mean....producers don't have to compete with cheap imitations.” Leave campaigners said the UK could “strike a new deal”.

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