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South Wales Guardian
12-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Senedd debates UK Labour Government record a year on
Rhun ap Iorwerth warned people in Wales have been subject to 'disappointment after disappointment,' with the picture deteriorating in the 12 months since Labour took office. He criticised a lack of progress on fair funding for Wales, telling Senedd members: 'The glaring hollowness of that promise is plain for all to see.' The would-be first minister pointed to long-held, but as yet unfulfilled, commitments to devolve powers over policing, youth justice and the Crown Estate to Wales. Mr ap Iorwerth expressed concerns about cuts to winter fuel allowance, a lack of HS2 consequential funding and 'blatant double standards' on the steel industry. He called out the 'fundamental injustice' of the UK Government leaving Wales with a £72m shortfall for the costs of national insurance contributions (NICs) in the public sector. Leading a Plaid Cymru debate on July 9, Mr ap Iorwerth said: "Wales and the people of Wales have been disappointed, they have been let down by this Labour UK Government.' The former broadcast journalist criticised the recent UK spending review for providing the 'worst real-terms growth in day-to-day spending outside of the immediate austerity years'. Tom Giffard, for the Conservatives which supported the Plaid Cymru motion, pointed to Labour's manifesto commitment not to raise taxes on working people. But Labour's Joyce Watson criticised Plaid Cymru for voting against the Welsh budget while 'failing' to bring alternative plans to the table. 'Week in and week out, you ask for more money for something that you haven't costed,' she said. Responding for the Welsh Government, Julie James hit back at 'fantasy politics' from the opposition benches as she accused Plaid Cymru of acting like a circus soothsayer.' Ms James stressed: 'One year of a Labour Government won't magically get rid of food banks or end our dependency on them. The damage caused by the governments of Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak… will now take time to heal.'
South Wales Argus
11-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Senedd debates UK Labour Government record a year on
Rhun ap Iorwerth warned people in Wales have been subject to 'disappointment after disappointment,' with the picture deteriorating in the 12 months since Labour took office. He criticised a lack of progress on fair funding for Wales, telling Senedd members: 'The glaring hollowness of that promise is plain for all to see.' The would-be first minister pointed to long-held, but as yet unfulfilled, commitments to devolve powers over policing, youth justice and the Crown Estate to Wales. Mr ap Iorwerth expressed concerns about cuts to winter fuel allowance, a lack of HS2 consequential funding and 'blatant double standards' on the steel industry. He called out the 'fundamental injustice' of the UK Government leaving Wales with a £72m shortfall for the costs of national insurance contributions (NICs) in the public sector. Leading a Plaid Cymru debate on July 9, Mr ap Iorwerth said: "Wales and the people of Wales have been disappointed, they have been let down by this Labour UK Government.' The former broadcast journalist criticised the recent UK spending review for providing the 'worst real-terms growth in day-to-day spending outside of the immediate austerity years'. Tom Giffard, for the Conservatives which supported the Plaid Cymru motion, pointed to Labour's manifesto commitment not to raise taxes on working people. But Labour's Joyce Watson criticised Plaid Cymru for voting against the Welsh budget while 'failing' to bring alternative plans to the table. 'Week in and week out, you ask for more money for something that you haven't costed,' she said. Responding for the Welsh Government, Julie James hit back at 'fantasy politics' from the opposition benches as she accused Plaid Cymru of acting like a circus soothsayer.' Ms James stressed: 'One year of a Labour Government won't magically get rid of food banks or end our dependency on them. The damage caused by the governments of Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak… will now take time to heal.'
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Senedd to decide if Welsh NHS provides assisted dying service
The Welsh NHS will only help terminally people take their lives if the Senedd agrees to it first, the Welsh Parliament has been agreed to pass legislation last week to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people in Wales and there has been confusion over how that might work in Wales with the Senedd, which oversees law on healthcare, having rejected a similar idea last Wednesday, Counsel general Julie James told Senedd members they would have a decision to take on whether assisted dying services are available in the public sector. Conservative Senedd member Tom Giffard said it is "essential" the Senedd has a meaningful law, which legalises assisted dying for people with a terminal illness, applies to Wales and England, but has raised constitutional questions because of the way it is well as legalising assisted death in both countries, it covers how such a system would work - getting into areas of law about healthcare normally governed by the Welsh a result, there has been a debate about how much control the Senedd should October, the Senedd voted against a motion calling for a law to allow assisted dying, albeit with a number of is expected that there will be at least one vote in the Senedd on the matter - the first on whether it agrees to the legislation applying in areas controlled by the Senedd, expected in the vote would not be legally binding, but would show the desire for whether the Welsh Parliament thinks the law should apply in areas it controls. Another vote would likely be needed if the Welsh government wanted to operate an assisted dying service, but it may not choose to bring one if the Senedd is against the policy. An earlier idea in the bill was for the Senedd to have a veto over all the important parts of the law - allowing MSs to decide when it comes into last week MPs decided to take that Wednesday, James - who is the welsh government's most senior legal adviser and a MS herself - said the power was removed to avoid giving Welsh ministers powers that were outside the Senedd's is because the Government of Wales act specifically prohibits the Senedd from amending the law on she added: "The bill still contains the key provisions that mean that the NHS or any public body in Wales will not be able to provide voluntary assisted dying services until regulations have been laid by ministers and there has been an affirmative vote in the Senedd to that effect."Giffard said it was "regrettable" the "veto" power had been told BBC Wales: "While the bill has passed through Westminster, it's important to remember that the Senedd did not support it when it was last debated."A decision of such gravity must not be imposed on Wales without the explicit consent of its elected representatives." James indicated that the Welsh government would remain neutral on the three Senedd parties had a free vote the last time the matter came to the Senedd.A three person panel will decide individual patient requests for assisted ap Gwynfor, of Plaid Cymru, told the Senedd that as things stand there "won't necessarily be an ability for all members of that panel to operate through the medium of Welsh".He said patients will have to request the use of the language from any assisted dying service, "without it being a natural choice which is offered".James said Health Secretary Jeremy Miles have been in "constant contact" with Kim Leadbeater - the MP who has proposed the legislation - "and those matters have included Welsh language considerations".
Pembrokeshire Herald
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Welsh language housing plan ‘risks division,' says Tory MS
Government proposals under fire amid concerns over bureaucracy and exclusion THE WELSH Labour Government's response to a key report on the future of Welsh-speaking communities has come under fire from the Conservatives, who claim its new language-based planning proposals risk fostering division and exclusion. Plans published in response to the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities include stronger restrictions on second home ownership, measures to prioritise housing for Welsh speakers in heartland areas, and changes to the planning system that would incorporate linguistic impact assessments into applications. While ministers say the approach is vital to protect and strengthen the Welsh language in areas where it is most at risk, critics argue the proposals are vague, heavy-handed, and likely to cause bureaucratic delays and resentment. Speaking on Thursday (May 29), Tom Giffard MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language, said: 'While we welcome efforts to promote the Welsh language, the Welsh Labour Government must take a balanced approach, ensuring the needs of all Welsh residents are met. 'Policies prioritising specific areas or communities based on linguistic criteria could unintentionally exclude or disadvantage others, add bureaucracy, and create unintended consequences for residents and businesses. Such an approach risks fostering division instead of cohesion.' The Labour Government's plans follow recommendations made by the Commission earlier this year to prevent the ongoing erosion of Welsh as a community language, particularly in rural and coastal areas where house prices have surged and the number of fluent Welsh speakers has fallen. But the Conservative Party says the response fails to address underlying issues such as poor housing supply, limited economic opportunity, and a lack of transparency in the planning system. 'Labour's track record on housing is weak,' said Mr Giffard. 'They've missed house-building targets repeatedly and left thousands on waiting lists. We have serious doubts about their ability to deliver these new policies effectively.' Welsh Labour has defended its stance, saying the Welsh language is part of the nation's shared cultural inheritance and that urgent action is needed to secure its future. A government spokesperson said the policies would be subject to consultation and that local authorities would retain flexibility in implementation. The Welsh Conservatives have called for a full impact assessment and greater clarity on how the measures would affect residents, developers, and small businesses. A public consultation is expected to launch later this year, with draft guidance and legislative changes potentially following in 2026. Background The Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, chaired by academic Dr Simon Brooks, was tasked with identifying strategies to strengthen the use of the language in everyday life. Its final report warned that Welsh may 'disappear as a community language' from parts of Wales unless targeted intervention takes place. Key recommendations included linguistic impact assessments for housing developments, expanded language requirements for public services, and greater community control over land use. While supported by Plaid Cymru and Welsh language campaigners, the proposals have been labelled 'discriminatory' by some opposition politicians and property groups.
Pembrokeshire Herald
15-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Senedd unites to pass ‘truly historic' Welsh education bill
THE SENEDD unanimously passed a 'far-reaching, truly historic' bill aimed at transforming education as part of the ambition of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050. Senedd Members voted 50-0 in favour of the Welsh language education bill, which aims to ensure all pupils become confident Welsh speakers by the end of compulsory school. Mark Drakeford said the bill will open doors for pupils, offer job opportunities, provide access to the rich culture of the language and allow people to use Welsh in their everyday lives. The former First Minister, who is now responsible for the language, told the Senedd the bill would open a new chapter in the history of Welsh education. Under the bill, three school categories will be created – primarily Welsh; dual language; and primarily English, partly Welsh – with targets for each for a minimum of Welsh education. The bill would also put the target of reaching at least a million Welsh speakers on a legal footing and establish the National Welsh Language Learning Institute. Ministers' Cymraeg 2050 strategy also aims to double daily use of the language by 2050. Prof Drakeford said: 'The institute will be the focal point for Welsh learning and it will help in the process of planning to develop the education workforce. It will promote innovation and continuous improvement… and will help to raise standards in learning Welsh.' Finance secretary Mark Drakeford Cautioning change will not happen overnight, the finance secretary stressed the importance of embedding the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Tom Giffard, for the Conservatives, said his party would support the bill in the final vote because 'it's extremely important we achieve that target of a million Welsh speakers'. Mr Giffard, a former teaching assistant at a Welsh-language primary school, appeared to have a pop at Reform UK – the right-wing populist party headed by Nigel Farage. 'This is at risk in future,' he said. 'There are some parties currently outside this Senedd, or perhaps within it, who want to see us reverse that development that we see, and that is very concerning for me and will be concerning in future years.' Conservative MS Tom Giffard Cefin Campbell – an architect of the bill, which was part of Plaid Cymru's since-collapsed cooperation agreement with ministers – was heartened to see cross-party support. Plaid Cymru's shadow education secretary described the bill as 'truly historic' and an important milestone on the journey to a million Welsh speakers and beyond. Mr Campbell told the Senedd: 'Time will tell if this bill succeeds in its ambition to secure one million Welsh speakers by 2050. 'At the moment, you have to say that it looks like a mountain to climb, with the summit feeling very far away. But, one of the purposes of mountains is to climb them, so why not put our language boots on and go for it.' Plaid Cymru MS Cefin Campbell In closing, he invoked the words of Gwynfor Evans, Plaid Cymru's former president and first MP, who said: 'From Anglesey to Monmouth, speakers of Welsh are again a possibility.' Responding during the debate on May 13, Prof Drakeford thanked his Tory and Plaid Cymru counterparts for their support despite not agreeing with every word in the bill. He told Senedd Members: 'Everything I've heard this afternoon tells me that we have succeeded in bringing people together.' The Labour politician, who is standing down next May, added: 'When we can come together in this way, we can do important things, not just in Wales today but in the future Wales. 'In my view, we have as a Senedd succeeded in creating an important bill – a far-reaching bill that will enable all children to become confident Welsh speakers. And, from what I've heard, it appears we will pass the bill today unanimously and that is a powerful signal.' After completing its passage through the Senedd, the bill should receive royal assent in the months ahead with no legal challenge expected from the UK Government.
