It’s probably not what Health Minister and Labour leadership hopeful Edwina Hart wanted to hear over breakfast this morning but it should concern her, WAG and the Welsh NHS Management that the man who speaks on behalf of NHS Finance Directors dropped such a bombshell in the National Assembly’s Finance Committee yesterday by revealing that one fifth, that’s £1 billion pounds of the Welsh NHS Budget is being badly spent in relation to patient care.
If would be nice to think that with such serious revelations like this being brought to light that things might change for the sake of patients, but i’m not hold my breath WAG is still unwilling and unable to accept any criticism and make changes that others recommend especially in respect of the NHS.
The full story is HERE
Friday, October 23, 2009
Comments and Posting Problems
I know some people are having problems leaving comments and I’m also having trouble posting on occasion, so I have updated to the new post Editor to see if this improves the situation for both of us, fingers crossed this works if not its back to the drawing board.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Do they have answers to Conservative Policy their colleagues didn’t?
The three Labour leadership candidates Carwyn Jones, Huw Lewis and Edwina Hart took part in what I think is the first head to head debate with WalesOnline and among the answers from all three candidates the prospect of a Tory Government being a threat to Wales after the next General Election was raised.
I'm not sure the Tory bogeyman still has such a hold over people or blaming the Tories works in hiding WAG’s own failings as much, but if that’s what the candidates believe then the obvious question is what are the three of them offering in policy terms to lessen any negative impact a Tory Government would have in Wales that their Labour colleagues couldn’t prevent in the 1980’s and 1990’s that won’t end with Welsh communities across Wales on their knees again.
I'm not sure the Tory bogeyman still has such a hold over people or blaming the Tories works in hiding WAG’s own failings as much, but if that’s what the candidates believe then the obvious question is what are the three of them offering in policy terms to lessen any negative impact a Tory Government would have in Wales that their Labour colleagues couldn’t prevent in the 1980’s and 1990’s that won’t end with Welsh communities across Wales on their knees again.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Reasons the Tory’s expense vote will backfire
We learn today that Welsh Tory’s AM’s are voting against the Independent Pay Review Report on Assembly Members pay and expenses, but to save money in a tight budget according to Group Leader Nick Bourne and the fear of regional pay, (which is odd considering some in his group are in favour of this policy and would introduce it if they got the chance), rather than admitting they don’t like what Roger Jones and his team recommended.
But aside from that the vote, probably being taken to try and look more independent from the Party in London will backfire on them for a few reasons, firstly the Tory’s didn’t oppose the move or express concerns when the Presiding Officer made a statement to Plenary on July 8 to inform Assembly Members of the Commission’s intention to implement all 108 recommendations. They agreed with it in July what’s changed?
Secondly David Cameron has taken a tough line on expenses at Westminister and got a lot of credit for it, this somewhat undermines him in Wales because he must have known what Tory AM’s were planning to do over the expense report and he either doesn’t know the implication or doesn’t care, either way it’s not a good sign for the future relationship between London and Cardiff if the Tory’s win the election.
Thirdly Nick Bourne, Alun Cairns and Nick Ramsey have been in big trouble with their expense claims and in Nick Bourne’s case it nearly cost him his job as Group Leader so flouting the expense rules then and not agreeing to new rules with such weak excuses just smacks of arrogance, something that the Tory’s are probably trying to avoid ahead of the General Election.
Finally this is another stick to beat the Tory's with as voters will only remember that they voted against the Report and of course they will be reminded by opponents in the run up to elections and when all the other parties in Cardiff Bay vote for new rules that they are not entirely happy with but will find a way to live within them, why stand alone and add fuel to the bonfire that got the public so angry with politicians they voted for UKIP and BNP in recent elections, because it’s not as if the Tory’s can change the rules in the National Assembly anytime soon.
More from Che and Inside Out
But aside from that the vote, probably being taken to try and look more independent from the Party in London will backfire on them for a few reasons, firstly the Tory’s didn’t oppose the move or express concerns when the Presiding Officer made a statement to Plenary on July 8 to inform Assembly Members of the Commission’s intention to implement all 108 recommendations. They agreed with it in July what’s changed?
Secondly David Cameron has taken a tough line on expenses at Westminister and got a lot of credit for it, this somewhat undermines him in Wales because he must have known what Tory AM’s were planning to do over the expense report and he either doesn’t know the implication or doesn’t care, either way it’s not a good sign for the future relationship between London and Cardiff if the Tory’s win the election.
Thirdly Nick Bourne, Alun Cairns and Nick Ramsey have been in big trouble with their expense claims and in Nick Bourne’s case it nearly cost him his job as Group Leader so flouting the expense rules then and not agreeing to new rules with such weak excuses just smacks of arrogance, something that the Tory’s are probably trying to avoid ahead of the General Election.
Finally this is another stick to beat the Tory's with as voters will only remember that they voted against the Report and of course they will be reminded by opponents in the run up to elections and when all the other parties in Cardiff Bay vote for new rules that they are not entirely happy with but will find a way to live within them, why stand alone and add fuel to the bonfire that got the public so angry with politicians they voted for UKIP and BNP in recent elections, because it’s not as if the Tory’s can change the rules in the National Assembly anytime soon.
More from Che and Inside Out
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Hain 'No consensus in Wales on the way forward for Devolution'
Peter Hain gave an interview to Mick Fealty at Slugger O Toole on Devolution in Wales and Northern Ireland at the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly being held in Swansea this week (video is below) and in it Peter said there isn't any consensus in Wales on when full lawmaking powers should be devolved and he couldn’t see it happening for at least 12 months, and its not a priority for him although he still believes in full lawmaking powers.
Is he trying to let people down gently ahead of the Sir Emyr Jones Parry's Report next month or is he setting out Labour’s position, because it wouldn't be the first time Peter Hain has bowed to anti devolution pressure within Welsh Labour over more powers, just take a look at the dog's breakfast that is the 2006 Government of Wales Act. (His answers on Wales start at around 2 mins)
UPDATE more HERE from MH at Syniadau.
Is he trying to let people down gently ahead of the Sir Emyr Jones Parry's Report next month or is he setting out Labour’s position, because it wouldn't be the first time Peter Hain has bowed to anti devolution pressure within Welsh Labour over more powers, just take a look at the dog's breakfast that is the 2006 Government of Wales Act. (His answers on Wales start at around 2 mins)
UPDATE more HERE from MH at Syniadau.
New ideas for the Welsh Media
There is a lot of criticism of the weakness of Welsh media from every quarter but it’s always interesting to read what journalists themselves have to say about possible ways forward for Welsh media which is why Duncan Higgitt latest WalesHome piece and Rob Williams of the Independent’s reply are worth a read, the part that interested me was an idea where the Welsh Assembly Government could help journalism and the Welsh press without direct funding and accusations of interfering in the affairs of a free press.
Duncan wrote ‘Where perhaps the Assembly could assist is in the establishment of a journalism business college. It could bring together facets of traditional reporting, such as impartiality and accuracy, with the disciplines of running a small business and a new media research and development facility. There must also be an emphasis on growing a business organically, rather than through the preferred route of providing buckets of upfront investment, because this is an untested and a potentially highly volatile market.’
It sounds like its worth exploring by Assembly Members because as Rob Williams from the Independent said in response to the post, for all the ideas the National Assembly for Wales reports and reviews on solutions suggested to its Committees to date it has produced little to address the problems and he believes fresh thinking is needed urgently, ‘Where the reports have attempted to solve the problems of the Welsh media they seem to have ignored new media options and focused on creating something that links Welsh press with Welsh broadcasting. It’s worth noting that Welsh broadcasting is on it’s knees as well, so this is unlikely to help.
‘From my perspective, the Assembly and the owners of newspapers have done too little to respond to this problem. Without a wholesale re-assessment of their product and the role it has to play in society these newspapers will go under.’
Lets see if anything happens!
Duncan wrote ‘Where perhaps the Assembly could assist is in the establishment of a journalism business college. It could bring together facets of traditional reporting, such as impartiality and accuracy, with the disciplines of running a small business and a new media research and development facility. There must also be an emphasis on growing a business organically, rather than through the preferred route of providing buckets of upfront investment, because this is an untested and a potentially highly volatile market.’
It sounds like its worth exploring by Assembly Members because as Rob Williams from the Independent said in response to the post, for all the ideas the National Assembly for Wales reports and reviews on solutions suggested to its Committees to date it has produced little to address the problems and he believes fresh thinking is needed urgently, ‘Where the reports have attempted to solve the problems of the Welsh media they seem to have ignored new media options and focused on creating something that links Welsh press with Welsh broadcasting. It’s worth noting that Welsh broadcasting is on it’s knees as well, so this is unlikely to help.
‘From my perspective, the Assembly and the owners of newspapers have done too little to respond to this problem. Without a wholesale re-assessment of their product and the role it has to play in society these newspapers will go under.’
Lets see if anything happens!
Monday, October 19, 2009
CBI calls for larger public service cuts, does CBI Wales agree?
The Confederation of Business Industry (CBI) published its plans ahead of the Chancellor’s Pre Budget Report and set out its plans to tackle the budget deficit and it calls for a further £120 million pounds worth of public sector cuts, £50 billion will need to be found between now and 2013 to allow for a slower economic recovery than the government is predicting, and a further £70 billion after 2013 to balance the budget by 2015-16.
In the Financial Times today John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI said “What the [British] business community and international community is saying to us is: get on with it and do it quicker.” The CBI suggests the budget should be brought into balance by 2015-16, two years before the target laid out in the government’s April’s budget, and relying on spending cuts rather than tax rises. The recommendations come ahead of the government’s pre-Budget report, due in a few weeks and we need even stronger efforts by the government to control borrowing,”
With around two thirds of the welsh workforce employed in the public sector in one form or another and CBI Wales seemingly unable to persuade the policy makers in Wales of the benefits and need for a bigger Welsh private sector over the past decade, how credible is it for them to agree with the proposals which will disproportionately affect the welsh workforce and economy and what input did CBI Wales have in putting the document together?
UPDATE Victoria Winckler from the Bevan Foundation left this in the comments section that David Rosser, Director of Wales CBI, will be speaking on this at a Bevan Foundation event on Weds 21st Oct in the media briefing room, Senedd, at 6.15pm, it will be interesting to see what he has to say.
In the Financial Times today John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI said “What the [British] business community and international community is saying to us is: get on with it and do it quicker.” The CBI suggests the budget should be brought into balance by 2015-16, two years before the target laid out in the government’s April’s budget, and relying on spending cuts rather than tax rises. The recommendations come ahead of the government’s pre-Budget report, due in a few weeks and we need even stronger efforts by the government to control borrowing,”
With around two thirds of the welsh workforce employed in the public sector in one form or another and CBI Wales seemingly unable to persuade the policy makers in Wales of the benefits and need for a bigger Welsh private sector over the past decade, how credible is it for them to agree with the proposals which will disproportionately affect the welsh workforce and economy and what input did CBI Wales have in putting the document together?
UPDATE Victoria Winckler from the Bevan Foundation left this in the comments section that David Rosser, Director of Wales CBI, will be speaking on this at a Bevan Foundation event on Weds 21st Oct in the media briefing room, Senedd, at 6.15pm, it will be interesting to see what he has to say.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Conservatives plan tuition fee rise
The Welsh Lib Dem Conference and Labour Leadership are being covered elsewhere so here’s an issue that our politicians need to be aware of and start thinking of some answers to it asap, the planned rise in tuition fees in England proposed by the Conservatives if they win the General Election.
The Conservatives have laid out plans to cut public spending and WAG’s budget will be affected, but they have faced complaints for not saying which taxes will rise however we may be seeing the first of those increases as it looks like part of that package students are going to be asked to pay up to £7,000 in tuition fees up from the current capped level of £3,200, a big increase in anybody’s book.
There are caveats to the rise but its likely to be introduced and although this applies only in England there are implications for Welsh Universities who will feel the pressure to do something similar if they are not too lose out financially in the competitive world of Higher Education.
I haven’t heard this reported or discussed in the National Assembly or the Welsh media but do Welsh Conservatives MP’s and AM’s know about this policy and support this policy and if not do they alternative plans for how Welsh Universities will remain competitive after the planned increase.
And have the other political parties got a view on the implications for Wales and how they would try and protect University places, courses and staff in light of higher tuition fees in England because it’s not as if Higher Education has exactly been a priority for any party of late.
The Conservatives have laid out plans to cut public spending and WAG’s budget will be affected, but they have faced complaints for not saying which taxes will rise however we may be seeing the first of those increases as it looks like part of that package students are going to be asked to pay up to £7,000 in tuition fees up from the current capped level of £3,200, a big increase in anybody’s book.
There are caveats to the rise but its likely to be introduced and although this applies only in England there are implications for Welsh Universities who will feel the pressure to do something similar if they are not too lose out financially in the competitive world of Higher Education.
I haven’t heard this reported or discussed in the National Assembly or the Welsh media but do Welsh Conservatives MP’s and AM’s know about this policy and support this policy and if not do they alternative plans for how Welsh Universities will remain competitive after the planned increase.
And have the other political parties got a view on the implications for Wales and how they would try and protect University places, courses and staff in light of higher tuition fees in England because it’s not as if Higher Education has exactly been a priority for any party of late.
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