Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

Well you’ll be pleased to know that its my birthday today. There may be a tiny chance that I won’t get so many ageist comments  from the press etc anymore, but I don’t think that will be the case! Anyway, for those of you in the Assembly today, I have chocolate cake to share if you wish to have a slice! I can’t eat it all myself….

I’m posting today to provide you with links to the consultation on student finance that was announced last week. You can see the terms of the consultation and the comments form at the bottom of this blog. I’ve had to ring the Welsh Assembly Government IT team to get a copy because the link isn’t working on the website. If you have the same problem, let me know because this may stop people from taking part in the process, and we don’t want that!

 I did ask for an extension of the consultation period, because students are usually only back in University at the end of January- which doesn’t give them that much time to respond, but I’m sure if people advertise the fact that its out there, then many more will respond.

I think most people know my opinion on student fees by now, so there’s no point in me going over old ground. All I’ll say is, we are in an economic crisis largely due to the fact that people were able to build up huge amounts of personal debt. I don’t think that any government should introduce a policy that will mean that more students will incur larger sums of debt when they graduate. The ‘ipod’ generation will undoubtedly suffer more than other generations due to this economic downturn, therefore government’s should be acting in every way possible to ensure that people do not have to continue being in a cycle of debt.

 Surely this crisis can teach us a few lessons, as opposed to trying to put plasters over it, and return to the system that got us in this mess in the first place? Isn’t now the time to be looking at alternative measures, a different way of working?

We have a debate on the final budget today at the National Assembly, and then I am going to the Politician of the Year awards. I missed Peter Hain’s famous speech last year, so I thought I would go this year to see what entertainment value some of the speakers can give us… Perhaps I can try and record some of it for a youtube clip….watch out…..

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 Asylum Seekers
Q7 Bethan Jenkins: Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Assembly Government support offered to asylum seekers in Wales?

Brian Gibbons: As you know, asylum issues are not devolved. However, the Assembly Government works in partnership with the Home Office to take forward the successful inclusion of refugee and asylum seekers in Wales. The Assembly Government provides significant support to asylum seekers to access devolved services, such as health, housing, education and social services.

Bethan Jenkins: I am sure that you will join me in congratulating organisations such as Asylum Justice and the Welsh Refugee Council on the work that they do in Wales. Therefore, do you, along with your colleague Diane Abbott MP, condemn the recent comments of Phil Woolas MP that those who are working on behalf of asylum seekers are undermining the law and playing the system? Do you think that those comments are unacceptable?

The Presiding Officer:Order. The Minister has wide responsibilities, but I do not think that they include Mr Phil Woolas.

Brian Gibbons: No, certainly not, and that is what I was going to say. We have a very productive relationship and we provide many kinds of support, including financial support, to the Wales Refugee Council, Supporting Others through Voluntary Action, Displaced People in Action and many other organisations involved with refugees and asylum seekers in Wales. Generally, we have a positive and constructive relationship with them, of which we are proud.

…………..It seems that Welsh Labour can’t have an opinion on what their colleagues in Westminster say, but when the MPs want to tread on the feet of their AM colleagues, this is deemed acceptable- take Peter Hain last night on Dragon’s Eye for instance. He seems to think that the One Wales agreement to hold a referendum is an aspiration, not a commitment. Will Labour AMs stand up to correct him or will they let London tell them what to do?

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Ceiswyr Lloches

C7 Bethan Jenkins: A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatganiad am y gefnogaeth a gynigir gan Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru i geiswyr lloches yng Nghymru? OAQ(3)0529(SJL)

Brian Gibbons: Fel y gwyddoch nid yw materion sy’n ymwneud â lloches wedi’u datganoli. Fodd bynnag, mae Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth gyda’r Swyddfa Gartref i sicrhau bod ffoaduriaid a cheiswyr lloches yn cael eu cynnwys yn llwyddiannus yng Nghymru. Mae Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yn darparu cefnogaeth sylweddol i geiswyr lloches i gael gafael ar wasanaethau datganoledig, megis iechyd, tai, addysg a gwasanaethau cymdeithasol.

Bethan Jenkins: Yr wyf yn siŵr y byddwch yn ymuno â mi i longyfarch mudiadau megis Asylum Justice a Chyngor Ffoaduriaid Cymru ar y gwaith a wnânt yng Nghymru. Felly, a ydych, ynghyd â’ch cyd-Aelod, Diane Abbott AS, yn condemnio sylwadau diweddar Phil Woolas AS bod y rheini sy’n gweithio ar ran ceiswyr lloches yn tanseilio’r gyfraith ac yn chwarae’r system? A ydych yn meddwl bod y sylwadau hynny’n annerbyniol?

Y Llywydd:  Trefn. Mae gan y Gweinidog gyfrifoldebau eang, ond nid wyf yn meddwl eu bod yn cynnwys Mr Phil Woolas.

Brian Gibbons: Nac ydynt yn bendant, a dyna’r oeddwn ar fin ei ddweud. Mae gennym berthynas gynhyrchiol iawn ac yr ydym yn darparu sawl math o gefnogaeth, gan gynnwys cefnogaeth ariannol, i Gyngor Ffoaduriaid Cymru, Cefnogi Eraill drwy Weithredu Gwirfoddol, Alltudion ar Waith a nifer o fudiadau eraill sy’n ymwneud â ffoaduriaid a cheiswyr lloches yng Nghymru. Yn gyffredinol, mae gennym berthynas gadarnhaol ac adeiladol gyda hwy ac yr ydym yn falch o’r berthynas honno.

………..…………..Mae’n ymddangos fel nad yw Llafur yng Nghymru yn medru cael barn ar yr hyn mae eu cyfoedion yn San Steffan yn gwneud, on mae croeso mawr i’r ASau ymyrryd yng ngwaith yr ACau- mae’r hyn a ddywedodd Peter Hain ar Dragon’s Eye yn enghraifft clir o hynny. Mae e’n meddwl bod y darn yng Nghymru’n un sy’n son am refferendwm yn cyfeirio at y ffaith ei fod yn ddyheuad i gael refferendwm, ac nad yw’n gytundeb. A fydd ACau Llafur yn barod i gywiro Peter hain, neu a fydden nhw’n caniatau i Llafur Llundain dweud wrthynt beth i wneud?

Another week is fast drawing to a close at the National Assembly, and next week is our last week at the Assembly before the Christmas break- not that that means I will not be working of course ( I can’t speak for other AMs though)

I’ve been busy again this week. I’m sure most of you have seen this story on children’s DNA in the Western Mail, I spoke at the launch of the evaluation of the Women’s Universities Mentoring Scheme on Tuesday, and I also attended a meeting last night regarding the work that needs to take place in Swansea in preparation for hosting the Urdd Eisteddfod in 2011.  Soon I’m off to visit a constituent who has a concern with regards to funding for  IVF treatment. I’ll see if there’s any way that I can assist with her concern.

I believe that Dragon’s Eye are doing a piece on tonight’s show regarding the referendum, at least I’ve done a short clip for them so I take it that they are following it through. I hear that Peter Hain will be in the studio to talk about the issue. Let’s see whether he has an opinion on Labour AMs being told not to reply to my letter on setting up a cross party discussion on this issue. The ball is in Labour’s court on this one. Still no reply from Labour, or the Conservatives for that matter. I’ll give them a few more weeks, and see who will turn up to the meeting I organise in January.

That’s all for now folks. Feel free to keep up to date on the work I do over on www.bethanjenkins.org.uk

PS I can’t for the life of me think of a blog post title for today as this is only a short blog in passing. Do excuse my lack of imagination. I can’t seem to get my creative juices flowing at all today. There is an art to effective, eye catching titles for blogs. I’m sure someone has written an article out there on the blogosphere…..

I’m sorry that I haven’t blogged in a while. Last week was so busy, and I have been off work ill today ( politicians do get ill too believe it or not!)

My blog has had more contributions on the yes vote than any of my other blog posts of late, and thanks to all who have contributed. I’m sure the debate will continue, especially when I attempt to set up a meeting in the New Year. I’ve had replies from a few politicians- no Labour ones as yet, although one Labour AM has indicated that he/she will react. Time will tell.

People are reading far too much in to this nevertheless. I don’t want to create rifts in Labour, I don’t want politicians or Plaid to lead the campaign, I just want to get something up and running.There really is no conspiracy theory!The discussion suggesting that this referendum is but a smokescreen for Welsh Independence is missng the point entirely. Let’s put the scaremongering aside for a moment, and let the people who want to see a positive outcome on a referendum on a parliament for Wales move forward- together.

On another note, today is National Aids awareness day. I’ve tabled a statement of opinion to mark the day, and will be asking AMs to wear red ribbons tomorrow at the National Assembly.

There is still a huge amount of stigma out there about those who suffer from HIV/ Aids, and there’s a lot more that we should be doing to combat this stigma.

I recently visited the Aids Trust Centre based in Swansea, whose clients told me of how they feel isolated in their own communities, and that sexual education in schools must be developed urgently. They also noted that it was hard for them to register with Dentists as there is still stigma about their illness- they are often refused treatment, or will only be seen at the end of the day when a Dentist can clean all the equipment thoughroughly after use. If this isn’t humiliating, I don’t know what is.

Ill be raising some of the issues above during business questions tomorrow, and with both the Education and Health Minister respectively.

Tomorrow we also have another meeting of the cross party group on eating disorders at 6pm. We will be receiving a presentation from Dove about its self esteem work in schools, an update on our meeting with the Minister, and we will be discussing ideas for an event to mark Eating Disorder Awareness Week in February 2009. I hope you can attend….

So, the Western Mail today reports that Labour AMs have been instructed not to join any group that I am hoping to get up and running to discuss the yes vote. The email from Labour’s Assembly office was leaked to the paper almost immediately after it was sent to AMs, which seems to indicate that there are people in Labour who are unhappy to be told what to do on this matter. 

Lets get this straight- I’m not trying to pre-empt the work of the Convention at all. I’ve made it abundantly clear from the outset that the letter I sent was to try and gauge opinion, and to encourage a cross party discussion on the issue. If we wait until after the Convention has ended, it will be far too late for us to prepare the ground for a yes vote and to mobilise grassroots support. Its not for one particular party to lead the way, but as a member of a political party that has signed up to campaigning for a positive outcome to the referendum, I felt it only right to try and show that Plaid are ready to get the ball rolling.

 As some people have noted in my previous post on this issue, other groups are already getting their act together on this issue on social networking sites and so on. Do politicians really want to be left behind?

Apologies for failing to blog for a while but it has been a hectic week, and sets to look the same way this week also.

If any of you have seen the Western Mail today, you will have seen a piece by Martin Shipton on a letter that he has obtained written by me to all backbench AMs, MPs and our MEPs about setting up a cross party discussion on a yes vote on a referendum on a parliament for Wales, in preparation for the culmination of the work of the National Convention.

This letter is not an effort to set up a campaign at this early stage as Lesley Griffiths rightly points out in the article, but to get an idea of what other politicians are thinking, and to encourage like minded representatives to start a debate on a yes vote. We will need to gather much more support from varying organisations and movements before a campaign is launched, but this is a small attempt to try and kick start the discussion.

I hope to see who replies, what they will say, and then look to having a meeting early on in 2009. This can then shape the way for people to gather grassroots support for any yes campaign movement- to encourage the Welsh public to vote in favour of more powers for the National Assembly. I don’t think that we can afford to wait for the culmination of the National Convention to initiate this type of discussion. All those in favour of increased powers for the National Assembly will have to be ready at that point onwards to make the case for a referendum, and for a successful outcome. The no campaign has already started, and I’ll be damned if I let them set the political agenda in Wales.

No, I wasn’t part of the 79 referendum, and I played a small part in the  successful 97 referendum for the creation of the Assembly, but I don’t think that this takes away from my determination to be pro-active, and my effort to try and create a consensus around this issue given that it is a key One Wales commitment. I hope that politicians will dignify me with a response- whether it is negative or positive, so that we can move this agenda forward.

Feel free to continue the discussion on the blogosphere….

I’m lacking in morale of late, but you get these days in politics- your ups and your downs. It seems that you always have to be on guard and on top of your game in case people throw the unexpected at you. Its not always easy, especially if you are juggling all sorts of things like campaign work, representing constituents, attending committees, meetings and such, but that is the challenge for us all I guess. Some cope better than others too. I only wish that I could be in more than one place at a time to cover the ground that I need to in a day!

Its really sad to see that over 300 jobs could be cut at the Hoover factory in Merthyr. I understand Ieuan Wyn Jones is meeting with the company and the Union’s involved today, and that we are to have a statement in the Assembly also. Regular readers will know that I come from Merthyr. Hoover is part of the heritage of the town, and I grew up proud of that fact. I sincerely hope that there can be negotiations to save the jobs at the factory, but it doesn’t look too favourable at the moment. I can’t explain quite how I feel about the impact that this will have on Merthyr and the wider area.

On another issue, I’ve had a meeting this morning about pleural plaques with the law firm Leo Abse and Cohen. In October 2007 the House of Lords ruled that compensation is no longer available to people with pleural plaques, a scarring of the lungs. This decision brought to an end a right that had existed for over 20 years which allowed those with pleural plaques to recover a sum of money- as some form of compensation. The firm, alongside the GMB have a campaign to repeal this decision. I’m getting involved as I have a constituent with pleural plaques who has raised this matter with me, and so I am hoping to organise an event at the National Assembly in the New Year to brief AMs on this matter, and to make representations to Westminster.

The Scottish Parliament has overturned the ruling, and provides compensation for those with the condition, but we do not have the powers here to emulate that change in policy. If you want to get involved, just leave a comment on this post.

I am set to do an interview for AM PM on anti bullying week this afternoon. I tabled a statement of opinion to mark the week. As someone who was bullied in the not so distant past, I am passionate about raising awareness of this issue, and ensuring that people feel strong enough to stand up to those who actively seek to undermine others.

Just wanted to post this picture up of the cross party group meeting with Edwina Hart earlier today. It was a good meeting, although the £1.5million that was announced will be a recurring £1million which we did not think would be the case from reading the press releases. But there is money there, so I am not complaining.

We discussed when the new framework/ strategy would go out for consultation, and how the care pathway could look when the health service is re-structured. Many of the issues raised will be discussed again at the cross party group on the 2nd of December at the National Assembly. I think we still have a long way to go in campaigning for more training for health professionals and GPs.

The Minister told us that female twins had died of an eating disorder last week. This again is awful news. My only hope is that eating disorders will rise from the Cinderella service that it currently is, so that more people do not suffer as a result of having an eating disorder in Wales due to lack of treatment or adequate support.