Monthly Archive
Plaid AM welcomes powers to limit point of sale tobacco displays
Moves to try and discourage children from starting smoking in Wales have been welcomed by Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd.
The Swansea-based AM and part-time GP has been pushing for greater powers over the display of tobacco products at the point of sale.
In response to questioning by Dr. Lloyd in the Assembly Chamber, Health Minister Edwin Hart has now confirmed that regulation-making powers on display of tobacco products at the point of sale and the regulation or prohibition of cigarette vending machines will be devolved to Welsh Ministers under the Health Bill 2009.
This would give the Welsh Assembly the powers to possibly change the way in which tobacco products are presented for sale.
Dr. Lloyd stated:
“I very much welcome the news that the powers over display of tobacco products will be devolved to Welsh Assembly Ministers.
“It is a sad fact that thousands of children in Wales are taking up the habit on an annual basis.
“We could possibly see the removal of cigarette displays in shops and preventing underage access to vending machines which would put children and young people at the forefront of the next tobacco control strategy.
“There is significant support for removing tobacco displays in shops, and tough action to restrict access to vending machines. Since the ban on tobacco advertising, retail displays in shops are the main way in which tobacco products are marketed to children.”
Over eight in ten adults in Great Britain who have ever smoked regularly say that they started before they were 19.
Dr. Lloyd added:
“Children are 3 times more likely to die of cancer due to smoking than someone who starts in their mid-20s.
“Points of sale displays have already been removed in a number of countries, including Canada. Results compiled by the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey shows that removing point of sale display has coincided with a fall in smoking prevalence rates amongst 15 to 19 year olds - from 29 per cent in 2002 to 19 per cent in 2007.
“In Europe, a number of countries, including Belgium and France have banned tobacco sales from vending machines.
“This is something that we in Wales should be following. Far too many people in Wales are dying due to the habit.”
Plaid AM calls for withdrawal of insensitive language
Plaid Cymru AM Dr Dai Lloyd has demanded that the badger trust withdraw insensitive and inflammatory comments comparing the measures to combat the spread of bovine TB to the organised persecution and extermination of an ethnic group, particularly Jewish people.
Dai Lloyd was referring to comments made by a representative of the badger trust who described the cull of badgers as a ‘brutal pogrom’.
Dai Lloyd, Plaid AM for South Wales West said:
“It is despicable that somebody would use such emotive language in such an insensitive and inflammatory manner. A pogrom is an organised persecution or extermination of an ethnic group, especially of Jewish people. I have no doubt that these comments will have caused distress and offence to the countless numbers of people whose families have suffered from persecution and ethnic cleansing.
“Nobody takes any pleasure in having to institute these measures. However as the number of cattle being slaughtered due to this epidemic moves into the tens of thousands, the Minister is taking appropriate, long term action to safeguard the health and welfare of both our national cattle herd and of our wildlife.
“The Badger Trust should withdraw their insensitive and inappropriate comments immediately.”
Plaid urge Swansea residents to access Care and Repair service
Swansea Care and Repair is to receive a £250,000 boost to help older people to remain in their own homes.
The package has been announced by Plaid’s Deputy Minister for Housing Jocelyn Davies AM.
Swansea-based AM Dr. Dai Lloyd today welcomed the funding package, and has urged local residents to take advantage of the service. He stated:
“It is very pleasing that the One Wales Government recognises the importance of older people remaining in their own homes, and has backed this up with the necessary funding.
“Care and Repair offer crucial support to older people within the City and County of Swansea in terms of renovation, adaptations and building work.
“Simple adaptations to a person’s home, such as adding grab rails or improved steps, can have a huge impact on their quality of life and I would urge residents in Swansea to access this service.”
Diwedd/ Ends
Notes to ediors:
The Rapid Response Adaptations Programme (RRAP), in which Care and Repair also plays a pivotal role, has been awarded £2.1m across Wales. This will be used for minor but often urgent improvements that are needed to allow people to return home after being discharged from hospital or to prevent future admissions. Improvements may include:
- Small ramps, home access and door entry
- Community safety alarms
- Internal or external hand rails or hand grips
- Access to toilet facilities
- Levelling paths
- Safety at home e.g. floor/stair/wall safety.
Care and Repair Cymru is the national co-ordinating body which monitors and evaluates the performance of individual Care & Repair agencies annually and carries out widespread development work including the drawing together of funding packages for new schemes. In addition, it provides central support, information and training services for the agencies.
The Rapid Response Adaptations Programme was introduced by the Assembly Government in 2002 on a national basis. Care and Repair Cymru is the administrator of the scheme and monitors and evaluates progress year-on-year. A Care and Repair Cymru report, published in 2006, on the first three years of the programme showed a crude indicative saving of over £41 million for the health service in Wales. This was based on the estimated cost of keeping older people at home, as opposed to remaining in hospital or residential care.
Plaid ask for assurances on Fairwood Hospital future
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has written to Health Minister Edwina Hart following a recent statement made by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust’s Acting Chief Executive Calum Campbell regarding the future role of Fairwood Hospital.
Mr. Campbell recently stated that he had “difficulty” in seeing Fairwood Hospital’s role in the future of the NHS in Swansea.
Dr. Lloyd has now written to Ms Hart asking for reassurances that this “essential service will continue to provide elderly care beds to those in need”.
Dr. Lloyd today stated:
“Fairwood Hospital has been the subject of much speculation in recent years. We fought a long and hard campaign to save the hospital some 2 years ago, and as such I was disappointed to read the comments questioning its future once again.
“As far as I’m concerned, the importance of Fairwood in Swansea’s NHS provision is clear. We regularly hear of a shortage of beds at Morriston Hospital culminating in A&E patients having to wait hours on end on trolleys.
“I believe that Fairwood Hospital has a role to play in the future NHS provision in Swansea and the surrounding areas.
“With an ageing population we are going to see an increase in the number of people who will need medical treatment, and while many can be accommodated by community care, there will always be a group of people who are well enough to leave an acute hospital bed, but not well enough to be at home. This is where units such as Fairwood have a vital role to play.”
Dr. Lloyd added:
“The CHC, Unions and local authority put forward a very strong argument in favour of retaining Fairwood Hospital and those arguments still stand.
“Why is it always patient care that suffers when trusts need to tackle financial deficits and not the many tiers of management?
“I have written to the Health Minister outlining my concerns and I do hope that she shares my view with regards to any suggestion of hospital closure.”
No to SA1 power plant
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has labelled a proposed wood burning power plant ‘unsustainable’ and has called for the development of a truly sustainable energy in the form of tidal energy in Swansea Bay.
Swansea Council’s Planning Committee will decide the fate of the proposed plant at King’s Dock in SA1 on Thursday.
Dr. Lloyd stated:
“I appreciate that the wood burning power plant emits less carbon dioxide emissions than its fossil fuel competitors, but it will nonetheless contribute towards CO2 emissions and global warming.
“At a time when most scientists are agreed that we need to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions significantly, I believe that this move would be a retrograde step.
“I do not for one minute buy into this notion that these wood burning power plants are sustainable. They are anything but. There is no doubt that this plant will burn wood at a faster rate than the trees which service it will grow, and so, by definition, in the long run, the plant is very much un-sustainable.
“Add to that the fact that 75 percent of the wood will be imported from Texas and Alaska and this project becomes even less attractive in terms of sustainability.”
Dr, Lloyd also objects to the proposed scheme on the grounds of its location.
Dr. Lloyd added:
“The Welsh Assembly Government and local authority have put a lot of time, effort and finance into developing the old docks area. SA1 is now beginning to take shape as a business and tourism venue. Building a power plant at this location, would, I believe undo a lot of the good work that has been done up until now.
“The Swansea Bay area already suffers from high levels of population due to the Port Talbot steel works, gas fired power station and waste incinerator at Crymlyn Burrows. We do not need another polluting plant in this area.
“It is a fact that Wales is a net exporter of energy. In other words, we produce enough energy to sustain us already, and have more than our fair share of nuclear, wind, gas and other plants.
“I would much prefer to see the development of tidal energy in Swansea Bay than this polluting, unsustainable alternative.”
Plaid AM calls for teen smoking action
More needs to be done to stop young people from taking up smoking and to reduce needless smoking related deaths.
That is the call from Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd who is calling for a Tobacco Control Strategy for Wales to reduce the number of tobacco related deaths in the country.
Dr. Lloyd will raise the issue with First Minister Rhodri Morgan at the National Assembly on Tuesday (March 17).
Dr. Lloyd today stated:
“Far too many of our youngsters are starting the habit at a very young age. We need to ensure that we do all that we can to prevent young people from falling into that trap.
“Wednesday March 11th was National No Smoking Day, and I was pleased to sponsor an event on behalf of the Wales Tobacco Control Alliance at the National Assembly.
“The Alliance wants to see far more proactive work being done, to remove a lot of the access points for young smokers, and to make it less attractive.
“I feel that it is the role of Government to protect our future, by outlining the risks associated with smoking and by trying to make it less attractive in the eyes of our youth.”
Dr. Lloyd added:
“There is much good work going on throughout Wales in trying to reduce the number of tobacco related deaths, but I do believe that a Tobacco Control Strategy for Wales would help in terms of giving a clear direction to our intentions.
“Far too many people continue to die from smoking related diseases including cancers and heart diseases and this causes great distress to those that they leave behind.
“I believe that it the duty of the Assembly Government to protect our future generations and this is why I am calling on the First Minister to bring forward this strategy.”
Plaid Minister delivers funding for Quadrant redevelopment
Swansea’s Quadrant Bus station’s long-overdue re-development can now proceed thanks to Plaid Cymru’s Transport Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones.
That was the frank message by Plaid’s Swansea-based AM Dr. Dai Lloyd following the announcement (Thursday) by Ieuan Wyn jones AM to award Swansea Council a £4.187m Assembly Transport Grant for the scheme.
Dr. Lloyd stated:
“Ieuan Wyn Jones’ decision to give Swansea over £4m of Assembly grant funding is great news for the city. This means that we can finally start to re-develop the Quadrant Bus Station which has been neglected for years.
“As South West Wales’ regional capital, Swansea needs a first class transport interchange. The announcement by Plaid’s Transport Minister, along with European funds, will enable this very important project to proceed.
“For years, Labour and Liberal-led Councils have talked about redeveloping the Quadrant. Plaid has been campaigning for this redevelopment over a number of years.
“I am pleased that after less than two years of the One Wales Government at the National Assembly, Plaid has actually stopped talking and delivered the necessary funds.”
Dr .Lloyd added:
“I am also pleased that half a million pounds has been granted to further develop the city’s park and ride facilities. This is testament to Plaid’s commitment to developing public transport in the City and County of Swansea.”
Sign up to Donor register now - Plaid
Plaid Cymru AM and Organ donation campaigner Dai Lloyd AM has called on people to sign up to the Organ donor register. His call comes on the day that a new advertising campaign is launched to raise awareness about the issue.
There are currently around 500 people awaiting organ transplants in Wales. The majority of these are waiting for kidneys.
Plaid AM and chair of the Wales Cross Party Kidney Group, Dai Lloyd, said:
“So many people think about signing up to the register but never get round to it. I’m calling on these people to stop putting it off and to sign up now! It’s also important that people let their loved ones know their feelings on this matter. This saves families having to face making a terrible decision when they lose a loved one and aren’t aware of their wishes.
“I am confident that this new advertising campaign will have a positive effect and raise the number of people signing up to the register.
“However in the longer term, I would like to see a switch to the system of presumed consent. This would mean that people would automatically be on the register, but if they had strong feelings against they could opt-out. It is my feeling that this would resolve the problem of people simply not getting round to signing up. “
Anybody wanting to sign up to the organ donor register can do so by visiting www.uktransplant.org.uk or by calling the NHS Organ Donor Line: 0845 60 60 400 - lines open 24 hours, 365 days a year
Recover, Reform, Renew: The Road from Recession
Swansea-based AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has today welcomed Plaid Cymru’s launch of a discussion paper on the economy, emphasising the need to ensure that Welsh communities emerge from the recession with a vibrant and sustainable future.
Launching the paper entitled Recover, Reform, Renew: The Road from Recession, Plaid’s leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said that his party wants to build on the important steps taken in Government in Wales to help families and businesses and to stimulate further discussion on what needs to be done at all levels of Government to aid economic recovery.
The Plaid leader also hit out at Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his planned £500 million cuts to the Welsh budget. Mr Jones said that Mr Brown’s plans show a ‘worrying disregard’ for the Welsh economy and that now is not the time to be starving Wales of the money needed to aid the renewal.
Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones AM said:
“In government, the efforts of Plaid ministers are ongoing to ensure that the Welsh economy gets the right sort of help during this downturn. We are also looking to the future and at how we can ensure that Wales’ economic position is far more robust and sustainable in the long term.
“The immediate priority must be to set the right conditions for economic recovery – in Wales that must be through effectively targeting support for businesses, through maintaining the skills base of our workforce and through providing the help we can to those facing redundancy. What Wales needs from Westminster is a stimulus package to allow us to bring about that recovery as quickly as possible. This document outlines a proposal for a UK wide package from which we in Wales will receive a £3 billion share from Westminster. The funding could be targeted at saving jobs and businesses, providing further help for low income families and cash to protect public services.”
“Yesterday Gordon Brown finally reluctantly accepted ”collective responsibility” for this crisis, and yet when it comes to the reforms and initiatives needed during this time his response has lacked both ambition and a sense of urgency. Yet he has made time to plan cuts which could amount to half a billion pounds from Wales’ budget in 2010. Today I repeat my call for Mr Brown and his Labour government to rethink and consider the damage this would cause.”
Plaid’s National Chair John Dixon added:
“This document is an excellent starting point for what should be an inclusive national discussion on the action that needs to be taken to support the Welsh economy at this time. This paper sets out what we are achieving in the Assembly and what we think needs to be done in Westminster and Brussels. It is time for serious policies such as a cap on energy prices reduction in VAT on electricity and fuel prices as well as overdue reforms to the taxation system.
“One thing is for certain; we can not afford to leave this sort of planning to those who built up the current economy which is unbalanced and dependant on the huge financial sector in the City of London.”
Plaid call for cross party working on children’s services
Plaid AM Dr. Dai Lloyd has called on all Swansea Councillors to pull together to bring about progress within the city’s Children’s Social Services Department.
Dr. Lloyd was responding to a statement by the Assembly’s Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas AM, who today (Tuesday) outlined her intention to take directive action.
Dr. Lloyd stated:
“The 2007 CSSIW report made it clear that Children’s Social Services in Swansea has failed to meet expectations in a number of areas.
“It is of course disappointing that this latest report suggests that services remain inconsistent.
“The Minister has not detailed specifically which areas are still causing concern, and it is disappointing that we must wait and see in this regard.
“What is imperative, regardless of the Minister’s decision on whether to invoke directives or not, is that each and every Councillor within the City and County of Swansea realises that they have a Corporate Parenting role.
“I was pleased to hear the Minister outline that she expects all Councillors to collaborate – regardless of political affiliation - to work towards improving children’s services in the city. The children, and not political or personality bashing must come first.
“It is vitally important that elected members and Senior Management, working with the Inspectorate and the Minister are able to turn this situation around.”
