Ambitious new law ‘lacks teeth and funding’
An ambitious law aimed at ensuring future generations in Wales have at least the same quality of life as today lacks teeth and has a laughable budget, a committee heard. The Senedd’s equality committee took evidence as part of…
Welsh Gov issues ‘disgraceful’ response to inquiry on public appointments
The Welsh Government issued a disgraceful response to an inquiry on public appointments, showing disrespect bordering on contempt for the Senedd, a watchdog committee warned. Senedd members on the public accounts committee were outraged by ministers’ response to their report which…
First Minister under fire for ‘scattergun’ approach to international relations
First minister Eluned Morgan came under friendly fire over the Welsh Government’s “scattergun rather than strategic” approach to international relations. The Senedd’s culture committee scrutinised Baroness Morgan about the Welsh Government’s international strategy and plans for an investment summit. Lee…
Senedd members ’roundly reject’ Conservative calls for M4 relief road
Senedd members roundly rejected Conservative calls to deliver an M4 relief road, six years on from the Welsh Government pulling the plug on the project. Sam Rowlands described the M4 relief road as a golden opportunity, not only to…
Drakeford confirms plans for land value tax will remain on the table as a potential replacement for council tax and business rates
Wales’ finance secretary Mark Drakeford confirmed plans for a land value tax remain on the table as a potential long-term replacement for council tax and business rates. The former first minister said the Welsh Government continues to explore the…
Online abuse of politicians ‘getting worse by the day’
Senedd members called for urgent action to tackle the “existential crisis” of abuse, harassment and intimidation faced by politicians on social media. Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price, the first out-gay man in his party to be elected to national office,…
Freeport jobs promises ‘quietly revised down’ as thousands of jobs evaporate
Promises of job creation at two freeports have been stealthily downgraded by thousands of jobs, with Wales falling far behind the curve, a Senedd member warned. Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher criticised the pace of change at the Anglesey freeport…
‘People are choking with the dust’: calls for action on ‘slow Aberfan disaster’
More than 11,000 people added their voices to a chorus of calls for a mandatory 1,000-metre buffer zone around all quarries – but their pleas continued to fall on deaf ears. Labour’s Carolyn Thomas led a Senedd debate on…
Wales recruiting ‘nowhere near enough’ secondary teachers
Wales is only training around a third of the necessary secondary school teachers, with nowhere near enough recruits and no improvement in sight, an education chief warned. Hayden Llewellyn, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) chief executive, gave evidence to…
Taxpayers hit with £5.25m bill for botched Aberthaw contract
Taxpayers will foot the bill for a £5.25m settlement after a legal claim over the awarding of a demolition contract for Aberthaw power station, a committee heard. The Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) lost a high-court legal challenge brought by a…