Jo Baker | February 13, 2012
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Williams urges rethink over Welsh labs

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has pressed the Minister for Agriculture and Food at Defra, regarding proposals to reduced services at the AHVLA laboratories in Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

Speaking in the House of Commons at Welsh Grand Committee last week, Mark Williams questioned the Defra Minister, James Paice MP, about the proposed reduction of services and stressed how important this issue is, not only for the towns of Aberystwyth and Carmarthen, but for the whole of Wales.

Commenting Mark Williams said:

“Despite assurances from the Minister that these proposals will not affect the service provided, I remain unconvinced, and am also very concerned about the loss of local specialist jobs that the proposals will lead to.  As I said to the Minister in the debate, I would urge him to go and visit the laboratories in question, as I have done, and see the vital work that is carried out.

“Whilst the Minister asserts that half of tests are carried out by post, those working at the site, and the wider agricultural communities of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, southern Gwynedd and Powys have expressed concern to me and other Members of Parliament.  The retention of a speedy service that recognises local needs is crucial, and I will continue to remind the Minister of this.”

Category: AHVLA Laboratories |
Jo Baker | February 1, 2012
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February Column

A month into 2012 already.  Pre-Christmas visits to Bronglais, Tregaron and Cardigan hospitals confirmed to me something that didn’t need confirming – that we have an excellent and dedicated staff to whom we are all immensely grateful.

It will come as no surprise that the future of Bronglais has been at the top of my postbag.  On my Bronglais visits there was another striking feature – a huge number of patients from Towyn, Aberdyfi, Llandinam, Llanidloes.  Of course there were many patients from across our county too, but it reinforced my view that the focus of our District General Hospital and its Health Board should be South Gwynedd, Powys and Ceredigion.  That area presents challenges, huge health challenges – but is far more in sync that the more populated centres in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to which we will always loose out.  That is why I was against the creation of Hywel Dda Trust in the first place, and remain so.  Some Bronglais staff called on me last week and reminded me of how limited A&E will be, without the potential for 24 hour surgery instead with the potential for surgery limited between 8am and 6pm.  I welcome the capital investment in Bronglais – long overdue – but I am less interested in the veneer and more so in the services that will be provided.  That is why the meeting in Neuadd Goffa, Penparcau is so important to illustrate the strength of public feeling on this.  I deeply regret that Hywel Dda local health board will not be present and that the Health Minister in Cardiff seems more than reluctant to engage on this.

The old question of the ‘golden hour’ still remains unanswered.  Try getting from Borth to Carmarthen or to Haverfordwest, or Llanelli within an hour.  Yes we are a special case, and some of us will continue to campaign accordingly. 

The Welsh Affairs Select Committee, of which I am a Member, continues to do valuable work most recently on broadband provision and inward investment, with Reports on these two critical matters due to be published.  We have also undertaken a short investigation into the future of AHVLA laboratories in Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.  We are about to start work on our Veterans in Wales Report seeking to ensure that the provisions of the military covenant are fully complied with and Government at all levels – Assembly, Westminster and County Councils honour that commitment.

The Boundary Commission has produced its initial report on the future of the Parliamentary Constituencies.  I am relieved that the integrity of Ceredigion has been respected in the report, with additions.  My Party are currently working on a response to the proposals.  That said, the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire North constituency has a precedent – the seat that existed prior to 1997.  That was admirably represented in Parliament by Mr Geraint Howells and Mr Cynog Dafis.  It would be hard to argue against something that existed before, barring the addition of a couple of wards.

Category: Column |
Jo Baker | February 1, 2012
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Williams champions Welsh Tourism

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has, along with representatives of the Welsh Tourism Alliance, convened a meeting of Welsh MPs to set up the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Tourism and Hospitality industry in Wales.

Following the launch of a Report by the British Hospitality Industry at the end of last year which outlined the amount of revenue and jobs the hospitality and tourism industry brings to each region of Wales, Mark Williams took the opportunity to set up the Group in order to raise the flag for Welsh tourism in Westminster, on issues that will affect the industry.

Commenting Mark Williams Said:

“I am delighted that we had so much interest in the group from Welsh MPs, and whilst I appreciate that many decisions surrounding tourism are rightly devolved to the Welsh Assembly, there are still issues under the sway of the Westminster Government which we can take action on.

“I look forward to working together with fellow MPs and representatives of the tourism industry, to ensure the importance of the sector, the revenue, and its potential for growth is recognised in Westminster.”

Category: Tourism |
Jo Baker | January 31, 2012
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Welsh Labour Government refuses to meet with Welsh Liberal Democrats on the NHS

Lesley Griffiths AM, Welsh Government Minister for Health and Social Services, has refused a joint meeting with Welsh Liberal Democrats (William Powell AM, Kirsty Williams AM and Mark Williams MP) over the future of National Health Service provision in Bronglais District General Hospital in Aberystwyth.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have been leading the fight to protect services at Bronglais Hospital for a considerable time, and Mark Williams MP and William Powell AM’s staff had their most recent meeting with Hywel Dda Chief Executive Trevor Purt shortly before Christmas. This has been accompanied by a series of meetings with the aBer action group over several months and a number of questions with Ministers in the Senedd. However, despite this obvious concern, the Minister has refused their joint request for a meeting and suggested that they seek further meetings with Mr Purt instead.

William Powell, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, said:

“The Minister’s refusal to meet my colleagues and me speaks to the apparent disregard she has shown towards the future of Bronglais District General Hospital and those who depend on its services across Mid Wales.

The Minister must be ready to take responsibility for Health and Social Services in Wales; she has the title but when she is called to act, appears far too happy to pass the buck. The Welsh Liberal Democrats will not tolerate this position and will continue to hold the Welsh Government to account for their inaction.”

Mark Williams, Member of Parliament for Ceredigion, said:

“The Health Minister and her department in Cardiff seem to forget is that they are directly responsible for health services in Ceredigion.

It has become apparent for some months that Assembly Ministers are hiding behind the Health Boards and the review by clinicians over cuts and threats such as this one, which is absurd.  Even more ridiculous is the Minister’s insistence in her letter that there are no proposed cuts to Bronglais.  She is simply playing with words, and sending out a ludicrous message.”

 
Category: Health |
Jo Baker | January 31, 2012
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Williams welcomes Post Office deal

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has welcomed the Government’s announcement that a ten-year deal between the Post Office and the Royal Mail has been reached.

After ending Labour’s Post Office closure programme, which saw more than 7100 Post Offices disappear in their 13 years in office, this deal made by the Liberal Democrat Minister for Postal Affairs gives additional certainty to subpostmasters across the UK and covers the full range of Royal Mail products available at post offices such as first and second class post, parcels, air mail, recorded and special deliveries.

Commenting, Mark Williams said:

“After years of Post Office closures under the Labour Government, it is excellent news that Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing by ensuring that the Post Office has a sustainable future ahead of it through investment, and by brokering this deal with Royal Mail. Post Offices are a vital part of our communities and are the lynchpin of our towns and villages, even more so in our rural communities in Ceredigion.

“Labour left Royal Mail in a terrible mess, and I am pleased that it is Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government who have stopped closures and put Royal Mail and the Post Office on a secure footing. These plans mean that we will never see the kind of planned closures that devastated local communities under the previous Government.”

Category: Local Services |
Jo Baker | January 25, 2012
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Silk Commission gives evidence in Parliament to Select Committee

Commenting after the Silk Commission’s appearance at the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, Mark Williams said:

“I am delighted to hear that the Silk Commission will undertake the widest possible consultation across Wales and the border, though I hope the much maligned curry nights of the All Wales Convention will not be a feature.

“The terms of reference agreed by the four parties provide us with an excellent opportunity to carry out the progress of devolution, and I am pleased the four principle parties in Wales have signed up to the initial work of Paul Silk and his team.

“Once the work of Silk is completed, and building on the work of Gerald Holtham, it is essential that these matters will not be parked in any convenient cul-de-sac.”

Category: Uncategorized |
Jo Baker | January 24, 2012
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Williams opens the ‘Send my Sister to School’ Exhibition in Parliament

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has spoken at the opening of the Send my Sister to school Exhibition in Parliament.

The exhibition is a showcase of work done by young people in schools, colleges and voluntary groups across the whole country as part of ActionAid’s ‘Send my Sister to School’ campaign, which seeks to educate children in this country about the importance of education to children overseas, particularly girls, and encourages them to lobby their MPs on the issue.

So far 600,000 young people in the UK have taken action. The message they want to send politicians is that of the 67 million children in the world who do not go to school, millions more of them are girls than boys, and something must be done about this.

Commenting Mark Williams said:

“I am delighted to be part of the exhibition opening, due to my role as Vice-Chair of the APPG on Global Education for All. Indeed I was delighted to visit a number of schools in Ceredigion last year which had worked so hard on the campaign themselves, and had produced fantastic work on the issue.

“Education is so important for children across the world. Educating young girls makes an incredible contribution to so many important areas, particularly health and economic development.

Category: Uncategorized |
Jo Baker | January 24, 2012
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Williams reports back to the Royal British Legion County Conference

Speaking at the County Conference of Ceredigion’s Royal British Legion, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams commended the leader once again for the Legion’s work over the preceding year, and their success in the 2011 Poppy Appeal. 

Mark Williams reported back that the Government had conceded in the Public Bodies Bill that the office of National Coroner should not be abolished as proposed in the Bill.  This had been a key demand of the Royal British Legion.

Mark Williams also reported that the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, of which he is a member, would be undertaking an enquiry ‘Veterans in Wales’ in coming months.

Commenting Mark Williams said:

“Our Committee will be ensuring that the promises of Government with regard to the Military Covenant, and the work undertaken by the Assembly Government is honoured, and the role servicemen play in our society is fully respected.”

Category: Charity |
Jo Baker | January 24, 2012
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Williams backs Individual Voter Registration

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has this week debated in the House of Commons the issue Individual Voter Registration with Government Ministers. 

Whilst Mr Williams and the Liberal Democrats very much welcome the proposals to register voters individually rather than by a head of household, he has warned the Government of some areas of concern many groups, such as the Electoral Commission, have expressed regarding the proposals as they stand, such as the need to make registering compulsory and the need to put as much resources as possible into getting the list in order in 2014 in time for the 2015 election.

Commenting Mark Williams said:

“Whilst I recognise the importance of this change in the voter registration system and fully support it, we must do all we can to ensure the register is as complete as possible.  The effects could be far wider reaching than getting to polling day and realising you are unable to vote, as the electoral register is often used as proof of address when getting a mobile phone contract or having a credit check.  It is also used as a source of information by Local Authorities in order to communicate with people, to tackle crime and to provide services.  It is also critical for selection of jurors.

“There is also a worry that those who are most likely to fall off the list are the most vulnerable in our society – disenfranchising many people, and missing out those people who may need the most assistance.  Being on the electoral list is not a consumer choice, but a civic responsibility.

“The Government are on the right track, and I am please Ministers listened to the comments made in the debate.  For the sack of good democratic practice I hope the new register is a complete and full picture of our population.”

Category: Uncategorized |
Jo Baker | January 18, 2012
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Williams questions Secretary of State over rail provision to mid-Wales

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has this morning raised the issue of train services from Aberystwyth with the Wales Office at Welsh Questions. 

Mr Williams questioned the Minister, David Jones MP, in the House of Commons this morning which comes in the wake of the announcement by the Assembly Government before Christmas that their plans for an hourly train service between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth will now be delayed by up to three years, and following continuing calls for a direct Aberystwyth to London service.

Commenting Mark Williams said:

“As a regular rail user, it is frustrating to hear of further delays to these plans.  It is wholly reasonable for the Shrewsbury to Aber line to have an hourly train service, not least after the capital expenditure to date.  We need action sooner rather than later on this or mid-Wales could be left behind.  It is critical for the local economy, and has received huge support locally.

“I hope the Government in Cardiff do all they can to ensure an hourly service is established as quickly as possible, and I have written to the Minister for Transport at the Assembly about this.”

On the issue of the Aberystwyth to London service, Mr Williams will continue to urge Arriva Trains Wales to resubmit a bid to run this route.

Category: Rail |
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