Sophie Howe

A good deal for Welsh public services

Today's publication of public expenditure figures for Wales show that public services in Wales continue to benefit massively from the successful partnership between Labour in Wales, and Labour in the Westminster Government.

Since 1999 the Assembly Government's budget has more than doubled, rising from £7 billion to £14 billion.  Overall public expenditure in Wales is 14% higher per head than it is in England.

Health expenditure in Wales has risen by 60% since 2001-2.  Wales is now spending 6% per head more on health than in England.  Education expenditure has risen by 35% since 2001-2.  Per head, Wales is now spending 5% more on education than England, while expenditure on transport and economic development is 43% higher in Wales than in England.  This has contributed to Wales' remarkable record in attracting new jobs and reducing unemployment.

The successful partnership that Labour has maintained has been achieved through the Barnett formula, which has provided Wales with secure, favourable and rising public expenditure.

Labour's opposition parties in the 3 May election want to dump both the Barnett formula and Labour's working partnership with Westminster.  They have not explained to the people of Wales that an alternative to Barnett may well decrease the bonus that Wales now gets in public expenditure.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said:

"A vote for the Nationalists and the Liberal Democrats risks putting the Tories into Welsh Government and getting less money for public services in Wales.  John Redwood became famous for sending money back to London; Ieuan Wyn Jones and Mike German want to dump the Barnett formula and put at risk the money Wales gets - they want to join the Redwood Club."

Only Labour partnership can deliver for Wales

Labour unveils its partnership pledges

Only Labour in the Assembly working closely with Labour in Westminster can build a better, fairer Wales, the party said as it unveiled its partnership pledges ahead of this week's election.

Labour First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain said the Labour partnership had already delivered concrete results for Wales, but would achieve yet more in the future.  The partnership pledges are:

• A partnership to eradicate child poverty
• A partnership for skills
• A partnership for work
• A partnership for safer communities
• A partnership for the environment

Rhodri Morgan said:

"Big challenges need a joint response.  Wales works best as part of a strong UK team fighting for our interests."

"It is the hard work and dedication of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Peter Hain - working with my administration in Cardiff - that delivered a second round of vital European funding for Wales."

"It is this close working relationship that has delivered vital economic stability for Wales, more fairness for hardworking families, more help for pensioners and action to give young people hope."

"Labour in Wales and London has delivered action to crack down on anti-social behaviour and reclaim the streets for respectable citizens.  Working in partnership, we have introduced tough measures to combat crime and anti-social behaviour, while also offering young people constructive things to do with their spare time and plenty of opportunities to boost their skills."

"Of course after eight years in power in the Assembly, people are bound to have the odd gripe with Labour.  But when people look at all that we have achieved together, they will see too that Wales needs a Labour partnership with their interests at heart."

Peter Hain said:

"The success Wales has enjoyed over the past eight years is thanks to the strong partnership between Labour in London and Labour in Wales."

"Thanks to that partnership, Wales is going in the right direction with a record number of people in jobs, more business success than ever before, huge investment in schools and hospitals, and the massive £16 billion investment in St Athan."

"That partnership is possible thanks to the leadership of Rhodri Morgan, the towering figure of Welsh politics."

"The choice on May 3rd is between "Feelgood Wales", going in the right direction under Rhodri and Welsh Labour, or the risk of it all unravelling with a weak and divided coalition of Tories and separatists, leading only to instability and conflict."

"Only a vote for Rhodri and Welsh Labour on May 3rd can safeguard our successful partnership and stop the Tories winning power with Plaid and the Liberals."

If you want your prescriptions to remain free, you've got to vote for it

Labour today warned that free prescriptions would be under threat if Labour does not get the support it needs to form a Government after Thursday's elections.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan hailed the scheme as one of his government's great successes, delivering a fair deal to thousands across Wales.  But Welsh Labour are the only party to have given a cast-iron commitment to ensure that prescriptions remains free of charge.

He said the Tories' "weasel words" on free prescriptions showed they could not be trusted to keep prescriptions after Thursday's election, while the Lib Dem Health spokesperson has said her party would want to scrap free prescriptions.

Rhodri Morgan said:

"Free prescriptions are delivering justice to thousands of people across te whole of Wales, making everyday life that much easier for our people.  Unlike the Tories I make a cast-iron guarantee that I will not scrap free prescriptions."

"The weasel words of the Tory leaders and of Tory candidates up and down Wales on this issue, tell voters all they need to know about Tory plans for free prescriptions after the election."

"Saying you will monitor the progress of free prescriptions is not the same as saying you will definitely keep prescriptions free of charge."

A Brighter Future for Every Child and Young Person

CHILDREN and young people are at the heart of Welsh Labour's manifesto for a third Assembly term, with policies designed to give every young person the opportunities they need to succeed and reach their full potential.

From tackling child poverty and broadening educational opportunities, to ensuring that communities have access to facilities for young people - Welsh Labour has the vision to make a radical difference.

Labour understands that tackling child poverty is about more than just raising incomes.  Our focus will be on raising the aspirations of children from the poorest backgrounds by providing opportunities and experiences normally denied to them.

A Labour Government after May 3rd will provide a free nursery place for every two year old in deprived communities in Wales, boost investment in the youth service, and make sure that every child has the chance to take part in a rewarding extra curricular activity.

First Minister RHODRI MORGAN said:

"Labour understands that children and young people are central to building stronger and safer communities.  That's why we want to give them more facilities within the communities.  Our commitment to a £20 million national fund for the youth service is a radical new improvement for the service."

"We're also going to make sure that resources, such as school halls, computer rooms and sports facilities become a resource for the community, rather than being locked up once the school day has finished.  This will give young people more opportunities to use these facilities in the evenings and at weekends."

"Labour is also going to build on one of our most popular policies - the free swimming during school holidays - and make sure that every child in Wales gets the chance to use their local sports or leisure centre at weekends free of charge."

Children's Minister JANE HUTT said:

"Labour is going to build on its record in giving children the best possible start in life.  Our schools are being transformed with record investment in school buildings; average class sizes of 25, school uniform grants; innovative new teaching for early year's education; the new Welsh Bacc and free healthy school breakfasts."

"Our pledges put child poverty at the heart of our manifesto, with an extra children's bond and extra childcare which will make a real difference in the lives of our children and young people."

If Labour wins the Assembly elections it will:

• Use the new powers of the Assembly to tackle child poverty and support our most vulnerable children;
• Create a £20 million national fund for youth service;
• Create 23,000 apprenticeships for young people;
• Roll out the pioneering, activity based Foundation Phase for 3-7 year olds in schools and early year's settings, backed by £10 million of investment each year;
• Offer quality new vocational courses for 14-19 year olds with the same status as GCSE's;
• Ensure that the opportunity to study for the Welsh Baccalaureate exists in all parts of Wales;
• Keep schools open in the evening and at weekends for extra sports and after-schools activities;
• Make sure every child can use their local council leisure centre on the weekend without charge;
• Increase investment in school sport, green gyms and exercise equipment in playing grounds;
• Support young people aged 16-19 and not in employment or education to re-engage in education and training;
• An extra children's bond for all children entering school;
• Provide a free, part-time nursery place for every two year old in deprived communities;
• Provide extra support for child care for those who most need it;
• Fit all new and refurbished schools with fire sprinklers;
• Provide direct funding to improve the school environment;
• Expand the healthy free school breakfast scheme;
• Improve the quality of food in schools and increase investment in school kitchens.

Nick Bourne: cereal killer

Join Labour for a healthy free breakfast

LABOUR has challenged the Welsh Tory leader to sample what he and his party are committed to scrapping - a healthy free breakfast.

Labour Children's Minister and Vale of Glamorgan AM Jane Hutt and Cardiff North candidate Sophie Howe set up camp at Tory HQ and challenged Nick Bourne to sample a free breakfast with them.  They challenged the Tories to sign a petition committing to the future of free breakfasts.

Labour Children's Minister JANE HUTT said:

"People say there's no such thing as a free lunch, and that may be true.  But in Wales primary school children are entitled to a free breakfast - unless the Tories get into power and scrap the programme."

"There are now 790 schools across Wales either running the scheme or signed up to it.  We hope this figure will increase even more over the coming months.  This is a direct challenge to the Tories to drop their opposition to free breakfasts and sign up to our petition to keep the scheme after May 3."

SOPHIE HOWE said:

"Labour's free breakfast's scheme is a brilliant way of ensuring that all children are able to have a healthy start to the day.  It has been proven that a decent breakfast improves concentration in the classroom, pupil behaviour and attendance.  It is typical of the Tories to want to scrap a scheme that largely disadvantaged families.  Only Labour can be trusted to stick up for the hardworking families of Wales."

Labour's Assembly Government is working for you - Rhodri Morgan presents Labour's devolution dividend

LABOUR in the Assembly is producing real benefits to all in Wales, Rhodri Morgan said today.

Presenting his ‘devolution dividend’ in Wrexham he said that Wales having its own Assembly was producing real results, for hardworking families, older people and the young. Labour used a representative family to demonstrate how life has got better in Wales since 1999.

Labour’s family was £5,000 a year better off due to labour’s policies in Wales

• Free prescriptions are benefiting everyone in society, and will save those with long-term illnesses hundred of pounds a year
Free breakfasts are helping children get a healthy start to the day as well as allowing many parents to take on work
• The Baby Bond top-up will provide more of a nest egg for our children when they begin or start their careers
• The Assembly has issued 530,000 free bus passes in Wales, saving pensioners and the disabled hundreds of pounds every single year
• Free swimming for older people all year round and for children during the school holidays is making exercise affordable and accessible
• Free entry to national museums and galleries is to be expanded to include free entry to all Welsh heritage sites for children and their families.

Rhodri Morgansaid:

"Devolution for Wales was hard fought and hard won. But looking back over the past eight years I am more convinced than ever before that our Assembly is working for the people of Wales."

"I was pround to be the Labour First Minister who delivered free prescriptions, the free bus pass and more people in work than the UK average. I will be prouder still to be the leader of Wales who delivers an even more prosperous and fair Wales, with more justice for our pensioners, a square deal for hardworking families and a great start in life for our children."

"But this can only happen with the support of the people of Wales. I need candidates across the nation to be elected on May 3."

Helping Hand on the Property Ladder - Welsh Labour promises more new and affordable housing

Welsh Labour today highlighted the party's pledge to invest £450m in new social and affordable housing over the next four years, to help build an additional 6,500 new affordable homes, and make it easier for people to get a foot on the housing ladder.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart were visiting the site of a new scheme to provide more than a hundred new affordable homes in Ammanford.  The new homes will be sold to Carmarthenshire residents who are unable to afford to buy on the open market.

Welsh Labour's pledge of extra investment will be backed up by legislative action to retain the pool of housing available for rent in areas of high housing demand, along with plans to identify and make available publicly owned land for the development of low-cost housing.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said:

"Welsh Labour's plans add up to a substantial programme of action to ensure that the pool of affordable housing is substantially increased.  It builds on the Homebuy scheme which we have already introduced to help first-time buyers to get a foot on the housing ladder, and the new planning guidance we brought in during the last Assembly term to make it easier to build affordable housing."

"A Labour Assembly Government would want to see the kind of affordable housing scheme planned for Ammanford replicated across Wales."

Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart said:

"We know that there are particular problems for young and first-time buyers to get a foot on the housing ladder.  Our extra investment will make a real difference.  The cost of land is the key driver of house prices and our plan to make more publicly owned land available for housing will also help to increase the stock of affordable housing."

"Housing is crucial to community regeneration, that's why during the last Assembly term, Labour increased investment in the social housing grant by 64% and introduce a Welsh Housing Quality Standard to improve all social housing by 2012.  As a party we are whole-heartedly committed to strong, vibrant communities."

Gordon Brown at the launch of the extra CTF payment

Child Poverty Proofing at the Heart of Welsh Labour's Manifesto

Child poverty in Wales is falling further and faster than in any part if the UK said First Minister Rhodri Morgan today as he welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown to Wales.

Rhodri Morgan and Gordon Brown joined Cardiff North candidate Sophie Howe at Llanishen Fach Primary School in Cardiff to highlight Welsh Labour's commitment to place child poverty at the heart of Labour's Assembly manifesto and to child poverty proof all of the party's manifesto commitments.

The First Minister, Chancellor and Sophie Howe re-affirmed the party's pledge to an extra Children's Bond for all children entering school.

RHODRI MORGAN said:

"It is the Labour partnership between the Assembly and Westminster that has delivered a 20 per cent fall in child poverty since 1999.  A decade ago, the level of children living in poverty in Wales was well above the UK average.  Today the rate has fallen below the overall level in the UK."

"Labour is the only party offering clear and deliverable plans to tackle child poverty in Wales, placing it at the heart of our manifesto with the aim to eradicate child poverty by 2020."

Sophie Howe said:

"Through schemes such as free school breakfasts, a record increase in child benefit, flying start and extra child care places we are making a real difference to families across Wales.  We are committed to a £50 top-up to the Child Trust Fund, rising to £100 for low income families for school-age children."

"Labour will use the new powers of the Assembly to tackle child poverty and support our most vulnerable children.  There is only one party serious about tackling child poverty in this election and that is Labour.  The children of Wales can't affor Tory Minister in charge of Wales once more."

Free Car Parking at Hospitals - Labour to make hospital visits easier and cheaper for patients

Welsh Labour will provide free parking at NHS hospitals for the patients who need it most if it wins the Assembly elections on May 3rd.

Assembly Health Minister highlighted the party's pledge at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend today.

The party is promising free parking for Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and Renal Dialysis patients; and season tickets for those who want them.  Labour is also promising to review patient telephone and TV services available in hospitals.

Brian Gibbons said:

"Labour is and always has been the party of the NHS.  People can already see the benefits of record investment in the NHS such as shorter waiting lists and free prescriptions for all."

"Our election commitments include promising a maximum 26 weeks NHS waiting time from referral to treatment but we also want to make it easier for patients to make the trip to hospital and make phone and TV services cheaper so they can recover from treatment without worrying about so many extra costs."

"Making parking free for Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and Renal Dialysis patients will directly help those patients who need more appointments and who are forced to pay out each time they go to hospital."

"At the same time we will announce a new national approach to 'season tickets' for patients and visitors who are frequent users such as relatives of patients who are in hospital for more than a week, or relatives of long term patients."

"We're promising national standards and national delivery of this policy to reverse this unfair burden that frequent hospital visitors have to face."

"And working with patient groups we will also review telephone and TV services to ensure fairness and value for money for patients.  Labour wants to make sure that patients don't get hit in the pocket when they want to contact family and friends from their hospital beds or relax with the TV when recovering from treatment."

"We will also work with hospitals to identify ways in which mobile phones can be used more easily in hospitals - with least disruption to other patients and technology."