Sophie Howe

David Cameron: Welsh Tory NHS plans a "disaster"

LABOUR has launched a major attack on the Tories' health policies for Wales, quoting David Cameron in branding Welsh Tory plans as a "disaster".

On a flagship politics programme over the weekend, Mr Cameron stated that another health reorganisation "would be a disaster".

But the Welsh Conservatives health manifesto promises to:

• Scrap the local health boards and replacing them with an all-Wales commissioning body - taking local decisions away from local communities.
• Establish 22 unified care agencies based on local authority areas to provide community health care and adult social care
• Revert to the days of GP practices playing a direct role in the commissioning of secondary services
• Break up the NHS by using the voluntary sector to deliver core public health services

Rhodri Morgan said:

"I never thought I would ever say this, but I agree wholeheartedly with David Cameron's warning that another NHS reorganisation like the one proposed by his own party in Wales would be a disaster for our NHS.  It took Labour years to sort out the mess the Tories left behind in the NHS, with the number of doctors in training halved, crumbling buildings, out-of-date GP facilities, cleaners contracted out privately and crippling long waits for treatment."

"Now with Labour in charge of the NHS no one waits longer than a maximum of eight month for treatment.  Free prescriptions for all have been delivered and cleaners in NHS hospitals will be employed by the NHS.  We have invested more that £700m in new hospital buildings and facilities, far exceeding the £550m promised in our previous manifesto.  We have doubled the intake in our medical schools.  We have massively increased the numbers of nurses being trained."

"Labour is delivering record investment for our NHS.  And we are getting results."

"With all of this progress we are making together, the Welsh NHS can't afford the chaos of Tory misrule and reorganisation.  It would leaf to a bitter period of slash and burn for our hospitals, surgeries and training programmes."

"Either David Cameron and Nick Bourne are cynically trying to trawl for votes in the Assembly election from those who are for a reorganisation and against a reorganisation of the NHS or Nick Bourne should very quickly take advice from David Cameron if he won't take it from me and drop these disastrous proposals."

"The choice in this election is between more progress and investment in better health with Labour or uncertainty and destabilisation under the Tories."

Welsh Labour's First Year Legislative Programme

Welsh Labour has launched the party's legislative programme. 

In the first two years of the next Assembly term, a Labour Assembly Government will introduce legislation on:

• environmental protection and waste management
• child poverty and vulnerable children
• fairer charging for home care and other non-residential social services
• maintain the supply of affordable housing in areas of housing pressure
• additional learning needs (special educational needs)
• the Dyfarnydd
• Education Transport
• 14-19 Learning Pathways
• NHS Redress

Speaking at the launch Rhodri Morgan said: "At the heart of our proposals are plans to make people's communities more pleasant and cleaner places to live, work and play.  We will build up the skills of our young people, giving them the best start in life, and use all tools at our disposal to eliminate child poverty.  I am passionate about our programme for government because I think it can make a real difference."

"Welsh Labour's 2007 manifesto sets out the policy objectives and programme of the Labour Welsh Assembly Government if it gains the support of the Welsh electorate on 3 May.  This document sets out how Labour proposes to legislate to give effect, where necessary, to that programme."

Three of the laws will be introduced in the first year of the next Assembly: Education Transport, 14-19 Learning Pathways and NHS Redress (to help patients when problems occur in the NHS).

Over the first two years of the next Assembly Labour would also push forward legislation to deal with environmental protection and waste management, child poverty and vulnerable children and additional learning needs (special educational needs).  As well as introduce fairer charging for home care and other non-residential social services, maintain the supply of affordable housing in areas of housing pressure and introduce a regulator for the Welsh Language, the Dyfarnydd.

The First Minister added: "We believe that we are the only Part that will be in a position to propose a full programme of specific legislative proposals to the newly elected Assembly, making maximum use of the new powers to address issues which matter most in the daily lives of people in Wales.  We will, of course, consult widely on the detail of our proposals.  None of the other parties have prepared as detailed and as visionary a programme as the one we are presenting today to the people of Wales."

Recipe for Success

Labour promises fresh and healthy ingredients for school and hospital meals.  A third term Labour Assembly Government will make improving the quality of meals in schools, hospitals and public premises across Wales a priority.

Assembly Education Minister Jane Davidson teamed up with UK Minister Alan Johnson and Labour's Cardiff North candidate Sophie Howe in Cardiff today to highlight how Welsh Labour will set up a special fund to improve or build new kitchens in schools, so that all pupils in Wales can enjoy fresh and healthy meals.

Education Minister Jane Davidson said:

"Making healthy food an attractive and tasty option at lunchtime is essential in encouraging our children to take up healthier foods.  That's why Labour wants to make it easier for schools to prepare their own healthy meals on the school premises so that it goes straight from the oven to the plate."

"We will survey all schools in Wales, and identify where improvements are needed, and build new facilities where possible."

"Some schools get their meals delivered - but there's more and more evidence that using fresh ingredients and cooking them at the premises where they will be served is the best way to ensure more nutritious meals."

"Healthier food leads to healthier achievement at school and to healthier diets when out children grow up.  This is why the measures Labour is promising will benefit all our communities in the long term.  Labour remains committed to free school lunches for families who need them."

Cardiff North Labour candidate SOPHIE HOWE said:

"Labour believes that putting money into improving the quality of food for our children is a much more effective way of giving parents in Wales value for money and giving children more nutritional value out of every school meal.  As a mother myself, I know how important that is."

"Teachers, parents and pupils are demanding more healthy choices, and Labour is going to work with local authorities to make sure every child in Wales gets a healthier school lunch - and by doing so, a healthier start to life."

Vote red, go greem - Labour promises 100,000 energy efficient homes

One hundred thousand homes across Wales will be warmer and greener if Labour wins May's Assembly election.

Welsh Labour is promising to extend its Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) to ensure that by 2011, 100,000 homes will have benefited from greater energy efficiency measures, such as central heating, loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

Assembly Environment Minister Carwyn Jones said:

"Welsh Labour is committed to rising to the challenge of climate change and reducing Wales' ecological footprint, and we know that improving energy efficiency is the easiest and cheapest way of doing this."

"Under Labour, Wales has already made great strides.  The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) has helped thousands of homes become more energy efficient and the Assembly Government has given a total of £3.1 million to local NHS trusts to use their energy more efficiently."

"Now we want to take this one step further.  If re-elected, Welsh Labour will ensure that even more homes will be able to keep warm, reduce their emissions and do their bit for climate change."

"A vote for Labour on May 3 is a vote for a green and sustainable future for Wales."

Assembly Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart added:

"Fuel poverty is a serious problem affecting tens of thousands of people in Wales.  Labour is totally committed to lifting people out of this trap which is why the Labour Welsh Assembly Government has already funded energy efficiency measures in 70,000 homes."

"Now Welsh Labour will build on this success and by 2011 make 100,000 homes energy efficient.  Not only will this cut heating bills for our most vulnerable citizens, but it is also good news for the environment and people's health."

Something for the Weekend

Labour splashes out with free leisure pledge

Keeping the kids occupied and active over the weekend won't have to cost you a penny extra - if Labour wins the Assembly elections on May 3rd.

A third term Labour Government will EXTEND the free school holiday swimming scheme so that EVERY weekend, children and young people can use their local leisure centre or sports centre for FREE.

The £2.5m free swimming idea has proved a great success - with more than two million swims taken up around Wales since Labour introduced the scheme in 2003, the first of its kind in Europe.

Rhodri Morgan said:

"Over the weekend - it's the kids who can splash out so Mum and Dad don't have to.  Children can get fit, stay active and have fun over the school holidays and the weekend without parents getting hit in the pocket."

"Welsh Labour wants more children and young people to get into healthy and active lifestyles and that's why we're making sure every child gets a chance to use their local council run swimming pool, sports centre or leisure centre over the weekend."

"This Labour idea gives families and children in every part of Wales a chance to use and enjoy their local leisure centre without worrying about the cost and will make a real difference in our communities.  It sends out all the right messages to children about staying fit and active.  Labour is committed to encouraging healthy lifestyles which are so important for the health of the nation."

Sophie Howe said:

"The real success of Labour's swimming scheme so far is that the highest take up has been in Communities First Areas.  The whole point of this Welsh Labour idea is to help families that might have been put off by the cost to use and enjoy their local leisure centres.  This is great news for local Mums who don't have to worry about the cost of entertaining the kids over the weekend stacking up."

"I am delighted the scheme has proved to be a huge success in Wales and hope this continues."

Rising to the Challenge

Labour's plans for a clean, green and sustainable Wales

CLIMATE CHANGE is a challenge Wales cannot ignore and a third term Labour Assembly will rise to it, said Labour First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Labour wants to put Wales at the forefront of action to promote sustainability, increase energy efficiency and support the efforts of business, the public sector and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint.

Labour's targets for a cleaner and greener Wales include:

• By 2012 all Government buildings will be carbon neutral
• All new buildings built from 2011 onwards will be zero carbon
• 30,000 solar power and other micro-generation units on buildings across Wales by 2012
• Sustainability will be put at the heart of the national curriculum, increase opportunities for outdoor learning and increase the number of eco-schools
• Work towards making 100,000 homes energy efficient
• Public sector developments will be required to use micro-generation energy
• Continued support for renewable energy especially marine and wind power
• Expand the work of the Welsh Energy Research Centre
• Ensure a safe and clean future for the coal industry - including buffer zones around opencast sites
• Greener transport - more investment in public transport
• Introduce tough new measures to cut the use of harmful farm pesticides
• Implement the most restrictive possible policy relating to GM crops
• Review agi-environment schemes to give better value to the tax payer
• All Wales coastal path, increasing public access to the countryside.

Rhodri Morgan said:

"Bringing about a cleaner and greener Wales is about making sure we protect our environment, and learn to enjoy it and use our energy in a sustainable way."

"We're going to build on our strong green credentials - investment in recycling means Wales is on course for meeting the target of recycling or composting 25% of waste by 2007 and 40% by 2015.  The Assembly Government gets 90% of its energy from renewable sources and has given a total of £3.1 million to local NHS trusts to use their energy more efficiently and Assembly street lighting is 100 per cent green energy."

"Since half of all of Wales's carbon emissions come from buildings - our commitment to reduce carbon emissions from buildings are an important step in the right direction."

Environment Minister Carwyn Jones said:

"1,300 Welsh schools already take part in the eco-schools scheme, where schoolchildren learn about recycling and then take on the responsibility of making their school more environmentally friendly."

"Labour will increase the number of schools taking part in this scheme and will put sustainability at the heart of the national curriculum as well as increasing the opportunities for learning outdoors.  This is because tackling environmental problems needs to go hand in hand with making sure all our communities can access the Great Welsh Outdoors and appreciate why we need to protect it.  Labour has opened up the country side for more people to enjoy walking routes and we are now promising an all Wales coastal path."

"We'll bring in tough new measures to cut the use of harmful pesticides and implement tough policies on GM crops to protect the environment."

"And we're committed to a better public transport system - free bus passes for pensioners means more of use are using buses, but in a Labour third term we'll invest more rail carriages, give discounted rail travel to pensioners and turn the Traws Cambria coach service into an all Wales travel network."

Labour delivers Free Prescriptions

  From the first of April everyone who lives in Wales has been able to get their NHS prescriptions free of charge.  Labour's Cardiff North Candidate Sophie Howe has welcomed the removal of charges as everyone in Cardiff North will benefit.

Sophie said:

"This is great news for everyone in Cardiff North, especially young families and the elderly.  But the news is especially important for people with long-term illnesses like Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis, who need constant medication."

"Scrapping prescription charges will make life easier for the most vulnerable members of our community and will make it more likely for people on lower incomes to take the medication they need.  Free prescriptions is the best and simplest way of making sure everyone in our community gets the healthcare they deserve."

"The Welsh Labour policy is unique to Wales and shows Labour delivering on our promise to make NHS prescriptions free for all."

Labour sorts out local litter problem

LABOUR will took to the streets on Saturday to clean up the litter in Llandaff North, Whitchurch and Llanishen.

Local residents are fed up that Lib Dem run Cardiff Council has left rubbish to fester.  In a survey conducted locally by Cardiff North labour, littering was listed one of people's main concerns.

Labour's Cardiff North candidate and Labour council group deputy leader Sophie Howe will lead a team of local residents, Labour students and party members on the litter pick.

SOPHIE HOWE said:

"Residents in the north of Cardiff are fed up that the Lib Dem council has been so slow at getting the litter around here picked up.  People have the right to live in clean and tidy neighbourhoods.

"If the Lib Dems won't get it sorted, then our Labour team is prepared to hit the streets and sort it out for local people.  This is Labour taking action, on the side of local people."

"The Labour Assembly Government has passed tough new penalties for littering.  But the Lib Dems on Cardiff Council are yet again letting down the people by failing to make use of powers available to them."

The litter pick started at 11:00am on Saturday outside the shops on Gabalfa Ave.  It then moved to the Whitchurch Hich lower site and community centre in Whitchurch before cleaning up around Fishguard Road.

'Safe routes to schools will save lives,' says Local Councillor

Local Councillor and Labour Assembly Candidate for Cardiff North today welcomed the announcement that Cardiff County Council has been given £431,000 for the creation of Safe Routes to Schools for Whitchurch High School.  The project which will include eleven safety improvement schemes across Whitchurch and Rhiwbina has come as a result of Councillor Sophie Howe working with the school and the Council's Traffic Department to look at ways to address the concerns that were raised by pupils about their routes to school.  Council Traffic Officers worked with teachers and pupils at the school to identify the routes they used and any safety issues and then submitted a bid for safety improvement work to the Welsh Assembly.

The bid submitted to the Assembly included the following improvements to routes used by pupils.

1. Velindre Road roundabout - Velindre Road and Kelston Road - pedestrian crossings
2. Pantbach Road - pedestrian crossing
3. Three phased scemes providing cycle lanes along Manor Way
4. Church Road - soeed reduction scheme
5. Park Road and Park Crescent - junction improvements and speed reduction measures
6. St Margarets Road - improvement to dropped kerbs
7. Plas Treoda - table junction and speed reduction measures
8. Pantmawr Road and Coryton Rise - junction improvements
9. Provision of cycle stands and lockers at the school

Councillor Sophie Howe had just last week criticised the Lib Dem Council for leaving a backlog of 114 road safety schemes in a council black hole awaiting finance.  She said she was "delighted by the news of this funding from the Assembly", which would address many of the schemes in Whitchurch which had been awaiting finance.

Sophie Howe said:

"Too many children are hurt in road accidents around schools.  16 children aged 0-7 are killed or seriously injured every week on the roads.  This is unacceptable.  These road improvements will help to encourage children to walk to school and make parents feel more confident about allowing them to."

She continued:

"Many of the schemes which will be funded have been identified for some time by local residents as problem areas but funding has not been forthcoming from the Council to deal with the problems and improve road safety.  This news will be welcomed by pupils, parents and local residents who will be pleased that there will finally be some action to improve road safety in the area."

Labour Assembly Minister, Andrew Davies said:

"Cars kill more kids than cancer.  That is why, if re-elected, the Labour party will introduce a £100 million safer roads fund for Wales.  We will introduce more Safe Routes to School and more 20mph zones outside schools."

Labour Calls for Action on Road Safety

Labour Councillors in Cardiff have called for more funding for road safety schemes after their enquiries revealed that there are more than 100 road safety schemes awaiting finance across the City.

Labour Deputy Leader and Cardiff North Assembly Candidate Sophie Howe began to make enquiries about road safety schemes following concerns about the delayed schemes in her ward including a traffic calming scheme on The Philog where there was a fatality last year.

Councillor Howe's information request to the Traffic and Transportation Department revealed that there were 114 schemes across the City which had been drawn up following surveys which identified traffic safety issues.  These schemes included modifications to junctions, pedestrian crossings and most importantly traffic calming schemes designed to reduce the speeds of traffic in areas where speeds are considered dangerous.

Councillor Sophie Howe claimed that these delays were putting lives at risk and The Labour Group have proposed that additional finance should be included in the Council's budget to enable the Council to implement more road safety schemes.

Labour Deputy Leader and Cardiff North Assembly Candidate Sophie Howe said:

"It is extremely worrying that more than 100 road safety schemes are stuck in a council black hole seemingly with no hope of receiving finance.  The Traffic Department have stringent criteria in deciding whether roads need traffic calking and therefore those roads which have been identified clearly have safety issues which need addressing."

She continued;

"One of the top complaints received by Councillors across the City relate to the speed of traffic in residential areas.  I have secured agreement from the traffic department for schemes in a number of areas in my ward but am constantly told that they are awaiting finance.  This is quite literally a matter of life and death.  The Administration must take action to make our roads safer and this can only be done by committing to extra finance for these traffic calming schemes."

ENDS

Schemes which have been affected by these delays:

1. Allensbank Road Junction Build-outs
2. Ventnor Place/Western Avenue Junction Improvements
3. Llantarnam Road at Western Avenue On Slip Junction Modification
4. Llantarnham Road, Road Humps
5. Pantbach Road (Southern Section) Junction Modification
6. Entrance to UHW from Allensbank Road - right turn filter arrow Junction Modification
7. Pantbach Road Pedestrian Facilities
8. Tair Erw/Pedair/Pum Erw/Heol Dyfed Road Humps
9. Lisvane Road and St Mellons Road Traffic Calming
10. Capel Gwilym/Heol Hir Junction Improvement
11. Heol Y Delyn/Mill Road and Mill Road Junction Improvement and Traffic Calming
12. Colwinston Street Speed Cushions
13. Gabalfa Avenue Cycle ways
14. South of Gabalfa Avenue Gabalfa Road River View Speed Cushions
15. North East Traffic Calming Improvements
16. North West Evansfield Road and Ty Mawr Road Speed
17. Heol Hir North from its Junction with Excalibur Drive Speed Cushions with 20mph
18. St Mellons/Bridge Road/Church Road Traffic Calming
19. Newport Road Cypress Road Roundabout to Wern Fawr
20. Heol - y- Deri Junction Modification
21. Rhiwbina Southeast Road Humps and Parking Measures
22. Heol Don Build out at Zebra Crossing
23. Coryton Rise/Pantmawr Road Juncion Build-outs
24. Heol Don Zebra Crossing
25. Tongwynlais Castle Road Junction improvement
26. Cae Gwyn Road/Plas Treoda Whitchurch Junction Modification
27. Heol-y-Gors Area Road Hump Scheme