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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Poverty and housing laws planned | Poverty and housing laws planned |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| First Minister Rhodri Morgan has outlined plans for new Welsh laws on child poverty, affordable housing and home care charging over the next year. | First Minister Rhodri Morgan has outlined plans for new Welsh laws on child poverty, affordable housing and home care charging over the next year. |
| The assembly government's plans also include laws to help children with learning needs and to suspend the right to buy council homes in some areas. | |
| He said he wanted "to make a practical difference to the people of Wales". | He said he wanted "to make a practical difference to the people of Wales". |
| But the Conservatives accused ministers of "failing to match ambition with delivery". | But the Conservatives accused ministers of "failing to match ambition with delivery". |
| Wales is growing up as a nation and this body, which represents it, is growing up as a democratic, legislative body as well Rhodri Morgan, First Minister | Wales is growing up as a nation and this body, which represents it, is growing up as a democratic, legislative body as well Rhodri Morgan, First Minister |
| The Labour-Plaid Cymru administration intends providing "more support to children and families experiencing poverty". | The Labour-Plaid Cymru administration intends providing "more support to children and families experiencing poverty". |
| A duty is to be imposed on public agencies to demonstrate what they are doing to end child poverty and to "provide free childcare places and other early years' services in specified areas". | A duty is to be imposed on public agencies to demonstrate what they are doing to end child poverty and to "provide free childcare places and other early years' services in specified areas". |
| The range of children and young people with additional learning needs, who can appeal to the special educational needs tribunal for Wales, is to be extended in the legislative programme. | |
| A "fairer and more consistent approach" to home care charges is to be introduced along with a measure to ensure local bodies work together to improve public services. | A "fairer and more consistent approach" to home care charges is to be introduced along with a measure to ensure local bodies work together to improve public services. |
| The assembly government also intends to allow local councils to apply to temporarily suspend tenants the 'right to buy' homes where there are housing shortages. | The assembly government also intends to allow local councils to apply to temporarily suspend tenants the 'right to buy' homes where there are housing shortages. |
| Approval from Westminster is still needed for the housing measure and ministers are also seeking to gain a series of other further powers from Parliament. | Approval from Westminster is still needed for the housing measure and ministers are also seeking to gain a series of other further powers from Parliament. |
| These would allow them to give extra support to carers, put a statutory duty on local authorities to promote culture and allow further education colleges to award foundation degrees. | These would allow them to give extra support to carers, put a statutory duty on local authorities to promote culture and allow further education colleges to award foundation degrees. |
| Mr Morgan said the legislative programme was "for the sake of making a practical difference to the people of Wales". | Mr Morgan said the legislative programme was "for the sake of making a practical difference to the people of Wales". |
| He said everyone involved in using the assembly's new procedures had been on a "steep learning curve". | He said everyone involved in using the assembly's new procedures had been on a "steep learning curve". |
| "It's been a learning curve for this assembly as a scrutiny and legislative body, its been a learning curve for us as ministers, it's been a learning curve for our civil servants and lawyers as well. | "It's been a learning curve for this assembly as a scrutiny and legislative body, its been a learning curve for us as ministers, it's been a learning curve for our civil servants and lawyers as well. |
| "But it shows that, on that steep learning curve, Wales is growing up as a nation and this body, which represents it, is growing up as a democratic, legislative body as well". | "But it shows that, on that steep learning curve, Wales is growing up as a nation and this body, which represents it, is growing up as a democratic, legislative body as well". |
| 'Get to grips' | 'Get to grips' |
| But Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne said Mr Morgan's statement had been "long on rhetoric, short on substance, and lacking in timescale". | But Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne said Mr Morgan's statement had been "long on rhetoric, short on substance, and lacking in timescale". |
| "While there are some positives to consider in this legislative statement, there is little to give us confidence that the assembly government can deliver it," he said. | "While there are some positives to consider in this legislative statement, there is little to give us confidence that the assembly government can deliver it," he said. |
| "The Labour-Plaid government has had 12 months to get to grips with the new legislative arrangements. | "The Labour-Plaid government has had 12 months to get to grips with the new legislative arrangements. |
| "Ministers have no excuses for failing to match ambition with delivery," he added. | "Ministers have no excuses for failing to match ambition with delivery," he added. |
| Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German warned that the longer it took for the assembly to gain further powers from Westminster under the 2006 Government of Wales Act, the more it would demonstrate "we are lacking the muscle which we need to try and do the things for the people that we need". | Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German warned that the longer it took for the assembly to gain further powers from Westminster under the 2006 Government of Wales Act, the more it would demonstrate "we are lacking the muscle which we need to try and do the things for the people that we need". |
| Measure | Measure |
| Royal assent was passed on the first measure (or Welsh law) on Friday. | Royal assent was passed on the first measure (or Welsh law) on Friday. |
| Over the past year under the 2006 Government of Wales Act, the scope of the assembly's powers have been gradually increased. | Over the past year under the 2006 Government of Wales Act, the scope of the assembly's powers have been gradually increased. |
| This means it has gained powers to make legislation without permission from Westminster. | This means it has gained powers to make legislation without permission from Westminster. |
| The NHS Redress Measure (or Welsh law) which will make it easier and quicker to claim compensation after negligent treatment by the Welsh NHS, was approved last Friday. | The NHS Redress Measure (or Welsh law) which will make it easier and quicker to claim compensation after negligent treatment by the Welsh NHS, was approved last Friday. |