Tag: 2022

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 20 December 2022.

The Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, has responded to the latest agreement that has been reached at COP15 in Montreal.

The Minister said:

I’ve just seen the news coming through that there has been an agreement at COP15.

It’s a bit early to talk about the detail, but it looks like a deal has been done – that there is protection for indigenous people, that the targets have been agreed and some of the finance too.

We’ll have to have a look at the detail, but it’s probably not strong enough on pesticide control and some of the other protections, but what will be really important now is how we get the implementation of it done. These targets need to be met by the end of the decade and Wales will certainly play its part in making sure that happens.

For us, going forward, we will be putting our 30×30 targets in place, we’ll be putting our environmental protections in place, we’ll be learning from people all over the world – in particular in Quebec – on forestry and nature restoration. We’ll be able to be a global leader, I think, in how we get from where we are now to good environmental status for 30% of our land by 2030.

What was really great, when we were there (at COP), was the pressure coming from the seventh summit of ICLEI – the alliance of sub-national governments, provinces, cities and regions from across the world – there was huge pressure upwards towards the UN member states to get something done. The real hope for the world is that those are the people, on the ground, who will be actually implementing the legislation and the protection.

I think it’s now all about making sure we keep those global alliances, get the implementation done as fast as possible and keep the pressure on the UK Government, and other UN member states, to put the finance in place – to put their money where their mouth is, frankly.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 20 December 2022.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 19 December 2022.

An additional 1.5 million free school meals have been served in primary schools across Wales since the rollout of Universal Primary Free School Meals began in September.

As part of the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, Universal Primary Free School Meals now allow an extra 45,000 primary school children to have the option of a free school meal. All primary school children and more than 6,000 nursery-age pupils attending a maintained school will be eligible for free school meals by 2024.

Its estimated nearly 66,000 extra pupils will be fed in the first year of roll-out.

£260m has been committed to implement the programme. This includes an additional £60m capital funding for local authorities to invest in improvements to school kitchen facilities, including purchasing equipment and updating digital systems.

Rollout started at the beginning of the autumn term, with reception children receiving the first free meals. Year one and two pupils are now also starting to benefit from the scheme.

Minister for Education and Welsh language, Jeremy Miles, said:

Schools and local authorities across Wales have been working incredibly hard to deliver 1.5m additional Universal Primary Free School Meals in the first few months of the rollout.

I’m pleased that so many primary school children have benefited from the scheme already. Families across Wales are feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, and Universal Primary Free School Meals are helping to ensure children have a nutritious meal.

The programme will continue to expand in the new year, as even more authorities start offering free meals to Years 1 and 2 by April 2023.

Designated Member Siân Gwenllian said:

Delivering 1.5 million additional free school meals in just over three months is a huge achievement and one that is needed now more than ever.  The roll-out of universal free school meals in all primary schools in Wales shows how co-operative working through the agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government is making a real difference to people’s lives. We are making sure no child goes hungry, while also providing help for families during this cost-of-living crisis.

The number of meals delivered will also increase as we work together to make sure all children attending primary schools will be eligible for free school meals by 2024. I want to thank our local authorities and schools helping us achieve this.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 19 December 2022.

The inclusion of the Gateway site in Deeside on the shortlist of three sites for the Rolls Royce SMR factory to produce key components for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), shows the strength of the skills and expertise in North Wales, Ministers have said.

Rolls Royce SMR has considered over 100 sites across the UK.

The Heavy Pressure Vessels (HPV) factory will support the production of first-of-a kind SMRs in the UK, with additional potential for worldwide export.  The final decision on its location is to be taken in the New Year.

The Welsh Government is committed to developing a low carbon economy and the nuclear sector is seen as key to this ambition. The sector offers significant economic development opportunities as well as contributing to efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The vision for nuclear is focused around investment in place, supporting the supply chain and the development of key skills.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said:

To reach the shortlist and be considered as one of the final three is a great achievement, and I congratulate the team working on this. With Cwmni Egino in Trawsfynydd leading work to enable SMRs on the site and facilities such as the AMRC championing advance manufacturing, North Wales does provide the skills and expertise for such a facility.

To be featured on this prestigious shortlist is testament to the skills we have in North Wales, and helps further highlight this.

Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths said:

The production of SMRs has the potential to be a key contributor to the low carbon economy, and North Wales is already leading the way through Cwmni Egino.  I congratulate all those involved in reaching the shortlist, and whatever the final outcome, this in itself shows the very real strengths of the region in this sector.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 19 December 2022.

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has awarded Coleg Sir Gar a three-year contract to work on eradicating Sheep Scab in Wales.

Sheep Scab is one of the major disease risks for the sheep industry and can be spread through failures of biosecurity, complex movement patterns, and the mixing of sheep on and off farms, such as through common grazing.

The aims and objectives of the project awarded to Coleg Sir Gar are to improve animal health and welfare standards by supporting industry to eradicate Sheep Scab from Wales.

This consists of:

• Significantly reducing Sheep Scab outbreaks on Welsh farms.
• Accurate understanding of the incidence and prevalence of sheep scab in Wales, including the patterns of its occurrence and spread, to best target control measures.
• Promoting accurate and timely diagnosis of the disease when it occurs, and treating appropriately in a successful, environmentally sustainable, and safe way.
• Increasing awareness within the sheep industry in Wales of the importance of biosecurity and safe sourcing of sheep, to control sheep scab, within the context of other infectious diseases.
• Significantly improving biosecurity within the sheep sector in Wales by designing, delivering, and measuring actions to stop the spread of sheep scab on and off farms, at markets and other points of sheep collection, through short and long-range transport and at common grazing.

Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said:

The sheep industry in Wales is iconic and is our largest livestock sector.

Sheep Scab is one of the most contagious diseases of sheep and a difficult challenge for the industry.

Effective control of sheep scab, both on a local and national scale is essential. Sheep must be scab-free to be productive and to have a good quality of life.

The All-Wales Sheep Scab Eradication Project will see Coleg Sir Gar working closely with the industry to control and ultimately eradicate Sheep Scab from Wales.

I have long said a collaborative approach is key to success and by working together we can reach our goals.

John Griffiths from Coleg Sir Gar said:

We are delighted to have been awarded the funds to deliver the All-Wales Sheep Scab Eradication Project in partnership with the Royal Vet College.

Evidence of Sheep Scab is frequently confirmed across Wales. It is hoped this consolidated industry-wide effort will achieve significant gains in eradicating this disease.’

Working with Dr Neil Paton of the Royal Vet College we plan to roll out the project in 2023.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 19 December 2022.

Vital information about the health of pregnant women and their unborn babies will be shared much faster with a new all-Wales digital system for maternity services in Wales, being created by a £7m investment from the Welsh Government.

Mothers-to-be will be able to access their records as well as receiving timely messages to help ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Currently all the health boards in Wales use different systems, both digital and paper based. Creating one digital system for the whole of Wales will allow all the various  professionals involved in care to share vital information more quickly, which could help reduce potential complications and ensure safe effective seamless care.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said the Welsh Government will be investing £7m to develop the new system, which will be rolled out across the whole of Wales in the next two to three years.

She said:

Several recent reviews of maternity services in Wales and the UK have called for the creation of a unified digital system.

This new system will be safer and more efficient thanks to faster, better information sharing. It will also give women much more control over their maternity records and allow them to feedback to midwives and doctors much faster, via an app that will have records of all their discussions with health professionals.

Improvements in accuracy of data collection will also allow health boards to better plan services.

Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, Sue Tranka added:

During the course of their pregnancy women will see several different midwives and doctors sometimes across different health boards, so having one all-Wales digital system will make that journey much smoother.

It will also reduce bureaucracy and duplication, freeing up more time for those health professionals to focus on people.

Via the app we will be able to send pregnant women health advice, reminders for things like getting their flu jab as well as important personal medical messages.

The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 17 December 2022.

The Welsh Government has launched a new initiative to encourage more local spending on food by the Welsh NHS, schools and local government to help support Welsh producers, create more jobs and boost prosperity in local communities, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething announced today.

A new online food procurement resource, ‘Buying Food Fit for the Future’ is part of wider Welsh Government plans to support Wales’ everyday local economies.

Estimates suggest the Foundational Economy accounts for four in ten jobs and £1 in every three that is spent in Wales.

Food is a crucial Foundational Economy sector which has faced, and is still facing, many challenges following Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently, the war in Ukraine and rising energy and fuel bills.

Public sector procurement has an important role in helping address these challenges and re-localising food chains, maximising self sufficiency and resilience.

The new legal guidance in the online resource clarifies what can be included in food tenders, whilst remaining compliant with procurement rules, to maximise opportunities for local food producers and suppliers.

Public sector food procurement in Wales is worth approximately £84.7 million per annum, with Local Government and NHS Wales together accounting for more than 80% of that.

Public sector purchasing from Welsh companies account for 58% of overall spend, and food of Welsh origin accounts for 23%.

The Universal Provision of Free School meals (UPFSM) commitment, ensuring that all primary school children in Wales will get free school meals by 2024, presents real opportunity for a major step change in policy and practice to transform the food system and address the disconnects within it.  Collaborative working, data-sharing and building strong, ethical relationships between all the players throughout the food system will be key.

The Minister recently visited Gower View Foods at Cross Hands Food Park in Carmarthenshire, who are known as the UK’s number one independent butter packer, packing butter for most of the UK and Europe’s leading brands.  The Minister also met with Ferrari Coffee, Bridgend. The producers are looking forward to the new guide which will encourage more Welsh food and drink to be used in the public sector.

Jon Lewis, Managing Director, Gower View Foods, said:

Gower View Foods produce award winning products made in Wales and supply a range of organisations in the public sector.

It is good to see the launch of the guide to public procurement to help increase the number of Welsh food and drink companies supplying the public sector.

Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said:

There is great scope to further increase Welsh food onto public plates in Wales and support our local producers.

Building the necessary capability and skills to embed Foundational Economy objectives across the Welsh public sector is crucial. By doing this, we can maximise opportunities for Welsh suppliers and build resilient, highly skilled supply chains. We can help grow these businesses, attract and retain new talent and recycle the Welsh pound in our communities.

The online food procurement resource is part of the necessary toolset and support for public sector stakeholders and practitioners which will help to change mindsets to focus on value creation through our procurement activity, rather than cash savings so those wider benefits and wellbeing goals can be achieved.

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said:

In Wales we produce excellent food and drink, and I’m pleased to see this new initiative which will help the public sector buy local. This is good for our food producers and for the local economy.  It will provide a great opportunity for producers and encourage more of the public sector to buy produce which is closer to home.