Tag: Welsh Government

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.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 16 December 2022.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan and WLGA leader Andrew Morgan have announced more than 500 extra step-down beds and community care packages for Wales this winter, to help people get care closer to home and free up hospital beds.

The ‘Step Down’ service will support people to return to their communities when they no longer need treatment in hospital but may require more time, support, and specialist care. Care at home services are also being boosted to enable more people to return to their own home.

An extra 508 beds and community care packages have been confirmed by local health boards and local authorities so far, with many more currently being negotiated.

They are being provided by funding from the Welsh Government’s Regional Integration Fund and local authorities and health boards’ own resources.

The Welsh Government this week also announced an extra £70m to ensure social care workers in Wales will receive the Real Living Wage. That is part of wider efforts to recruit and retain social care workers and strengthen the sector to help support eh NHS as it faces one of its toughest winters.

Health Minster Eluned Morgan said:

Our health service is facing unprecedented demand this winter. But we know some people are staying in hospital longer than they need to. This in turn, has a severe knock-on effect for people waiting for operations and creates delays for the ambulance service. We have been working hard with health boards and local authorities for months to make sure we have enough community beds this winter and there is still work going on to secure more beds. I hope to be able to announce more beds soon. Through this new initiative we can not only care for people closer to home but also free up more beds in our hospitals.

Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan said:

We know everyone wants to return to their community as soon as possible, following a hospital stay. But the current social care workforce shortages mean that’s not always possible at the moment. A short-term stay in a Step Down facility, is the next best thing, with review and transfer to home as soon as possible.

This week we also announced a £70m investment for social workers to receive the Real Living Wage. This is part of our longer-term strategy to boost the recruitment and retention of social care staff in Wales and to make sure the care system can meet future demand.

Councillor Andrew Morgan (Rhondda Cynon Taf), WLGA Leader said:

We know the health sector and social care services are both under severe strain. These innovative packages will help to build move-on capacity and improve flow across the health and social care system and to free some of the areas under pressures, such as discharges from hospitals and the impact this can have on ambulance waiting lists and admittance to hospitals.

This increased capacity in the community, that councils have created working in partnership with health and supported by our social care providers, is an example of the practical solutions that happen as a product of co-operation across the health sector, Welsh Government and local government, which we hope will have tangible benefits and positive impacts for individuals, particularly over the Winter period when services remain under significant pressure.

People who are referred to ‘step down’ facilities include those who are medically fit to leave hospital, no longer meet the criteria for an acute hospital bed but require care and support services which cannot be provided in their own homes or require a short-term stay as they are deemed unsafe to return to their home pending a start date for community packages of care.

Individuals, their families and carers will be provided with information on their care plans.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 3 December 2022.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt has reaffirmed the Welsh Government’s commitment to the Social Model of Disability after hearing from disabled people about the barriers they have had to overcome in society in Wales.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 2 December 2022.

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, officially opened the Welsh Ambulance Service’s new station in Cardiff yesterday.

The £8 million Welsh Government-funded facility in Pontprennau is the new home of both emergency and non-emergency crews, previously based at the Blackweir station.

The Cycle Response Unit is also based in the new facility, which includes a ‘Make Ready Depot’ where dedicated Fleet Assistants clean and re-stock vehicles, enabling clinicians to spend more time serving patients in the community.

Cardiff’s Healthy Travel Charter has been central to the design of the station, which has electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage, bat boxes and a rainwater harvesting system, which enables water to be re-used for vehicle cleaning.

The Minister also visited the station’s new immersive training room, where simulation technology will recreate real-life scenarios to put students’ skills to the test.

The new station is part of a programme of work to modernise the Welsh Ambulance Service’s estate.

Eluned Morgan said:

I am delighted to officially open Cardiff’s new ambulance station, providing crews with the base they deserve. The state-of-the art facilities will increase the time crews can spend with sick or injured people, as well as excellent training facilities for new and current staff.

Alongside the £3m we’re investing to recruit around 100 additional frontline staff and introduce a new ‘Cymru High Acuity Response Unit’ (CHARU) service, our new ambulance infrastructure will provide a range of benefits to our ambulance staff and the communities they serve.

Chris Willis, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Locality Manager for Cardiff, said:

This project has been many years in the pipeline so we’re thrilled that it’s operational. We have fond memories of our time at Blackweir station, but the building was of its time and no longer fit-for-purpose.

This is a 21st century ambulance station to be proud of, and it means that crews finally get the facilities they deserve, which ultimately means a better service for people in Cardiff.

The Make Ready Depot in particular is a huge advance and not only frees up crews to spend more time in the community but also improves infection control, which is more important than ever.

Chris Turley, the Trust’s Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources, added:

One of our key priorities as an organisation is to ensure our people have access to facilities that are safe, well maintained and fit-for-purpose and which allow them to serve communities to the best of their ability.

We’re grateful to Welsh Government for their investment in this project.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 1 December 2022.

More than 500 people from Ukraine have moved into longer-term accommodation after being supported through the Welsh Government’s super sponsor scheme.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt today said it shows Wales is truly a Nation of Sanctuary.

The latest figures show almost 3,000 people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, who have been directly sponsored by the Welsh Government, have arrived in Wales.

I’m proud we have been able to welcome so many people here and humbled so many people are living independently in Wales,” the Minister said.

I also want to thank everyone who has opened their home to provide sanctuary and safety to someone from Ukraine.

People arriving in Wales via the Welsh Government’s super sponsor route have stayed in welcome centres and in initial accommodation, including hotels, universities and holiday parks, across the country.

Wrap-around support has been available in the initial accommodation to help people find work and enrol children in schools as they settle into life in Wales. Many Ukrainians are now moving on from this initial accommodation into homes of their own.

This is part of the Welsh Government’s strategy to help people settle into more permanent accommodation. Policies are in place to support local authorities to help people put down roots in Wales.

Many Ukrainian arrivals are finding work in their chosen sectors – they have the skills and expertise Welsh businesses need.

Iryna arrived in Wales and spent time in a welcome centre earlier this year. After she was seen meeting the First Minister in media coverage, she was approached by a Swansea-based company looking for someone with her particular skillset.

Power and Water, a wastewater treatment company, had struggled to find the right candidate with the necessary experience and, after meeting her, she now works as a graduate process engineer.

Harry Cowan, CEO of Power and Water, said:

Iryna holds a biology and chemical engineering degree and a Masters in Electro Coagulation  Processing – she was exactly the candidate we had been looking to employ. Her knowledge and attitude is remarkable and we have no doubt she will make a major contribution to our business.

This really is a win-win situation for all of us. We have an exceptional candidate who will positively contribute to our product development and business and we also feel a sense of pride as a business that we are able to contribute in a small way to normalising Iryna’s life a little – and, more importantly, ensure her life does not stop during these uncertain times for her.

Iryna, who has now found her own place to live and settled into her new job, said:

I would like to say a massive thank you for the welcome I have had to Wales and for being given the opportunity to build a new life here.

If I hadn’t been given support when I first arrived here it doesn’t bear thinking about.

I was delighted when Power and Water approached me and am grateful for them for showing faith in me.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt added:

We continue to show our support for people from Ukraine and are committed to being a Nation of Sanctuary.

More than 500 people have now moved on from initial accommodation into a place of their own.

We are continuing to work with local authorities and the third sector to support move on. This includes bringing forward more longer-term accommodation for everyone in housing need through our £60m Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 November 2022.

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, has today announced several changes to support and encourage more people to join the teaching profession.

To help support eligible postgraduate student teachers during the cost-of-living crisis a new payment structure will see eligible student teachers being paid a larger amount after their first term rather than at the end of their induction period. It’s hoped that the new payment structure will support eligible learners with funds when they need it most during the start of their course. Helping to buy supplies for their training and helping with the cost-of-living.

It has also been confirmed that a GCSE grade of C in English and/or Welsh and in Mathematics will replace the current requirement of B grade. It is considered that the B grade was an unnecessary barrier to teaching, and now puts Wales in line with the rest of the UK.

The Welsh Government has also announced today that the number of Salaried PGCE places will increase from 120 to 160 in 2023 to 2024, to be used with Primary or Secondary education.

The Salaried PGCE helps remove barriers for those wishing to enter the teaching profession enabling student teachers to maintain their current commitments, including employment and income, whilst studying to be a teacher.

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

I have announced these changes to incentives today in order to support those already training and to help attract more people to the profession.

With the roll out of our new curriculum, this is an incredibly exciting time for education in Wales and for people to join.

I’m determined that we remove barriers into teaching so we can give school pupils the best possible education, especially in priority subjects where the demand for new teachers is highest.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 November 2022.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters will visit the Menai Suspension Bridge today where he will unveil a package of support to ease the transport pressures on people travelling to and from Anglesey.

The Deputy Minister, who has responsibility for transport, will also meet with representatives from Gwynedd and Anglesey councils to discuss the important maintenance works.

The new package put together in partnership with UK Highways A55 Ltd and Anglesey and Gwynedd County Councils, includes an extensive range of measures, including free parking, traffic flow solutions, access to active travel routes and additional bus stops to support people affected by the bridge closure.

From 1 December free parking will be available at car parks in Menai Bridge town and at the two park and share sites throughout December and January. This practical support measure has been put in place to assist local businesses dependent on Christmas trade, help reduce the numbers of vehicles wishing to cross the A55 Britannia Bridge and ease commuting times for those seeking to travel to and from Anglesey. These steps have been taken in addition to other signage measures that are currently in place.

To assist with the loss of bus services on the island following the closure of the bridge, the council has provided additional stops closer to the Menai Suspension Bridge to allow the general public to travel by bus and walk across the bridge instead of being potentially held-up in traffic on the A55. They are also using their community transport to help the more rural communities affected by the bridge closure.

Local authorities are also considering active travel routes to allow cyclists to use ‘hire bikes’ to potentially be used in Menai Bridge and Bangor.

An emergency services contingency plan to utilise Menai Suspension Bridge when the A55 Britannia Bridge is closed has been developed and the gates on the Menai Suspension Bridge to allow emergency access across the structure during very extreme events were installed last week.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters said:

We understand people’s frustrations and the inconvenience and disruption caused to the local community.

“We have been working closely with UK Highways A55 Ltd and local authorities to introduce these measures to help alleviate people’s concerns and ensure disruption is kept to a minimum as essential work continues on the Menai Suspension Bridge.

Anglesey Council’s Leader, Councillor Llinos Medi, said,

We are pleased to see these support measures introduced today. Since the closure of the Menai Suspension Bridge, we have been strongly advocating for support to be provided to local businesses.

The Menai Suspension Bridge is a vital gateway to and from the town centre. We are hopeful these set of measures will go some way to help support local businesses that have reported a fall in trade since the closure of the bridge.

We are currently analysing the results from a recent online survey shared with local businesses. This work will enable us to continue dialogue with Welsh Government in respect of further support, if needed, throughout the closure period. Menai Bridge is very much open for business, and I encourage residents and visitors to visit the town and support local businesses in the area.