Assembly Press releases

I recieved this news press release and was pleased to see there will be free training for any workforce that are placed on a short time working week

Wales gets ‘ProActive’ in new pilot scheme

ProAct, a major new Welsh Assembly Government pilot scheme to support businesses and employees during the economic downturn, will initially focus on the automotive sector in Welsh Labour’s Education Minister Jane Hutt announced today.

ProAct will provide quality training for employees put on short-time working, before redundancies are considered.

The Welsh Assembly Government is working closely with a range of organisations such as the Welsh Automotive Forum, SEMTA and the newly formed Wales Manufacturing Forum to develop the scheme. Funding for ProAct will be provided on a selective basis and will cover the training as well as a wage subsidy for the employee whilst engaged in the training.

It is anticipated that ProAct will help prevent redundancies as well as improving the skills base of organisations by retraining employees in areas where there is demand and where companies anticipate there to be opportunities.

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Wales-wide campaign calls for people to ‘weigh up’ their risk of stroke

A new advertising campaign has been launched this week urging people to lead healthier lifestyles to help reduce their risk of stroke.

The Stroke Association’s Weigh Up Your Risk radio campaign is being funded by the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government as part of Health Challenge Wales. The radio adverts highlight that maintaining a healthy body weight could decrease high-blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of stroke by a third.

In the UK, someone has a stroke every five minutes.  They are common among those over the age of 55, but can happen at any age.  Strokes are the leading cause of disability in the UK, and the third most common cause of death, after cancer and heart disease.

The campaign points people in the direction of the Stroke Association’s website which provides helpful tips on healthy eating, how to make regular physical activity a part of your lifestyle and further information on stroke, high blood pressure and health checks. A helpline has also been set up to provide information for anyone concerned about the risks of stroke.

The Stroke Association website can be found here and the helpline number 0845 3033 100

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Community Radio Fund back on the air

The Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government is inviting applications for the next financial year from its Community Radio Fund.

The fund, which is aimed at community radio stations rather than commercial radio stations, provides funding to assist community radio stations with the core costs of running a station, such as management and admin costs. It is open to radio stations that hold a five-year broadcast licence from Ofcom and is awarded on a competitive basis.

Successful applicants will show how they will help their communities in a number of key areas including encouraging healthy lifestyles, promoting training and social enterprise for excluded and vulnerable people, and strengthening cultural and linguistic identity.

Full details of the fund can be found by clicking here.

STATEMENT MADE BY Jane Davidson Assembly Minister 14th January

I am delighted to announce that the Strategic Policy Position Statement on Water is being published today for comment.

The timing of this Statement will help ensure that water services in Wales can respond to the economic, social and environmental changes that affect this important resource.

The Welsh Assembly Government provides the strategic direction for the water sector in Wales, but our role is framed within a complex set of regulatory and operational responsibilities. Many of these responsibilities apply in a similar way in Wales and in England, but, there are some areas where a more distinct approach is appropriate for Wales.

In the Statement, we set out our position on certain aspects of water policy that we have revised or developed to help respond to the pressures and challenges we face as we plan for the future in Wales.

The Statement has been developed to fit in with the Welsh Assembly Government’s wider policy Framework, in particular our consultation on a new Sustainable Development Scheme for Wales, One Wales: One Planet, the Environment Strategy for Wales and its action plan and our emerging Climate Change Strategy.  

The Welsh Assembly Government’s core principles in relation to water are:

• ensuring access to safe drinking water
• maintaining water and sewerage services at an affordable price
• compliance with statutory obligations that drive all round water quality

I would welcome all views on the priorities set out in the Strategic Policy Position Statement on Water by 25 February 2009.  The Welsh Assembly Government will also be having meetings with relevant stakeholders throughout Wales.

A copy of the Strategic Policy Position Statement on Water is attached for information.

The document is also available on the Welsh Assembly Government website and hard copies have been placed in the Library.