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Jones wants £3bn for economy
Deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones today called on the UK government to create an economic stimulation package, in which £3bn would flow into Wales. Speaking as Plaid Cymru leader, Jones warned against the £500m cut to the Senedd budget that Westminster is expected to make. He said: “Yesterday Gordon Brown finally reluctantly accepted collective responsibility for this crisis, yet when it comes to the reforms and initiatives needed his response has lacked ambition and a sense of urgency.” Jones was launching Plaid’s discussion paper, Recover, Reform, Renew, which proposes more regionally based banks, a 50 per cent tax rate for those earning more than £100,000 a year, a two-year reduction on VAT for electricity and fuel, and a cut in VAT on home repairs from 15 per cent to 5 per cent. But he confirmed his commitment to the One Wales coalition with Labour in Cardiff: “In government the efforts of Plaid ministers are ongoing to ensure that the Welsh economy gets the right sort of help during this downturn.”
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Rates cut again as policy shifts
The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee today cut the base interest rate to a new record low of 0.5 per cent from 1 per cent in a further attempt to get the economy moving. But its attention is moving from interest rate cuts, which have done little to aid recovery. Instead the Treasury is expected to pump more cash into the economy by purchasing bonds, a measure known as quantitative easing. 
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Glyndwr to run Technium
A company run by Wrexham’s Glyndwr University is to take over management of the Technium Optic business incubator at St Asaph. Glyndwr hopes the deal will create closer links between academics and companies at the incubator, which is focused on optoelectronic technology. OpticGlyndwr, the management company, will provide incubation, business support, technical facilities, research work, a technology spin-out service and educational courses. Trefor Jones, chairman of Optropreneurs, which previously managed the Technium, said: “A new structure was required to build on its success and ensure an even more exciting future for the enterprise.” The facility will continue to be owned by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Investment in hospitals and equipment
The Assembly Government is to invest £40m in hospital upgrade projects. Health Minister Edwina Hart said £18.8m would go towards modernising electrical systems at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, a project due to be completed by February 2012. A further £20.7m will go on a package of improvements including refurbishing units at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, and West Wales General Hospital, Carmarthen. Meanwhile, new equipment will go into the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff; Velindre Hospital, Cardiff; Powys hospitals; Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Wrexham Maelor Hospital; Singleton Hospital, Swansea; Morriston Hospital, Swansea; and Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth.
Capital housing makeover
Cardiff Council is gearing up its borrowing to invest more in council house improvements and help boost the capital’s economy. The authority will spend £17m, up from £12m, on improvements towards the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. Deputy leader Judith Woodman said: “This is a well thought through proposal, unlike the ideas emanating from some quarters that councils should throw all their reserves at the problems in the economy, leaving no funds to deal with the financial black hole predicted by the Welsh Assembly Government finance minister.” She added that it would have a significant impact for jobs and training opportunities in Cardiff.
Economy summit in Neath
Business and council leaders in Neath Port Talbot will tomorrow discuss how the borough can help firms deal with the downturn. The area hosts a number of big inward investors such as Corus at Port Talbot and Amazon at Jersey Marine, making it particularly sensitive to changes in the global economy. Council leader Derek Vaughan said the council was working on a strategy to cushion the slowdown. He added: “We hope the summit will help us gain a better understanding of the impact of the recession locally and help us alleviate some of the consequences.”
Flood defence plan for Conwy
The Environment Agency Wales is to invest £5.8m to build flood defences in the Conwy Valley. The work will include permanent defences at Llanrwst, an embankment at Trefriw and modifications to existing earth flood banks that protect farmland in the area. It follows flooding that affected the people and businesses in Llanwrst and Trefriw in 2004 and 2005. Work will start in April. Environment minister Jane Davidson said the Welsh Assembly Government was moving towards a “risk management approach” to flooding as incidences were likely to increase because of global warming.
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Call for more Welsh services
The influential Welsh Language Board has urged the Assembly Government to seek more powers to make companies provide services in Welsh. The board, which is sponsored by the National Assembly, wants the Assembly Government to ask Westminster for the right to make language laws for banks, building societies, insurance companies, bus operators, sports and leisure facilities, and conference centres. The board said those businesses should be included because “they all provide services of a public nature to the public in Wales”. But CBI Wales director David Rosser said: “The effect of this would be to place additional burdens on the major players in the Welsh insurance and banking industries at a time when they are trying to navigate through challenging conditions. The barrier to the voluntary extension of Welsh services in the private sector is the low level of usage.”
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Majority back parliament
Most people in Wales would like to see the Assembly given full law-making powers, according to the latest opinion poll. The BBC/ICM poll indicated that 52 per cent would like to see the Senedd become a law-making parliament, with 39 per cent against the idea. A year ago the equivalent figures were 49 per cent for and 42 per cent against. The limited devolution system is favoured by 21 per cent while 19 per cent would abolish the Assembly. The All-Wales Convention, which is consulting on whether the Assembly should get more powers, will visit Haverfordwest tomorrow and Swansea on Tuesday as part of its tour of Wales.
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