Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards yesterday (31.01.2012) repeated calls for energy powers to be transferred to the Welsh Government, which is currently run by elected representatives of Labour in Wales. Jonathan Edwards hoped to introduce a bill in Westminster which would give the Welsh Government powers over energy generation in Wales – this was something that was supported by both Labour and the Conservatives in their Welsh general election manifesto's last year, where they argued that there should be an increase from the present 50 MW limit.
Mr Edwards argued that the proposal would lead to equality with Scotland and Northern Ireland and that it would mean that we would be better placed to fight fuel poverty with responsibility for our own resources. This sounds fair and is entirely reasonable, but Mr Edwards motion was voted down by Labour MPs, who were more than happy to team up with Conservatives MPs to stop their own party in Wales taking these powers. The proposal was defeated by 239 votes to 44 after Labour and Conservative MPs teamed up together against the Bill.
After the vote, Jonathan Edwards, Plaid MP for Carmarthen East, said:
"It is extraordinary to see Labour MPs from Wales teaming up to vote with the Conservatives against a motion that would empower the Welsh Government which they run. Do they just not trust Carwyn Jones with these powers?
“My Bill was simply titled ‘Energy Generation Wales’ and, although our policy is for full transfer of powers to Wales, it would have been open for other MPs to amend and put forward their own suggestions.
“This was an opportunity for Labour to introduce proposals from the manifesto on which their Welsh Government were elected last year but their MPs in London seem strangely keen that Wales should not have these powers.
“When you see the Conservatives and Labour walking through the lobbies together in London then you know that they are doing something which is good for Westminster, not for Wales.
“It is a strange world where Labour would so obviously rather have the Conservatives in charge of energy in Wales than take responsibility for it themselves.
"In 2012 alone, Labour MPs from Wales have voted in favour of NHS privatisation, a reduction in farming subsidies for Wales and now against Wales having the same energy powers as Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"If Carwyn Jones can't persuade Welsh MPs to support his policies, then it makes you wonder if he has any influence on his own party – never mind his complete failure to influence the Tories in charge at Westminster."
Showing posts with label Carmarthen East and Dinefwr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carmarthen East and Dinefwr. Show all posts
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
FAIR FUNDING FOR WALES OR NOT?
Across Wales our local authorities have been robbed of a staggering £1 billion since the National Assembly was set up because of a discredited rule that forces them to send council house rent money to the Treasury. The figures were released (13th September) as Trade Union leaders today warned that UK public bodies faced the possibility of losing up to 200,000 jobs as a result of the Con Dem public sector cuts and their pressure to cut costs.
The Western Mail (13th September) revealed that across Wales, two councils and two police forces had already confirmed that some 2,000 job cuts were very likely.
Jonathan Edwards, the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, used a Freedom of Information request to the National Assembly to discover the true scale of the £1 billion loss. A similar request made to Whitehall resulted in a response that the Treasury did not hold a record of money sent it by the 22 Welsh councils.
At the moment under existing arrangements, Local Councils in Wales that raise more from council rents than they have to spend in maintenance on the homes must send any surplus cash to the UK Government. This cash is then redistributed to that those authorities which spend more on refurbishment and repairs than they receive in rent. Records of the transactions for each council are known as the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
The figures make interesting reading, especially locally:
Net loss from Housing Revenue Account 1999/2000 to 2010/2011
Blaenau Gwent £23,383,743
Caerphily £69,709,311
Monmouthshire £33,515,987
Newport £75,312,267
Torfaen £71,084,893
Net gain from Housing Revenue Account 1999/2000 to 2010/2011
Merthyr Tydfil £4,777,139
The grand total lost to Wales since establishment of the National Assembly comes to:
£1,063,271,171
This has got to change and change quickly...
The Western Mail (13th September) revealed that across Wales, two councils and two police forces had already confirmed that some 2,000 job cuts were very likely.
Jonathan Edwards, the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, used a Freedom of Information request to the National Assembly to discover the true scale of the £1 billion loss. A similar request made to Whitehall resulted in a response that the Treasury did not hold a record of money sent it by the 22 Welsh councils.
At the moment under existing arrangements, Local Councils in Wales that raise more from council rents than they have to spend in maintenance on the homes must send any surplus cash to the UK Government. This cash is then redistributed to that those authorities which spend more on refurbishment and repairs than they receive in rent. Records of the transactions for each council are known as the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
The figures make interesting reading, especially locally:
Net loss from Housing Revenue Account 1999/2000 to 2010/2011
Blaenau Gwent £23,383,743
Caerphily £69,709,311
Monmouthshire £33,515,987
Newport £75,312,267
Torfaen £71,084,893
Net gain from Housing Revenue Account 1999/2000 to 2010/2011
Merthyr Tydfil £4,777,139
The grand total lost to Wales since establishment of the National Assembly comes to:
£1,063,271,171
This has got to change and change quickly...
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