Nadolig Llawen! Merry Christmas!

To all bloggers everywhere, and to those who read this blog- Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope that you all have a well deserved break, and are careful not to eat, or drink too much during the next few days..... I will be back soon after a few days break, but don't forget to tune in to the BBC Radio Wales politicians quiz tomorrow!

I flogwyr y byd, ac i'r rheiny sy'n darllen y blog ma- Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Rwy'n gobeithio y byddwch yn mwynhau'r wyl, ac eich bod yn ofalus i beidio bwyta, nac yfed gorfod yn ystod y diwrnodau nesaf 'ma.... Byddaf nol ymhen ychydig, ond peidiwch anghofio gwrando ar gwis gwleidyddion Radio Wales yfory!

The Queen on youtube. Who would have thought?

As you may know, I'm not a fan of the Royal Family. If you ask me, when we have thousands of young people in poverty in Wales in this day and age, its beyond my comprehension how we can continue to justify subsidising the lifestyles of the Monarchy. However, I am being 'political' by even considering to criticise the Royal Family, yet time and again, the BBC and other news sources continue to broadcast friendly, uncritical, one sided stories about the Royal Family. It really doesn't make sense to me.

And so today, news has it that the Queen has launched a youtube channel of her own, aptly named 'The Royal Channel'. You can see all the footage of her moving speeches, coronations, and visits- although I hope that she does her own editing, and doesn't let a BBC producer loose on her editing suite!

While I recognise all of our attempts to modernise and to move with the ages, being somewhat bias, I fail to see how a youtube station can succeed in making an outdated and archaic tradition compatible with the 21st Century. I sense an edge of desperation on behalf of the media spin doctors in the Palace in trying to portray the Queen and the Royal Family as a modern necessity.

But I am sure there are many of you that will disagree with my viewpoint- those of you who will probably sit down to watch the Queen speech via youtube on Christmas Day this year......!

This isn't what a Nationalist looks like!

Surprise surprise, Glenys Kinnock is against the One Wales Government in Cardiff Bay. The Unionists come out to play...and so close to Christmas, too. Not an ounce of good will for anyone to see. It's bah humbug all the way!

Reading the article on today's epolitix website I thought that I'd happened upon a description of a new War movie. The Nationalists as the evil 'enemy' to Glenys's Labour battleship of Welshness, Britishness, Europeaness ( but nothing that means more power for Wales incidentally)

Unfortunately, it seems more and more obvious that Labour politicians outside the Assembly can only muster interest from the media if they ' come out' against the One Wales coalition. How many more MP's are to follow, and will there be any more before Christmas?

Glenys Kinnock may indeed 'look like a feminist', but there's certainly no love lost between her and her Plaid sisters at the moment.

No rest for the wicked....

A picture of staff at Swansea's NHS Direct Call Centre, and myself of course! It was again, an interesting visit, and a chance to lean about the nature of the calls that they receive, and the expansion of their services in Wales.

I forgot to mention that I also attended the fundraiser for Pontardawe Festival on Thursday night at St Peter's Church in Pontardawe. Neath Male Voice Choir were superb, as were the excitable St Joseph's School Choir. The Festival has huge deficits due to the bad weather over the last few years, so the organisers are intending to hold numerous fundrasier events in the run up to the anual summer Festival. There is extra pressure of course, because the Festival celebrates 30 years in 2008. I hope to assist in looking for funding, and to encourage mroe Welsh language folk bands to take part.

Today I have also done two interviews with regards the asylum case in Swansea. George William and his family have returned to Penlan, but two of his sons, who came to the UK to study, remain in the deportation centre as there are problems with their visas. They have been studying in Slough, and hope to finish their studies before returning to Pakistan. There will be another effort therefore from Asylum Justice in Swansea to write to the airlines requesting that they do not comply with deporting the older sons.

Plaid AM takes George William asylum case to Home Offi

I am speaking on this issue on Good Morning Wales tomorrow at 8am if you would like to listen in on it.

Plaid AM takes George William asylum case to Home Office

Local Plaid Cymru AM Bethan Jenkins has written to Jacqui Smith, the
Secretary of State for Home Affairs following the appalling treatment of George William and his family by immigration officials. As reported in the Evening Post, Mr William and his family were taken away from their Penlan home during a dawn raid earlier this week.

Bethan Jenkins said:

‘Under international law the UK government is duty bound to offer asylum to those fearing persecution. George and his family fled Pakistan three years ago in fear because of their religious beliefs. Pakistan is currently in a state of political turmoil. Only today, a suicide bomber has killed over 50 people celebrating a Muslim holiday in the country. How anyone can be deported in that environment is beyond belief.

‘In a desperate attempt to sop the political right, New Labour is
trying to talk and act tough on asylum and immigration. Not only are their actions irresponsible, but lead to inhumane treatment of individuals and families who have come to this country as a result of fear for their very lives. To turn our backs on people such as George and his family is the act of the gravest political cowardice and immorality’.

‘I have written to the Home Secretary raising the case of George and
his family. I encourage as many people as possible to do so as
highlighted by the Evening Post’

Visit to the Dogs Trust in Bridgend

This week I visited the Dogs Trust in Bridgend. It was a very interesting visit, especially as I am one of those sorry souls never to have had a pet! I was a little nervous to be honest- knowing that there would be hundreds of noisy dogs in one building, and anyone who has been canvassing knows that dogs can be rather vicious on the fingers!

Nevertheless I really enjoyed the visit, and was warmly welcomed by the staff. The Dogs Trust in Bridgend is a re-homing centre, and the Bridgend Centre is one of the busiest in the UK for taking in dogs of all shapes and sizes who have been left to stray on the streets, abandoned by owners and so on. The Centre undertakes an outreach scheme to encourage neutering amongst dog owners, and there is a subsidised scheme also for those who find it hard to afford neutering their dogs.

This campaign has taken place due to the fact that Centres such as the one in Bridgend receive a large percentage of litters of puppies due to the fact that owners fail to neuter their pets, or are not aware of why they need to do it. Incidentally there wasn't many puppies at the centre while I was there, but Wales's centre does have the highest proportion of puppies a year according to the Manager of the Centre.

All in all a busy week. I am visiting Swansea's NHS Direct Centre today, and then I am officially finished for the Christmas recess!

My response to Huw Lewis's child poverty short debate

Bethan Jenkins: Thank you for introducing this short debate today. It is important that we keep this on the political agenda. I would also like to recognise some of the points that you made in terms of creating a progressive alliance across Government layers and ensuring that tackling child poverty is the settled will of the Welsh people.

To pick up on a few comments, you mentioned that some Members would abdicate responsibility to Westminster. I agree that Wales has to show leadership in this instance, and I think that we are doing so in terms of the new policies that have come to light from the Government. I also think that we have to work in co-ordination with Westminster; that is the key—to work with Westminster, not against it. That can only be done through a progressive alliance to make sure that the benefits and taxation systems benefit our young people, but that they also work in a cross-cutting way with what we are doing in Wales. That can only be positive.

I look forward to your work as part of the expert group. I had a discussion, this morning, with Brian Gibbons, the Minister with responsibility for this area, and note that there is broad scope for that new group to scrutinise Government policies and to offer new ideas. I am excited about that group and I hope that you are too, and that you can work with us here, at the Assembly, to ensure that child poverty will not fall beneath the radar and will be at the forefront of the political agenda in Wales.

Bethan Jenkins: Diolch am gyflwyno’r ddadl fer hon heddiw. Mae’n bwysig ein bod yn cadw hyn ar yr agenda wleidyddol. Hoffwn hefyd gydnabod rhai o’r pwyntiau a wnaethoch o ran creu cynghrair flaengar drwy wahanol haenau Llywodraeth a sicrhau bod ymdrin â thlodi plant yn ewyllys gadarn ymhlith pobl Cymru.

Gan gyfeirio at rai o’r sylwadau, dywedasoch y byddai rhai Aelodau’n ildio’r cyfrifoldeb i San Steffan. Cytunaf fod yn rhaid i Gymru ddangos arweiniad y tro hwn, a chredaf ein bod yn gwneud hynny ac ystyried y polisïau newydd sydd wedi’u cyflwyno gan y Llywodraeth. Credaf hefyd ei bod yn rhaid inni gydweithio â San Steffan; dyna’r peth pwysig—gweithio gyda San Steffan, nid yn eu herbyn. Er mwyn gallu gwneud hyn, mae’n rhaid cael cynghrair flaengar i sicrhau bod y systemau budd-daliadau a’r systemau trethu o fudd i’n pobl ifanc, ond mae’n rhaid i hynny hefyd gyd-fynd â’r hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud yng Nghymru. Mae hynny’n beth cadarnhaol, bid siŵr.

Edrychaf ymlaen at eich gwaith yn rhan o’r grŵp arbenigwyr. Cefais drafodaeth y bore yma gyda Brian Gibbons, y Gweinidog sy’n gyfrifol am y maes hwn, a sylwaf fod gwir gyfle i’r grŵp newydd graffu ar bolisïau’r Llywodraeth a chynnig syniadau newydd. Teimlaf yn llawn cyffro am y grŵp a gobeithiaf eich bod chithau’n teimlo’r un fath, ac y gallwch weithio gyda ni yma yn y Cynulliad i sicrhau na fydd tlodi plant yn diflannu o’n meddyliau, ac y bydd ar frig yr agenda wleidyddol yng Nghymru.

link to Huw Lewis's debate

Question to Brian Gibbons- gender pay gap

Bethan Jenkins: It is well documented that women earn an average of 80p for every £1 earned by men. That figure is made substantially worse when you take account of part-time workers. Given that women, in many instances, try to juggle childcare and part-time work, what are your thoughts on this, and what work are you doing to try to address this discrepancy in the system?

Brian Gibbons: I am glad to say that the figure of 80p is a UK-wide figure; the gap between men’s and women’s pay in Wales is significantly narrower. We have worked with the trades union movement on many of the problems to help to increase its capacity to campaign on this issue. The first phase of the Close the Pay Gap campaign was directed specifically at the private sector. The problems of the inequality of women’s pay are based on the principle of equality, but there are also deep structural problems in how women are segregated in different occupations, and the fact that they have more domestic responsibilities than men which have the consequence of limiting how far they can travel to work.

All these structural issues need thoroughgoing responses, and they will not be readily available by just a simple initiative; we really do need a root-and-branch approach to tackle this totally unacceptable practice.


Bethan Jenkins: Mae’n dra hysbys bod menywod yn ennill 80c ar gyfartaledd am bob £1 y mae dynion yn ei hennill. Mae’r ffigur hwnnw’n waeth o lawer os ystyrir gweithwyr rhan amser. Gan fod menywod, mewn llawer achos, yn ceisio ymdopi â gofal plant a gwaith rhan amser, beth yw’ch meddyliau ynghylch hynny, a pha waith yr ydych yn ei wneud i geisio delio â’r anghysondeb hwn sydd yn y system?

Brian Gibbons: Yr wyf yn falch o ddweud bod y ffigur o 80c yn un ar gyfer y DU gyfan; mae’r bwlch rhwng cyflogau dynion a menywod yng Nghymru’n llai o lawer. Yr ydym wedi gweithio gyda mudiad yr undebau llafur ar lawer o’r problemau i geisio rhoi mwy o allu iddo ymgyrchu ar y mater hwn. Yr oedd rhan gyntaf yr ymgyrch Cau’r Bwlch Cyflog wedi’i chyfeirio’n benodol at y sector preifat. Mae problemau cyflog anghyfartal i fenywod wedi’u seilio ar egwyddor cydraddoldeb, ond mae problemau adeileddol sylfaenol hefyd o ran y modd y mae menywod wedi’u neilltuo i wahanol alwedigaethau, a’r ffaith bod ganddynt fwy o gyfrifoldebau yn y cartref na dynion a bod hynny’n cyfyngu’r pellter y gallant ei deithio i fynd i’r gwaith.

Mae angen ymatebion trwyadl i’r holl faterion adeileddol hyn, ac ni fyddant ar gael yn rhwydd drwy gynllun syml yn unig; mae gwir angen inni ddelio â’r arfer gwbl annerbyniol hon brig, gwraidd a bôn.

My latest LCO and measure for the ballot.

Proposed Access to Automated Tele Machines Legislative Competence Order

Bethan Jenkins

Pre-ballot Information: Outline Proposed Legislative Competence Order
Outline of proposed Order

This order will require an amendment to Schedule 5 Field 12 of the Government of Wales Act to make provision to improve access to Automated Tele Machines in low income communities.

Pre-ballot Information: Explanatory Memorandum
Policy Objectives of the Proposed Order

Numerous communities in Wales have little access to ATMs.

The purpose of this Order is to reduce the vulnerability of low income families to exclusion and debt by ensuring they have the best possible chance of having access to cash machines without facing charges they are unable to afford.
The costs of provision of free ATMS are prohibitive in some areas. The costs can be mitigated by de rating premises or parts of premises where the ATMS provided need to link to the areas concerned. Similar action has been taken in Scotland.

Proposed Impact Assessments for the Selling off of Playing Fields Measure

Pre-ballot Information

Bethan Jenkins

Policy Objectives of the Proposed Measure

The selling off of playing fields is said to have a negative impact on the communities around them, both in terms of health and well being and in terms of social inclusion. This measure would place a duty on local authorities to consider this impact before selling any playing fields

Support received/Consultation
General support for this from constituents

Calamity Clegg's the winner! The suspense is over.

I spoke at my old school, Rhydfelen yesterday, and what was odd was that even though I was going to their new building, it felt as if I was stepping back in time to when I was a pupil, as many of the same teachers are still at the school. Jennifer Evans, my English teacher who taught me the wonders of the Bronte's and of The Wife of Bath is now the Deputy Head, and organised the whole event. I'm never really that nervous, but in front of teachers who probably gave me a telling off or two when I was a pupil all those years ago, I was a little hesitant;-) Anyway, it was a great afternoon, and a chance to catch up and to feel that there are at least some people who are proud of what I have achieved!

I won't say who won the BBC Radio Wales quiz that I took part in last night so that you will all surely tune in on Christmas Eve, and snuggle up with mulled wine to hear our intellectual answers! or not... still, it was fun, and a chance to show off my entertainment knowledge!

In the news today, of course, is the fact that Nick Clegg or 'Calamity Clegg' to most, was elected as leader of the Lib dems. I was on the edge of my seat all day. My aunty, a (shock horror) lib dem Councillor on Watford Council voted for Huhne as she did the previous time. I guess that he is a little upset today for losing, but he might have a chance of another contest sometime soon knowing how frequent the Lib dems get through their leaders....

Highlights of 2007...............

I am taking part in the BBC Radio Wales quiz tomorrow which will be aired on Christmas Eve. A Government team vs opposition which includes John Griffiths AM and myself, against Nick Ramsay AM and Eleanor Burnham. If you think that you know some of the questions that may come up-especially to do with sport, then leave a comment! I may embarrass myself, but I hope that it will be a jolly affair!!

Tomorrow I am speaking at Ysgol Rhydfelen's award ceremony. I am quite nervous because many of my former teachers are still at the school, and I feel that I will have to put in a good performance! I'm sure it will be great to see everyone again, but this time it will be at the new building at Gartholwg Campus, so no 1st World War aeroplane shelters to worry about as with the previous dilapidated building across the road...!

A week to go before I take some time out for Christmas. There are a few concerts that I will be attending locally before the break, but this will no doubt get me in the Christmas spirit, especially now that I've done all my shopping!

Guest blogger # 5 Jon Bright- Our Kingdom

(Jon Bright is the Managing Editor of OurKingdom- OurKingdom is a part of openDemocracy’s new site. Its special focus is on the destiny of Britain. The website discusses Britain’s nations, institutions, constitution, administration, liberties, justice, peoples and media and their principles, identity and character. In a word our democracy in its broadest meaning, its history and future, from culture, participation and issues of centralisation and authority to equality, rights, responsibilities and who rules.)

What’s the point of power?

OurKingdom has a pretty simple mission – to make the constitution of the UK matter to people. Simple to say, that is, but hard to achieve: because I can say without much exaggeration that most people couldn’t care less about it at the moment. It’s a turnoff. In a recent poll, only 2% of Britons felt that the government should spend time reforming the constitution – the same amount that felt the government should do nothing at all. In fact, if you’ve even read up to hear, I’d be secretly pleased.

So why should people be interested? Well, for two reasons.
The first is that the constitution is starting to get interested in you, as it were. Most people don’t think too much about the engine while they are driving their cars – but when smoke starts to come out of the bonnet, they have to start paying attention.
Smoke has been quietly seeping out of the UK ever since Labour’s half-complete devolution settlement (though the word ‘settlement’ misleadingly implies that something was, well, settled). Since Alex Salmond took over in Holyrood, and as Plaid grow in power, it has started to come out in huge clouds. Creating devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales (and finally getting Stormont started as well) has thrown a spanner into the UK machine, and no-one yet is quite sure of how it will be fixed – but we can’t keep driving along like this.

There’s also a second, more important, and more fundamental reason. The constitution is about the power in our society – who wields it, where it is wielded. And I think this is something that a great deal of people should be interested in.

To anyone who says people aren’t interested in politics I say – look at the Iraq war. This was a political issue, and I challenge you to find anyone who doesn’t have an opinion on it. A lot of people have very strong ones. But most of the energy that welled up in protest was sent, unfortunately, in the wrong direction. Everyone blamed Blair. Which is understandable. But would it have been different with a different prime minister? How did we even arrive at a situation where evidence for a war which most people were against could be manufactured, and planning for the aftermath could be so woefully thin, and yet no-one has been held personally culpable?

I don’t think people aren’t interested in politics. I think they aren’t interested in the type of politics they are allowed to do in this country. Not interested in voting in elections where only a few thousand swing voters have any real impact. Not interested in electing MPs to a parliament which lacks any real powers. Not interested in choosing between parties of apparently ideological interests. And not interested in a culture where apparently no-one is accountable.
Talking about the constitution is an opportunity to talk about all this, perhaps even change some of it. And devolution has created this opportunity. Already there is, for example, a vibrant new assembly in Wales – boasting near equal representation of women, a world first. There is proportional representation and power sharing, and a genuinely ‘local’ democracy. There will be no repeat of the Tryweryn debacle – and, just as importantly, if there ever was there would be people held accountable.

More gains could be made. In the next few years there will come a moment when Scotland votes on independence, when Wales votes for greater powers, when (perhaps) Fianna Fail merges with the SDLP and unionism starts to mean support for a united Ireland rather than a United Kingdom. There are no guarantees about how any of this will turn out – but with these moments there will be historic opportunities to reshape the nature of power in our country, and perhaps create a genuinely accountable, representative politics. That should be enough to get anyone interested.

Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty

Hain the untouchable

I didn't go to the ITV and the Welsh Yearbook politics awards this year. I was surprised that there would be such a bash for politicians considering the financial crisis that ITV are in at the moment, but there we are....

The only news that I've heard from the evening is of Hain's speech and its bad taste, especially with regards female AM's past and present- comments which I have no inclination to laugh at whatsoever. Other references were made about Doctor Who...Peter Hain travelling in the tardis....failing to see any bother regarding donations in the future....ha ha...

I'm so glad that he can make light of a situation which only last week was plastered on every news channel, and which may cost him dearly in the future. I'm not laughing, and I could hazard a guess that the people of Neath aren't either. Perhaps Hain thinks that he is beyond criticism, that he is untouchable. After his enlightening 'speech' the other night, perhaps he will consider taking a good look at himself and the affect of his actions and words on others in the future.

I had a productive meeting with Brian Gibbons regarding child poverty yesterday. I hope that the schemes underway in Wales will play a part in tackling this issue, although I did raise concerns that while we can show leadership in Wales, we have to work with Westminster if the targets are to be met.

Ed Balls's 10 year plan may be an area to look at but considering that there was no discussion with the WAG prior to Westminster's announcement, we will have to wait with baited breath as to how London's plans will coincide with what happens here( and the child poverty unit in the DWP)

It is somewhat adventurous for the Government in London to term it a '10 year plan', when there is no guarantee that Labour will remain in Government in Westminster for that period of time. I will reserve judgement on it until I receive more information, although I am concerned about the pressure that could be placed on schools to take on more responsibilities with regards the welfare and health of young people across the board.

I also had a meeting with Joseph Rowntree Foundation regarding their work in Wales this week, and they are initiating a significant amount of new research here, which is to be commended. I am eager to organise an event at the Assembly alongside JRF next year, which will again raise the profile of this issue at the Assembly...I hope!

Today is the last day of term at the Assembly, so back to South Wales West it is....

No bruising on the budget

The Assembly budget got through today without much fuss. To be honest I did expect the opposition parties to be much more bruising, but we left the chamber with a little graze compared to what I was prepared for. There was over 17 amendments from the opposition against the budget, yet not one single effort to even suggest where they would change the budget lines to coincide with where they believe the money should go, or any inclination as to how they would do things differently. Fair enough to scrutinise and criticise -because that's what being in opposition is about, but there wasn't much depth to their arguments. Jenny Randerson and the Lib dems tried to say that we were spending money on gimmicks, which is of course untrue-and this coming from a party which proposed free toothbrushes for children if they came to power. Please, give me strength!

I am pleased however that all parties are in agreement that we have had a raw deal from Westminster, and that this is inevitably affecting our ability to balance out resources across the board. This line of argument has been driven all along from our MP's in Westminster, so we are leading the agenda yet again! I did expect some Labour backbenchers to kick up more of a fuss than they did- naming no names, of course. The very Labour backbenchers that are finding common ground with the Tories at the moment. Interesting times lie ahead that is for sure....

A busy week...............

I feel a little guilty that I haven't blogged for a while, but seriously, I haven't had a spare minute. I've been working hard on my child poverty brief this week following Brian Gibbons' announcement, and checking out what the UK Government has been saying today with regards investing in childcare. I have a meeting with Brian Gibbons this week to discuss child poverty, so to those of you who are interested in the subject, you are welcome to leave some questions in the comment section that I may raise with him. Valleys Mam may wish to do so as I know that she has a keen interest in this area.

Apart from that, I've been sitting on the Equal Opportunities committee at the National Assembly this week where we have been scrutinising the Government's Equal Opportunities policies, and the role of the new equal opportunities body in Wales, the EHRC. I also sat on the petitions committee where we heard evidence from Sustrans with regards to calling for an LCO to create combined use pathways in Wales for walkers and cyclists, as well as a petition on increasing the rights of young carers, and we met with people from my old school, Rhydfelen, who are fighting to retain the name following their move to Gartholwg campus.

I also spoke at the NUS Wales lobby at the Assembly on Friday, whose members are calling to increase the threshold on student loan repayments from £15,00 to £20,000. We don't currently have the power to do this in Wales, but I've asked Assembly lawyers to look in to what can be done, and whether I could consider putting an LCO in on a ballot in the future.

Oh, but I did take time out to see the Manics at the CIA this week, who were immense! I could go and see that band every night of the week, without fail.

It's my birthday tomorrow for anyone who is interested, and I'm off to meet the family for a meal at the Nant Ddu which is near Merthyr. It's a lovely place to go, but it is always booked up early, so we did organise this months ago! I'm looking forward to it, and to the start of the Christmas season!....................

Child Poverty targets unreachable?

Today I visited the pilot project of the company GEM Gas Conversion- (Graveson Energy Management) based in Port Talbot that have developed a conversion system that enables the recovery of energy from a wide selection of materials that are considered as waste. It identifies wasted resources as valuable fuel, utilises fuel by converting it into synthetic gas which is produced as a replacement for natural gas, which in due course generates renewable electricity and heat. I found the visit to be very interesting, especially in light of our aim in Wales to cut our carbon footprint, and to recycle. This pilot project is also important to recognise in relation to the new landfill tax, and an attempt by the Government to cut waste sent to landfill. Of course, companies that wouldn't have thought twice about sending waste to landfill now have to reconsider their options, and GEM are offering that alternative.

The only hurdle at the moment is that their company is relatively small, and they have not as yet succeeded in encouraging businesses and Local Authorities in Wales to take up this new renewable way of creating energy from waste. They have a pilot plant in Port Talbot, and in a few months time, a DEFRA presentation in Scarborough, but they are now seeking to raise their profile in order to influence people such as Jane Davidson and Ieuan Wyn Jones who could offer them a future for their business in Wales. In the Netherlands, this system is the norm, but I think that we have a long way to go in Wales to educate people( and our Politicians) about new ways of working in this sector.

Tomorrow I am reacting to the Social Justice's Statement of Child Poverty in Wales. I do fear that in light of the Treasury committee report, and the latest Joseph Rowntree report on this issue that Westminster's targets will not be met, and neither will ours here in Wales. It looks increasingly likely that our efforts are in danger of being undermined by a Labour Government in London that lacks the political will to provide a clear road map and redistribute sufficient wealth to reach both 2010 and 2020 targets.

The Welsh Assembly Government is trying to initiate new ideas for addressing this issue within areas of devolved responsibility- the draft budget includes substantial extra investment for universal affordable childcare, a major Plaid election commitment, and a key mechanism identified by anti child poverty campaigners.

However, we are just not seeing the same sense of purpose from the London Government. The Treasury Select Committee report makes very worrying reading and confirms many of our fears. As the report says the recent Comprehensive Spending Review fails to provide a clear indication of how the 2010 target is going to be met. Put together with the Pre Budget Report in which only 48p extra a week was awarded to the poorest children, it is easy to understand why the London Government is being accused of running out of steam in this instance.