Plaid Cymru’s Assembly Member for the Mid and West region criticised the hypocrisy of Conservative AMs and MPs over their stance on wind energy. Simon Thomas AM was speaking after the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change released a statement outlining that irrespective of any Welsh planning guidance, it would be Westminster that determined the future of large scale wind farms in the region.
Simon Thomas AM said that while Conservatives have sought to portray the Assembly as being the body responsible for this development, and specifically its TAN 8 policy, it is now clear that all responsibility for this matter is reserved for Westminster.
Mr Thomas said the statement left no doubt that while Welsh Government policy will be considered it will not be a reason for approving or rejecting any application. The determining factor will be entirely down to the wishes of the Conservative and Lib Dems in Westminster. Simon Thomas AM said:
“What this statement from the Department of Energy and Climate Change makes clear is that it is the Westminster government, the Tories and Lib Dems, which is responsible for large scale wind farm developments in mid Wales. The UK government has, through this announcement; left no doubt that Welsh policy will have no bearing on the approval or rejection of wind farm developments.
“The UK government has totally exposed the hypocrisy of Conservative AMs and MPs who will now have to explain to their constituents why they have deliberately misled campaigners on this issue.
“Having been contacted by large numbers of people in the region I am very aware of the strength of feeling surrounding this issue. I am equally aware of the strength of disappointment that will felt that the local Conservative AM and MP have tried to dupe campaigners.
“The right course of action now would be for the Conservatives to accept their responsibility and engage with the community. If they do not wish to do that they should devolve the powers to Wales where we can take decisions over our own energy needs with community views at the heart of the process.”
END
The appropriate section is on page 7-8 of the attached statement and states:
“Policy set out in existing planning guidance in England, and where a proposal is located in Wales in planning policy and advice issued by the Welsh Assembly Government relevant to renewables, will provide important information to applicants of nationally significant energy infrastructure projects (energy NSIPs). The IPC should have regard to these policies and expect applicants to have taken them into account when working up their proposals.
Applicants should explain in their applications to the IPC how their proposals fit with the guidance and support its targets or, alternatively, why they depart from them. Whether an application conforms to the guidance or the targets will not, in itself, be a reason for approving or rejecting the application.”
Thursday 23 June 2011
Tuesday 21 June 2011
Plaid supports plans for part-time student help
Plaid Cymru has supported Welsh government plans to reform the way part-time higher education is funded.
Plaid Education spokesperson Simon Thomas urged the government to ensure that part-time students are treated in an equal way to their full-time counterparts.
Speaking after the Senedd debate, Simon Thomas AM said:
“Part-time students often face different challenges to their full-time counterparts – but we must recognise their right to pursue higher education and should be encouraged to do so. For that reason, Plaid Cymru believes that part-time students and full-time students should be treated the same by government.
“Plaid Cymru is determined to maintain a situation in Wales where people of all backgrounds get the same educational opportunities and that the Welsh government prioritises supporting their ambitions. We are happy to support plans that meet that aim and we will further the interests of Wales’ students at every opportunity.
“I’m please that the government has accepted Plaid’s amendment to ensure part and full-time students are treated as equals.”
Plaid Education spokesperson Simon Thomas urged the government to ensure that part-time students are treated in an equal way to their full-time counterparts.
Speaking after the Senedd debate, Simon Thomas AM said:
“Part-time students often face different challenges to their full-time counterparts – but we must recognise their right to pursue higher education and should be encouraged to do so. For that reason, Plaid Cymru believes that part-time students and full-time students should be treated the same by government.
“Plaid Cymru is determined to maintain a situation in Wales where people of all backgrounds get the same educational opportunities and that the Welsh government prioritises supporting their ambitions. We are happy to support plans that meet that aim and we will further the interests of Wales’ students at every opportunity.
“I’m please that the government has accepted Plaid’s amendment to ensure part and full-time students are treated as equals.”
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Carwyn Jones inaction consigning Wales to an afterthought of UK politics
Plaid Cymru has called on the Welsh government to implement a more radical program of government or risk consigning Wales to the side-lines of the UK political debate. Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, a former Welsh Heritage Minister, said that whilst Scotland and Northern Ireland were putting pressure on the Westminster government, Welsh action has been depressingly absent.
Speaking ahead of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) taking place tomorrow (Wednesday June 7th) Mr Thomas said as an alternative to the current approach a Plaid Cymru government would seek, amongst other things, the devolution of policing, corporation tax, natural resources, broadcasting and criminal justice.
Plaid Cymru’s Mid and West AM, Simon Thomas, challenged Carwyn Jones to live up to his promise to protect Wales by not allowing decisions about cuts to broadcasting and policing to remain in the hands of the Tories in Westminster. The Labour leader has been urged to join the First Minister’s of Scotland and Northern Ireland, who will be calling for key concessions from the UK government, instead of remaining silent.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM said:
“Since the election the Westminster government has been coming under increasing pressure from Scotland and Northern Ireland but unfortunately the message that Labour promised to send on behalf of Wales must have got lost along the way.
“What Labour has so far achieved is to make Wales seem insignificant to the UK debate. Plaid Cymru want to offer an alternative to that approach. Instead of allowing Wales to be marginalised we should be making it clear to the Conservative and Lib Dem coalition in Westminster, that we are not simply prepared to accept the cuts that they are offering.”
“We saw a stark contrast at the recent devolved government press conference in Edinburgh between the dynamic approach of leaders in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and that of Carwyn Jones. It is an approach that sadly risks leaving Wales irrelevant and lagging behind.”
Simon Thomas AM added:
“The current message that Carwyn Jones and Labour is sending Westminster doesn’t make much sense. They want a meeting to discuss broadcasting but don’t want the powers to determine what to do about it in future. They are opposed to police cuts but don’t want to take the responsibility for criminal justice here, rather they would prefer to see the Tories in Westminster have that control. They want to have devolution of energy projects but not for the biggest or most controversial proposals.
“In the face of Westminster cuts mixed messages and half way house solutions are not good enough. The alternative to Labour’s approach is to be bold, be ambitious and be committed to ensuring Wales doesn’t lag behind but instead sets the agenda.”
ENDS / DIWEDD
Speaking ahead of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) taking place tomorrow (Wednesday June 7th) Mr Thomas said as an alternative to the current approach a Plaid Cymru government would seek, amongst other things, the devolution of policing, corporation tax, natural resources, broadcasting and criminal justice.
Plaid Cymru’s Mid and West AM, Simon Thomas, challenged Carwyn Jones to live up to his promise to protect Wales by not allowing decisions about cuts to broadcasting and policing to remain in the hands of the Tories in Westminster. The Labour leader has been urged to join the First Minister’s of Scotland and Northern Ireland, who will be calling for key concessions from the UK government, instead of remaining silent.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM said:
“Since the election the Westminster government has been coming under increasing pressure from Scotland and Northern Ireland but unfortunately the message that Labour promised to send on behalf of Wales must have got lost along the way.
“What Labour has so far achieved is to make Wales seem insignificant to the UK debate. Plaid Cymru want to offer an alternative to that approach. Instead of allowing Wales to be marginalised we should be making it clear to the Conservative and Lib Dem coalition in Westminster, that we are not simply prepared to accept the cuts that they are offering.”
“We saw a stark contrast at the recent devolved government press conference in Edinburgh between the dynamic approach of leaders in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and that of Carwyn Jones. It is an approach that sadly risks leaving Wales irrelevant and lagging behind.”
Simon Thomas AM added:
“The current message that Carwyn Jones and Labour is sending Westminster doesn’t make much sense. They want a meeting to discuss broadcasting but don’t want the powers to determine what to do about it in future. They are opposed to police cuts but don’t want to take the responsibility for criminal justice here, rather they would prefer to see the Tories in Westminster have that control. They want to have devolution of energy projects but not for the biggest or most controversial proposals.
“In the face of Westminster cuts mixed messages and half way house solutions are not good enough. The alternative to Labour’s approach is to be bold, be ambitious and be committed to ensuring Wales doesn’t lag behind but instead sets the agenda.”
ENDS / DIWEDD
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