Campaigns

Tackling the problem of child obesity

In 2006, Val teamed with Which?, the consumer organisation, to raise awareness of the need to tackle the growing problem of child obesity. She made representations to the Welsh Assembly Government, urging them to press Ofcom to impose strict restrictions on the television advertising of unhealthy food to children. She also pressed the Assembly Government to look at the non-broadcast area, as advertising of food to children can take many forms.
The Assembly Government has tackled the issue of school meals in its Appetite for Life document. This sets up more stringent standards for school lunches and new minimum standards for all food and drink consumed in school.

More focus needed on women's health issues

Since 2006, Val has been liaising with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry's Women's Health Group in Wales.

Infertility, treatment of menauposal symptoms and contraception are sometimes missed in the health priorities for Wales. These are not life threatening conditions, however, for women who seek help from the health services, consistent high standards of information and service provision may be the key foundation for an increase in their quality of life. The principal aim of the Women's Health Sub-Group is so work in partnership with all stakeholders to help improve education and access to evidence based information.

Val has been asking regular Health questions about women's health issues, and has hosted a very successful round table discussion in the Assembly. She continues to raise awareness of women's health issues whenever possible.

Better services for lung disease patients in Wales

Val is in regular contact with the British Lung Foundation in Wales and offers her continued support to their campaign for better services for lung disease patients.

She hosts a yearly drop-in Meet the Patients event at the Assembly, where lung disease patients can meet with their AMs and discuss issues of concern.

Support for the Screening Matters campaign

Val supports Cancer Research UK's Screening Matters campaign.

She has written to the Health Minister and to the then Swansea NHS Trust to press the importance of making sure women attend screening programmes.

Early detection saves lives, so do attend cervical and breast screening regularly.

Firefighters's Pensions

Val has been involved in the campaign to get rules relating to Firefighters' pensions changed.

Recent changes to the rules on ill-health retirement entitlement mean that if a firefighter becomes injured during the course of his duty and there are no alternative positions available, such as office based duties, his contract can be terminated and his pension withheld until he reaches 60. This leaves those firefighters whose injuries are not serious enough to prevent them from working altogether in limbo: they do not qualify for ill-health retirement but have got to wait until they reach 60 for a pension.

Val has tabled a joint Statement of Opinion calling on the Welsh Assembly Government to do all it can to get the rules changed. The Welsh Assembly Government is currently involved in a review carried out by the Treasury of ill-health retirement entitlement for firefighters, and Val has made representations to the Minister for Social Justice to ensure that pressure is applied.

Reinstate the Swansea Cork Ferry

Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd suspended the service between Wales and Ireland in 2007, blaming capacity issues and the inability to purchase a new vessel. This has resulted in 30 staff losing their job. Although the company had said it hoped to resume its service in 2008, nothing has happened. This situation is having a serious impact on the economy on both sides of the Irish sea; for example it is estimated that Irish visitors brought £65m to the Welsh economy in 2006.

Val has joined a campaign, started by two Irish businessmen, to get the Swansea Cork Ferry reinstated. She has added her support to the growing e-petition, and has made representations to the Welsh Assembly Government to ask them to consider assisting the reinstatement of this popular service.

Recently a petition on this issue has been submitted to the Assembly Petitions Committee. Val is the Chair of this Committee and was able to welcome Mr. John Hosford, the representative for the Swansea/Cork Ferry. After giving his evidence the Committee decided that the issue must be taken to the relevant Assembly Minister for further consideration.

You can also join the campaign by logging on to www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com

Tackling Child Poverty

As your local Assembly Member I want to bring you up to date with what the Assembly Government is doing to make sure our children are given the future they deserve.

Child poverty affects the lives of thousands of children in Wales. It has a serious negative impact on their education, health, future employment and their life-chances. But we have done much to combat child poverty and is determined to do more to complete our mission to end child poverty by 2020.

WHAT WE’VE DONE TO TACKLE CHILD POVERTY

One of our earliest steps was to introduce a Children’s Commissioner for Wales – the first such Commissioner of its kind in the UK ¬¬– to safeguard the rights and welfare of our children. ¬More details about the Children’s Commissioner, including details of how to contact him can be found at http://www.childcom.org.uk/

We have introduced a free breakfast scheme for our children to make sure they are having the best possible start to the day and so they enjoy their day’s learning at school.
1,278 children are benefiting from the scheme in Swansea

Children in Swansea East have being given the opportunity to enjoy free swimming. Over 19,000 children have benefited from the scheme in Swansea during 2008/09

We have given an additional £750,000 to low income families through a School Uniform Grant to help them buy uniforms for their children.

And the UK Government introduced a child trust fund scheme for thousands of children in Wales to give them a foundation to build on.

There is still plenty left to do to abolish child poverty in Swansea and across Wales, but I hope you can see that the Assembly Government is doing its very best to make sure our children are given the best chance to succeed in life.