Monday, October 27, 2014

Other People's Money

A Freedom Of Information response reveals that the Welsh Government paid London-based engineering consultancy Arup more than £6.3m from 2010-2011 to advise on the controversial project to divert the M4 round Newport through a SSSI.

Eluned Parrott, the Welsh Liberal Democrat transport spokeswoman said the “billion pound mistake” would see Welsh finances “tied up for a generation”.

“It looks increasingly likely that these plans are doomed, so it's time for the Welsh Government to stop wasting public money on it,” she said.

“It’s particularly insulting for taxpayers that not only has £6m already been spent drawing up plans for this road since 2011, but to add insult to injury, the Welsh Labour Government has evasively refused to publish the full conclusions of this expensive, yet flawed, consultation.

“In budget negotiations, the Welsh Lib Dems agreed that no construction of the M4 relief road will start before the next Assembly elections, and that no construction contract would be awarded.

“The deal means that no irreversible decisions on the M4 can be taken before then, but given the number and cost of the hurdles that need to be overcome, and the enormous environmental damage it would do, surely the best idea would be to shelve it, permanently, now.”

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Labour government resists calls for NHS investigation

The first minister has dismissed calls for an inquiry into the running of the NHS in Wales.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams repeated her call for an all-party commission, saying: "Labour's-running of the NHS in Wales is nothing short of a national scandal."

She went on:  "it is the Labour-led Welsh Government’s fault that waiting times are increasing and they are not caused by devolution.

She said: “Nurses in Wales have more patients to care for than any other part of the UK. That is why the Welsh Liberal Democrats are campaigning to introduce safe staff nursing levels on our wards to ensure safe and compassionate care in all hospitals. NHS staff work tirelessly, but like patients, they are being failed by the Welsh Labour Government.”

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Welsh NHS waiting list


New figures reveal that nearly 1,400 patients waited more than a year for hospital treatment and that nine of them have been waiting for more than two years.

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: “These figures are nothing short of a national disgrace. It is completely unacceptable that nearly 1,400 people are being forced to wait over a year for treatment.

“Month after month we see the Welsh Government’s 36 week target missed. However these figures show the problem is even worse than that. My concern is that the Welsh Labour Government seems entirely clueless on how to turn things around. Waiting lists are piling up and I see little sign of the situation improving.”

The Liberal Democrats have urged the Welsh Government to establish a commission to secure a historic and long-term plan for health and social care in Wales.

Kirsty Williams added: “A commission with cross-party, professional and patient representatives would be able to work together and deal with the strategic problems facing our NHS in Wales. By involving doctors, nurses and patients from the outset, we would ensure that the experiences of those using our frontline health services feed into the efforts to reform our NHS.

“Whether it is inadequate cancer care, poor ambulance response times or dire A&E waiting times, the Welsh Labour Government is failing to provide the health service that patients in Wales deserve.”