Dangerous A487 junction improvement delayed
Proposed work on Dorglwyd Junction set to be delayed
Elin Jones AM and Ben Lake MP have expressed their frustration following a recent statement from the Welsh Government noting that work on the A487 Dorglwyd junction from Comins Coch, would be delayed.
The junction has witnessed several crashes and close-calls over recent years, with local residents calling for the development of a roundabout or similar traffic-calming measures.
The Welsh Government announced in September 2016 that a feasibility study would be undertaken by the following Summer as to consider potential options to improve the junction.
Calls to safeguard the future of community transport schemes
Ben Lake MP voices concerns that UK Department for Transport proposals could hinder the sustainability of the community transport sector in rural Wales.
Following a the UK Department for Transport’s consultation on community transport permits (Section 19 & 22), MPs debated the impact of the proposals during a debate at Westminster.
Currently, an organisation operating in the UK that accepts any sort of payment for providing transport to passengers must hold either a public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence or a private hire vehicle licence. However, organisations that provide transport on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis can apply for permits under Section 19 or Section 22 of the Transport Act 1985. As holders of the section 19 and 22 permits don’t need a PSV operator’s licence or the costly regulations including DVSA maintenance and standards, their low operating costs enable them to be more competitively priced when bidding for publicly funded contracts.
Ben Lake MP supports petition to lower bowel cancer screening age
Ben Lake MP for Ceredigion supported Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer to hand in a petition started by Lauren Backler, calling for the bowel cancer screening age to be lowered from 60 to 50, in line with Scotland and international best practice. The petition has been signed by more than 445,000 people.
Lauren, 27 from Eastbourne, started the petition in honour of her mum who sadly died from the disease at 56 years old. Ben Lake MP joined Lauren along with MPs from across the political divide. They were also accompanied by supporters of the charity that were diagnosed with bowel cancer in their 50s or those that have lost loved ones from the disease after being diagnosed in their 50s.
Ceredigion YFC Member of the Year represents the next generation of farmers at Westminster
On 8 May, the Welsh Affairs Committee welcomed members of the Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs to provide evidence on the long-term future of farming and agriculture in Wales.
The outcome of Brexit negotiations will undoubtedly impact upon Welsh agriculture, and this evidence session gave YFC members a platform to share their views and to represent the next generation of farmers. The YFC members gave the Welsh Affair Committee insight into what they believe to be the challenges and opportunities facing young farmers as we transition from the EU. The members also emphasised the importance of developing a new agricultural policy that will allow farming businesses to be productive, profitable and progressive post-Brexit.
Demand for Food Banks soar in Ceredigion
Ben Lake MP and Elin Jones AM meet Ceredigion Food Bank representatives to discuss the current demand in the county and to understand why people in rural communities are increasingly in need of emergency food supplies.
This week, the Trussell Trust announced their annual food bank stats. In Ceredigion between April 2017 and March 2018, 1515 three-day emergency food supplies were given to people facing crisis by the Trussell Trust Foodbank Network, 580 of which were for children.
Wales will have no say in future farming payments
Wales will have no say on the level of funding for the UK’s replacement of EU farm payments, a UK Government Minister has confirmed.
Responding to questioning from Plaid Cymru’s Agriculture spokesperson in Westminster, Ben Lake MP, the UK Government’s Agriculture Minister, George Eustice MP said that future levels of funding will be matter for the UK Government as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review process.
Under the current arrangements in the EU, Common Agriculture Policy funding decisions are made every seven years, and the Welsh Government attends internal negotiations alongside the other UK countries before the UK agrees the regulatory framework with the other EU institutions. If future decisions on farming payments are made in the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, they would be made every three years rather than seven, with no representation from Wales.
Public meeting calls on Welsh Government to improve Ceredigion Broadband
Meeting arranged by Elin Jones and Ben Lake raises concerns with Minister and Openreach, directly.
Banking Van offer not good enough
Elin Jones AM & Ben Lake MP slam NatWest Mobile Banking arrangements
Elin Jones AM and Ben Lake MP have slammed NatWest’s proposed Mobile Banking arrangements for both Cardigan and Lampeter following the imminent closure of the town branches by July 2018.
It was recently announced by NatWest a Mobile Banking service would be present at Cardigan every Thursday from the 17th of May for 45 minutes and every Tuesday in Lampeter for 45 minutes from the 15th of May. The Mobile Banking service would also be accompanied by the services of a Community Banker available at both towns for one day a week, and a designated ‘TechXpert’ official for both communities.
Ceredigion MP stresses importance of Wales' veterinary workforce
The veterinary workforce perform an instrumental service for rural Wales, which in turn depends on the valuable efforts of vets trained overseas. At present however it is estimated that 100% of Official Veterinarians in Welsh abbatoirs are from overseas, mainly the EU, and public health veterinary services also benefit overwhelmingly from the work of non-UK trained vets, with around 95% of all veterinary posts in the meat hygiene sector being held by overseas graduates.
On 18 April, Ben Lake MP secured a Westminster Hall debate on the future of the veterinary sector in Wales in which he emphasised the importance of ensuring that the profession can continue to recruit and benefit from overseas-trained vets, and that losing just a fraction of the veterinary workforce post-Brexit could have serious consequences and increase the risk of food fraud in the supply chain.
Further delay to Universal Credit in Ceredigion
Ben Lake MP expresses concerns about the consequences of a December roll-out
Ben Lake, Member of Parliament for Ceredigion has expressed his concerns following a recent announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that the roll-out of the government’s controversial benefit payment, Universal Credit, will be fully rolled-out across Ceredigion in December 2018.
The payment, which is set to replace longstanding benefits such as PIP, ESA and Working Tax Credits, had initially been set to become active in Ceredigion in September 2018, however recent documentation shows the date has now been moved back to December 2018.