Hain plans assembly vote change

14 July 2011 Last updated at 09:23 GMT Peter Hain says the current two-tier voting system should be changed Shadow Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has called for a first-past-the-post voting system in assembly elections.

Labour will push for the change if the boundaries of Westminster seats are re-draw.

The proposal would scrap the assembly's part-proportional voting system and create 30 two-members constituencies.

Mr Hain, who campaigned for the alternative vote in Westminster general elections at May's referndum, is hoping for cross-party support for the idea.

He will meet Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan on Thursday to discuss the plans.

The assembly's current electoral system sees 40 constituency members elected by first-past-the-post and 20 elected from regional lists.

The Wales Office told the Commons' Welsh Affairs Select Committee it is looking at how parliamentary boundary changes may affect assembly boundaries but stressed that the work is at a very early stage.

"As we've seen in Scotland, when you separate assembly seats from parliamentary seats, it creates a great deal of confusion for voters, for parties and for the wider public," said Neath MP Mr Hain.

"If that happened in Wales, you would be likely to have a situation where one assembly seat straddled three parliamentary seats, which leads to confusion for voters, political parties and their representatives.

Manifesto commitment

"I think everybody accepts there has to be change.

"There's a total agreement on this and we need to do it in a way that is non-tribal, crosses parties and seats to build consensus which I hope Cheryl Gillan does."

Mr Hain pointed out that May's referendum vote on a change from first-past-the-post to an alternative vote for Westminster general elections received a resounding no, which could clear the way for change in Wales. Mr Hain campaigned for a Yes vote in the referendum.

"The only acceptable option given the AV referendum result is to have all AMs elected by first-past-the-post, and we believe that each of the 30 new constituencies should elect two AMs by that system," he added.

"I think in retrospect we have to accept that we got it wrong when we set up the assembly with a two-tier electoral system that has two kinds of AM, and it should now be changed.

"We believe the only change that would be possible without a further referendum or general election manifesto commitment is a change to first past the post.

'Self interest'

"The case for AV at Westminster level was defeated by a thumping majority for first-past-the-post. This is the only voting system that commands cross-party and public support in Wales."

Mr Hain denied that the proposal was a bid to strengthen Labour's grip in Wales. The party is running the Welsh Government single-handedly after winning half the seats in the Senedd at May's assembly elections.

He said: "In the end it's not about who wins and who loses, it's about accepting the verdict of the electorate and they were clear in this referendum."

But former Plaid Cymru AM Helen Mary Jones claimed the plans were "self interest".

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If you go to a first-past-the-post system, we all know that you can get governments elected with overall majorities on less than a third of the votes”

End Quote Helen Mary Jones Plaid Cymru "This is party political motivated and to be completely honest, he should be ashamed of himself and if Carwyn Jones and the Labour AMs are backing him in this, then I think it's really disappointing," she said.

"If you go to a first-past-the-post system, we all know that you can get governments elected with overall majorities on less than a third of the votes.

"I don't think that's fair and I don't think the majority of the Welsh people would think that's fair.

"I think there is an argument for seats having the same boundaries... but it doesn't mean you have to go for the same voting system where the votes of two-thirds of the voters very often don't count for anything.

"If we are going to change the system and go for the seats having at Westminster having the same pattern as the seats at the assembly, there is an alternative to what Peter Hain is suggesting.

"You have 30 first-past-the-post constituencies and 30 list seats which would make the current system fairer and more proportional."

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Trust mansion's tree house plans

11 July 2011 Last updated at 15:58 GMT The old tree house was 40-years old and had been built for Lord Anglesey's daughter Amelia The National Trust has had to take the unusual step of applying for planning permission to build a new tree house at a mansion on Anglesey.

The house, 10ft (3m) up an oak tree, is at the 18th Century Plas Newydd estate, home of the Marquess of Anglesey.

It replaces a 40-year old version built in a sycamore tree for Lord Anglesey's daughter Lady Amelia.

An Anglesey council spokesman said due to the size and nature of the structure planning permission was required.

Trust staff had found the old structure had become unsafe, and then discovered the sycamore tree it was attached to was also rotting.

"I tried to drill into the sycamore and it was like polystyrene, it was rotten and structurally unsafe for a new tree house," said head gardener Paul O'Byrne.

"We found an oak tree nearby, submitted a planning application with detailed design and maps, and commissioned and arboriculturist consultant's report."

A trust spokeswoman said the law on building tree houses changed in 2009 requiring every tree house, no matter its size or surroundings, to have planning permission.

"We're hoping we will be able to have the new tree house open for the summer holidays as the original one was very popular," Mr O'Byrne added.

The old tree house was burned at a community bonfire last November.

An Isle of Anglesey County Council spokesperson confirmed that due to the size and historical setting of the tree house at Plas Newydd, planning permission was sought by the National Trust and granted last month

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Education reform law-making plans

12 July 2011 Last updated at 16:58 GMT First Minister Carwyn Jones rejected David Cameron's call for public sector reform as he unveiled Welsh Labour's plans.

Two bills on the education system will be published by the Welsh Government, First Minister Carwyn Jones has said.

He outlined Labour's five-year legislative programme to Welsh assembly members on Tuesday.

Bills on the organ donation system and allotments were also among 21 pieces of legislation announced.

Mr Jones said a bill would be offered for consultation on making sure parents consent to their children getting piercings.

More than a quarter of people who have piercings experience complications, he told AMs in the Senedd chamber.

The Schools and Standards (Wales) Bill - the first of two education bills - will be published early next year.

Mr Jones said it would "put in place actions to drive up school improvement" and change the process of reorganising schools.

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This legislative programme provides new powers, duties and institutional capacity to advance our goals of building a sustainable Wales”

End Quote Carwyn Jones First Minister A second education bill will include provisions for teachers, including performance management and continuing professional development. It will also make legal changes to reform the higher education sector.

Labour will press on with the plans of the previous assembly government to introduce an opt-out system of organ donation. A white paper will be published before the end of the year.

A shortage of organs for transplant was causing preventable deaths and suffering, the First Minister said.

A bill on food hygiene rating will be published for consultation at the end of the year.

It will allow the Welsh Government to make mandatory arrangements for giving customers easy-to-read information on hygiene standards at businesses.

The first minister said the 2005 E.coli outbreak in south Wales, which killed five-year-old school boy Mason Jones, showed the importance of food safety.

'Finding consensus'

Labour lacks an overall majority in Cardiff Bay, taking power after winning half the assembly's seats in May's election.

Mr Jones said: "It is inevitable and proper that the opposition will seek to hold this government to account.

"But it should not be about political point scoring, but about working together and finding consensus where possible, in developing distinctive Welsh policies for the betterment of the communities we each represent."

He added: "This legislative programme provides new powers, duties and institutional capacity to advance our goals of building a sustainable Wales."

Legislation will put a duty on local authorities to provide cycle paths in "key areas" and an Environment Bill will be used to try to meet increasing demand for allotments.

New laws will reform the way the Wales Audit Office is run. It follows the controversial handling of the spending watchdog by former Auditor General Jeremy Colman.

A Local Government Bill will require councils to consider making joint appointments for senior posts.

But Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said that if the local government minister thought the current structure of local authorities was not fit for purpose he "should front up what he truly believes, that he wants a reorganisation and he should publish a white paper and consult on it properly rather than bringing forward pieces of legislation such as this".

Welsh Conservative assembly leader Paul Davies said the first minister's statement lacked a strategy to stimulate the economy.

"Given Welsh Labour's failures over the past 12 years, we need to see a dramatic improvement in public services and the Welsh economy over the next five years," he said.

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said the fact that the first minister could list so many bills showed the campaign to secure direct law-making powers at the referendum in March was worthwhile.

"It's another issue of course as to the content of the bills," he said.

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Soldier's 'meticulous rape plans'

8 July 2011 Last updated at 20:05 GMT One of the rapes is alleged to have taken place at halls of residence at the University of Glamorgan A soldier accused of raping a student at the University of Glamorgan also "meticulously" planned sex attacks against three teenagers in Wiltshire, a jury has heard.

L/Cpl Jonathan Haynes, of the Royal Logistics Corps, cruised the streets of Chippenham, looking for victims to drag into his car, the jury was told.

Mr Haynes, 30, of Northampton, denies all charges, including rape and kidnap.

The trial at Bristol Crown Court continues.

Mr Haynes denies six counts of rape, two of kidnap and two of attempted kidnap.

On Friday, the court was told the level of planning Mr Haynes went to before attacking his victims.

Prosecutors say he would drive around Chippenham, identify his targets and then put on a black balaclava and gloves.

He would then grab his victims by the throat and drag them into his car before driving them to a secluded spot and raping them.

The court also heard how he would then photograph them intimately.

After the attacks ended they were ordered to clean themselves to destroy forensic evidence, Bristol Crown Court was told.

University campus

Ian Lawrie QC, opening the case for the prosecution, told jurors: "The evidence laid before you establishes that the man responsible for these offences is Mr Haynes and the evidence that is going to be heard will set that out."

The first kidnap and rape happened on 13 September 2009 in Chippenham.

Just 13 days later, Mr Haynes is accused of raping a student in halls of residence at the University of Glamorgan in Pontypridd.

The court heard the 18-year-old had been out during freshers' week and was sleeping on an inflatable mattress on the floor of a friend's room when Mr Haynes forced entry into the building.

"She woke up to a light from a mobile phone being shone in her face and a knife being pressed against her neck," Mr Lawrie said.

"The attacker, who the Crown say was Mr Haynes, forced her to undress and raped her."

The court heard Haynes knew Pontypridd having worked there previously and his on-off girlfriend also lived in the town.

Tracking device

Automatic number plate recognition equipment on the Severn Bridge showed him entering and leaving Wales before and after the rape but he told police he made an impromptu visit to his girlfriend but she was not at home.

But Mr Lawrie said an examination of his mobile phone placed him at the campus at the time of the attack.

The following February, he allegedly attempted to snatch two 14-year-old girls from a country lane near Chippenham.

Weeks later, he is accused of kidnapping a 17-year-old girl off the streets of Chippenham and repeatedly raping her.

Mr Lawrie told the jury that for the first attack, Mr Haynes drove an Audi hire car.

That vehicle was fitted with a GPS tracking device, although he had no idea of this.

Following his arrest, Mr Lawrie said detectives traced Mr Haynes's movements throughout July and August and found he had been cruising the streets of Chippenham during the early hours - a method known as "sharking".

The jury was presented with detailed evidence from the tracking device that revealed Mr Haynes's movements.

Mr Lawrie said: "What this shows is the lie, the crown will say, constructed by Mr Haynes, that he did not know Chippenham that well.

"The Audi hired to him was cruising on a number of days after midnight."

Forensic analysis of his laptop computer showed that Mr Haynes carried out hundreds of searches on the internet for information relating to the attacks.

Jurors were told that Haynes was using Google to find information on the attempted kidnapping of the schoolgirls before it had even been reported to the police.

"He is not only making an inquiry about an offence nobody knows about, he is also checking up on the offences relating to the earlier rapes in Glamorgan and Chippenham," Mr Lawrie said.

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