Assembly Consults on Sunbed Regulations

Should tanning salons face further restrictions? The Welsh Assembly Government has opened a consultation on possible regulations on sunbed businesses.

The 2010 Sunbed Act prevented under 18 year olds from using tanning salons and provided further regulation-making powers for the Welsh Assembly.

The Assembly Government is now looking to use these powers to introduce more controls on sunbed operators. The proposed regulations include requiring the supervision of commercial sunbeds, prescribing health information to be displayed in the salons and restricting the sale or hire of tanning equipment to under 18 year olds.

Neath AM Gwenda Thomas said: “This is a serious issue. The skin cancer rate has increased four-fold over the last thirty years and we are well aware of the dangers of excessive tanning. I believe these premises should be supervised and their customers should be made aware of the potential health risks.”

“We have no desire to prevent adults from visiting tanning salons if they want to but if children are still able to use commercial sunbeds this is clearly unacceptable. The International Agency for Research on Cancer have advised us that first exposure to sunbeds before the age of 35 increases the risk of malignant melanoma by 75%”

“From discussions with constituents I know that many people in Neath feel strongly about this issue. I’d ask anyone with opinions on how best to regulate in this area to respond to this consultation.”

Copies of the consultation document can be found on the Welsh Assembly Government website. Hard copies can be obtained by contacting Mrs Thomas’ office on 01792 869993.

On the Job Training on the up in NPT

Gwenda Thomas, AM for neath, today welcomed recently published statistics that show an increase in the number of workers receiving job related training in Neath Port Talbot.

The latest figures show that, in 2009, one in five workers in Neath Port Talbot had undertaken some form of training in the previous four weeks. This is a 66% increase on the previous year.

In Neath Port Talbot the increase was particularly marked in the service sector where the percentage receiving job related training in the previous month went up from 13% to 23%.

Mrs Thomas said: “This shows that Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘Workforce Development Programme’ is starting to have a real impact in this area. A highly skilled and continually developing workforce is key to Wales’ future in the global economy.”

WAG’s ‘Workforce Development Programme ‘ offers free advice to businesses looking to develop their staff. Through a team of Human Resource Development advisors they can help companies find and finance training courses for their employees.

AM Calls for Views on Learning Disability Care

Neath AM, Mrs Gwenda Thomas, today asked her constituents to respond to a consultation document on hospital care for people with learning disabilities.
The “Draft Good Practice Framework” report commissioned by Mrs Thomas as Social Services minister and written by Public Health Wales suggests ways in which secondary care for people with learning difficulties could be improved.

The report emphasises that the family and carers of patients with learning difficulties should be increasingly involved in the process of hospital care. It says that those who know the patients well should be listened to when hospital staff are trying to understand patients who have difficulty in expressing themselves.
To help achieve this, the report recommends improvements in record keeping and the setting up ‘care pathways’ to outline good practice at each stage of the admission process.

Mrs Thomas said: “The health needs of people learning difficulties are understandably more complicated than those of the general public. The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to improving the standard of hospital care for this vulnerable section of the community.”

“We’re determined to get this right but to do so we need to listen to views of the people who deal with these problems on a daily basis. I really hope we get as many responses as possible from carers, family members and medical professionals, and from those with learning difficulties themselves. These are the people who understand the issues involved better than anyone else.”

The report and consultation forms can be found online on the consultation section of the Welsh Assembly’s website. Hard copies can be obtained by contacting Gwenda Thomas’ constituency office on 01792 869993.

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AM Calls for Celebration of 100 Years of Womens's Achievements

International Women’s Day celebrates its centenary next year and your AM wants you to get involved.

The Welsh Assembly Government has opened the first round of bidding for funds for International Women’s Day 2011. Neath AM, Gwenda Thomas, today encouraged charities and community groups in Neath to apply for money to celebrate the achievements of women over the last 100 years.

Mrs Thomas said: “As a woman in Welsh politics for over 25 years I know just how much we have to celebrate. Although the struggle for equality is far from over I think the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day is a fitting juncture to reflect on the great strides forward women have made over the last century.”

The Advancing Equality Fund has made available £30,000 for awards of up to £2,500. These can be used for events such as open days, conferences, awareness raising events and achievement awards ceremonies.

Application forms are available from Gwenda Thomas AM’s office at 7 High Street, Pontardawe or online for the Assembly website.

AM Dissapointed by Factory Closure Proposal

A Resolven factory making steering parts has been earmarked for closure in the new year.

TRW Automotive has announced that it is considering closing its factory near Neath and transferring production to other sites in Europe.

Local AM Gwenda Thomas said “I’m bitterly disappointed with this news. I have tried to work with the company to avoid this decision. The Trade Unions have cooperated with management to make the plant more competitive. The Local Authority and the Welsh Assembly Government have both offered financial support.“

The Labour AM said that she would be contacting the management of the company to see if any alternative solutions remain.

“Until the factory gates close the Resloven plant will have my support. If there is even the slightest possibility that TRW can be persuaded to reverse this decision I intend to find it. If it cannot be avoided I will, of course, work with the unions to support the many staff that would be made unemployed.”

Llangatwg Credit Union

Gwenda Thomas AM was delighted to open the new Credit Union at Llangatwg Comprehensive School this afternoon.

'This is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to learn about the importance of saving their money in a safe and responsible way. I am very impressed with the number of children who have given up their free time to be trained as tellers, along with the commitment shown by the members of Neath Port Talbot Credit Union, the Head Teacher Mr Roger Skilton and his staff.'

Brian Warlow of Neath Port Talbot Credit Union and his colleague Clare, were also in attendance to demonstrate their involvement with the school and the pupils.

'We cannot set up a credit union within a school unless we are invited in by the headteacher,' explained Mr. Warlow. 'Mr. Skilton, his staff and the children have been very keen to get involved with the scheme and now we hope to reach our goal of 1000 school children on our books very soon with new members from Llangatwg.'