Tag Archives: political

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Plans for £20m investment to help those with Additional Learning Needs announced

The Welsh Government wants to improve results and aspirations of those who need extra support in the education system. £10m of the funding is part of the additional £100 million extra investment over the Assembly term to improve school standards.

The new funding will be supplemented by an investment directed from existing budgets – expected to be a further £10m over the remaining Assembly term. While this is subject to confirmation of budgets at the next spending review, protecting this funding will be a priority.

In December the Welsh Government revealed proposals for an ambitious law to create a bold new approach to supporting learners with additional learning needs (ALN). If passed, the Additional Learning Needs and Educational Tribunal Bill will completely overhaul the system for supporting pupils with ALN, affecting every classroom in Wales.

The £20 million of planned investment will support ALN learners in a range of ways over the next five years, including helping the education sector transfer to new system set out in the Bill, encouraging organisations to work closely together, developing the workforce and raising awareness of ALN.

Last year just 23% of learners with ALN achieved five good GCSE’s including Maths and Welsh or English compared to 59% of all pupils and Ministers want to improve on this.

Alun Davies said:

“Our aim is to raise standards and extend opportunities for all our young people. Children and young people with additional learning needs make up almost a quarter of our school population; we cannot raise standards without targeting resources and improvement activities towards this group of learners.

“This £20m funding package builds on investments we have already made in transforming additional learning needs provision in Wales.

“This funding will help develop the skills of frontline staff to better support ALN learners. It is essential that all staff including early years professionals, teachers, FE lecturers and support staff are all aware of the new approach.

“Our ambition is for classroom teachers and FE lecturers will have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of all learners.  We want to ensure the new system is introduced in a way which ensures learners with additional learning needs are able to access the benefits of the new system as quickly as possible, balanced against the need to ensure services and professionals are ready to deliver it.”

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Welsh Government • •

News story: Crime news: helpline and email change for National Crime Team

Call 0121 232 5500 and use new single email from 27 February 2017 for enquiries to our National Crime Team.

A new number of 0121 232 5500 must be used from 27 February 2017 when calling the National Crime Team(NCT) and the Criminal Applications Team(CAT).

NCT will also only have a new single email – see below.

When should we use the helpline?

The new single telephone number of 0121 232 5500 should be used for enquiries about criminal legal aid applications, hardship and complex means assessments. For example, defendants who are self-employed from 27 February 2017.

What are the opening hours?

9am to 5pm Monday-Friday – excluding bank holidays.

Why is this happening?

We’re making this change because providers have asked us to make it simpler to contact us.

In the past, for complex means assessments providers have been asked to contact our teams in either the Nottingham or Liverpool offices.

The change will also allow us to manage calls more efficiently, which should improve our service.

New NCT email

From 27 February all emails for the attention of NCT should be sent to:

Nationalcrimeteam@legalaid.gsi.gov.uk

CAT emails

These should still be sent to the office dealing with the application.

BirminghamCAT@legalaid.gsi.gov.uk

LiverpoolCAT@legalaid.gsi.gov.uk

NottinghamCAT@legalaid.gsi.gov.uk

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HM Government • • •

Press release: Expert advisory group appointed to the automatic enrolment review

The review will consider the success of automatic enrolment to date, and explore ways that the ground-breaking policy can be further developed. Three themes will be considered as part of this:

  • coverage
  • engagement
  • contribution levels

The 3 chairs will be:

  • Ruston Smith, Trustee Director at Peoples’ Pension
  • Jamie Jenkins, Head of Pensions Strategy at Standard Life
  • Chris Curry, Director of the Pensions Policy Institute

Richard Harrington, Minister for Pensions, said:

Automatic enrolment has been a huge success but there is still significantly more work to do if we are to set the next generation on a path to a financially secure retirement.

This is why I am delighted to announce this expert advisory group who will work closely with government to look at what we can do to build on our success.

Ruston Smith, Trustee Director at Peoples’ Pension leading on providing advice on the theme of engagement, said:

Auto enrolment has been a game changer – over 7.1 million people have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension so that they have the opportunity to save.

I’m delighted to join the advisory group that will be providing advice, insight and challenge to DWP on the review of automatic enrolment, and to lead the group’s work in how best to engage with current and future savers.

Simple and compelling engagement will be critical in helping people of all ages make the right choices for their future.

Jamie Jenkins, Head of Pensions Strategy at Standard Life, leading on providing advice on the theme of coverage, said:

Auto enrolment has enjoyed unparalleled success so far in helping millions more people start saving for their retirement. The behavioural nudge works.

As it approaches its fifth anniversary, it is a great time to review the coverage it provides. It is crucial that employers continue to play a pivotal role in its success, but that the review also looks at the savings needs of those individuals currently not benefitting.

It is a great privilege to take a leading role in this next stage of auto enrolment, and I look forward to working with the Department for Work and Pensions and the many stakeholders to explore the policy options available.

Chris Curry, Director at Pensions Policy Institute leading on providing advice on the theme of Contributions, said:

I am delighted to be asked to contribute to the review, and I am very much looking forward to helping the Department for Work and Pensions build on the successful introduction of automatic enrolment.

One of the greatest challenges that we face is in ensuring that individuals save enough to be able to enjoy their retirement, and it is very important that we collect strong and robust evidence on which to base any decisions concerning the appropriate long term contribution levels to workplace pensions.

The review will look to ensure that workplace pensions continue to meet the needs of individual savers, and employer, while remaining fair, affordable and sustainable for future generations. The department will publish a final report later this year.

Terms of reference for the 2017 automatic enrolment review advisory group (PDF, 85.5KB, 2 pages)

How to respond to the review

Please send your views about the review by 22 March 2017 to:

2017automatic.enrolmentreview@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

or

AE 2017 Review Team
Private Pensions Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
First floor, Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA

More about the membership

Ruston Smith

Ruston Smith has been Group Pensions Director at Tesco and CEO of Tesco Pension Investment. His other roles include Chair of the PLSA, Trustee Directorships at People’s Pension and Standard Life and he is a Governor of the Pensions Policy Institute.

Jamie Jenkins

Jamie Jenkins is Head of Pensions Strategy at Standard Life. He was heavily involved in the work on the Retail Distribution Review and the resultant changes in sales practices across the industry. He previously led the Corporate Pensions Operation. He sits on a number of regulatory and trade body councils and advisory groups.

Chris Curry

Chris Curry is director of the Pensions Policy Institute. Prior to becoming director at the Pensions Policy Institute, Chris was Research Director between 2002 and 2013. He was previously Senior Economist at Association of British Insurers between 2000 and 2002 and an Economic Adviser at the Department for Work and Pensions between 1992 and 2000.

Media enquiries for this press release – 0203 267 5144

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HM Government • • •

Welsh Government support helps safeguard 280 jobs at Celsa two steel sites in Cardiff

Celsa Manufacturing (UK) is the UK’s largest manufacturer of steel reinforcement products with 100% of its output produced from recycled scrap. Across its two main sites at East Moors Road and Tremorfa in Cardiff, it directly employs 600 people, together with 194 full time contractors while its activities in Wales support around 3000 supply chain jobs

The investment will help safeguard the future of around 280 jobs including employees, contract workers and supply chain personnel.

Four projects – with a total capital expenditure of £3.6m – are being supported through the Welsh Government’s Environmental Protection Scheme to reduce CO2 emissions, cut energy consumption and costs, improve efficiencies and boost performance.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: 

“The Welsh Government is committed to supporting the steel industry in Wales and I am pleased we are able to respond to the unprecedented pressures facing this key sector. Steel processing is an energy intensive operation and the high cost of energy is a major factor affecting the whole of the UK steel industry. This investment will help reduce energy consumption and cut costs. 

 “Our Environmental Protection Scheme provides one of the few ways of supporting large companies like Celsa with high energy usage to become more efficient. This not only delivers significant environmental benefits but also provides direct and indirect economic benefits for the Welsh economy.

“Celsa is a Welsh Government Anchor Company, a significant employer in the Cardiff area and a major contributor to the Welsh economy and this investment will ensure the business continues to be sustainable while operating under difficult market conditions. This investment will help reduce energy consumption and cut costs to help build a viable future for steel in Wales.”

Luis Sanz CEO and Managing Director of CELSA Steel UK said:

“As a major energy intensive user, CELSA is always looking for ways of reducing its environmental impact, improving its energy efficiency and cutting cost. We are continually researching new technologies which help in all these areas and it is extremely helpful that the Welsh Government has a scheme which encourages the adoption of and investment in those new technologies. Even though we have already done much to cut CO2 emissions it is essential that we further reduce our consumptions and environmental impact at a time when the cost of electricity for industrial users in the UK is giving us a competitive disadvantage. 

“There has been excellent collaboration between CELSA and Welsh Government to make these investments happen and secure a more stable platform for the future growth of our business. This will benefit the company, our employees, the local and national community.”

The four carbon reduction projects have the potential to deliver 67,026 MWH energy savings and cut CO2 emissions by 12,074 tonnes annually, which is over and above the EU standards the company already complies with.

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Welsh Government • •