Politics

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‘Cymraeg for Kids’ rolled out across Wales

‘Cymraeg for Kids’ is a unique project set up by the Welsh Government in partnership with Mudiad Meithrin to support and encourage parents and prospective parents to transfer the Welsh language to children and promote the benefits of bilingualism.

Established in April 2016, the project works with NHS Wales and other partners to provide advice and support on the benefits of raising a child bilingually. It also provides groups for parents and carers to engage in activities that promote the development of Welsh language skills in children from birth to school age.

A network of officers currently delivers these services in 14 local authorities, but this new money will enable Mudiad Meithrin to expand these activities across the whole country for the first time. The nature of the services offered will be tailored to meet the specific linguistic needs of parents.

Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language, Alun Davies said:

“We know that the combination of parental and social interaction with frequent exposure to practical language assists language learning and positively affects the linguistic competence of the child in later life.

“Encouraging and promoting the use of the Welsh language within the family remains one of the Welsh Government’s key priorities.

“It is vital we support our most important resource, namely our people – whether they’re fluent, lacking in confidence or eager to learn. We need to enable them to use the language in increasingly practical, creative and fun ways.”

Dr Gwenllian L. Davies, Chief Executive of Mudiad Methrin, said:

“We’re really pleased to be able to expand ‘Cymraeg for Kids’ to all parts of Wales and look forward to encouraging and supporting families to use Welsh at home. We’ll continue to work closely at a local level with all partners who share the vision of one million Welsh speakers by 2050.”

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Welsh Government • •

Press release: Labour Market Statistics

James Brokenshire has today welcomed the latest Labour Market Statistics, which show continued stability for the Northern Ireland economy.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:

I welcome today’s Labour Market Statistics which demonstrate continued stability in the Northern Ireland economy. The number of people in work has increased, the unemployment rate is at an eight-year low and the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits has fallen by 1,000 in January alone – the tenth consecutive monthly decrease.

As the UK leaves the EU and forges a new role in the world, this Government is determined to continue building a stronger economy and a Northern Ireland that works for everyone.

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HM Government • • •

Keith Taylor MEP: European Commission 'final warning' reveals the need for a new UK Clean Air Act

15 February 2017

Keith Taylor MEP: ‘The government has been exposed, yet again, as failing in its duty to take even the most basic action to combat an air pollution crisis that needlessly claims the lives of more than 50,000 people in Britain every year.’

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, has slammed the Government’s ‘repeated failures’ on air pollution as the European Commission issues a ‘final warning‘ to the UK over air quality breaches.

The European Commission has sent a “final warning” to the UK for failing to address repeated breaches of legal air pollution limits in 16 areas including London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow.

The notice is being served just 24 hours after a new poll revealed 58% of Britons believe air pollution levels across the UK are damaging to their health while 65% support ClientEarth’s campaign for a new Clean Air Act.

Keith, a vocal air quality campaigner and a member of the European Parliament’s Environment committee, said:

“The government has been exposed, yet again, as failing in its duty to take even the most basic action to combat an air pollution crisis that needlessly claims the lives of more than 50,000 people in Britain every year. It’s no surprise that two-thirds of the public want the Prime Minister to do more to combat the toxic air they are forced to breathe.”

“The failure highlighted by the European Commission is as much moral as it is legal; Ministers have displayed an extremely concerning attitude of indifference towards their duty to safeguard the health of British citizens.”

“That the European Commission is having to hold to account this government for a public health crisis that costs the British public more than £20bn a year is a shameful indictment of the Conservatives’ irresponsible and deadly apathy.”

“Theresa May’s administration is failing to do the bare minimum, as required by EU laws the UK itself helped to set, to improve the quality of the air we all breathe. The bare minimum. Where embraced and enforced, EU air pollution limits are helping to prevent thousands of deaths every year and saving billions of pounds in direct health costs. This government readily acknowledges that it is EU law that has been the driver of positive air quality action in the UK. But the Prime Minister’s plans for an extreme Brexit puts those vital EU safeguards at risk.”

“The government must finally face up to its moral and legal responsibility for tackling Britain’s air quality crisis. Ministers must now be forced to make a firm commitment to abiding by and fully implementing EU air quality laws. Theresa May must also make a new Clean Air Act a means to maintain and strengthen these vital protections as Britain prepares to leave the EU.”

Keith is a co-signatory of a motion which will be presented at the Greens’ Spring Conference in Liverpool which calls on the Party to formally back ClientEarth’s Clean Air Act proposal.

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Green Party • • •

News story: NATO must improve agility and spend, Defence Secretary urges

Sir Michael Fallon is pressing NATO members to step up defence spending during a two-day defence ministerial at NATO’s HQ in Brussels, following his first meeting with US Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Reflecting the strength of the UK-US Defence relationship, Sir Michael was the first minister Secretary Mattis called after his appointment and their hour-long meeting at NATO’s HQ was the first bilateral working session today.

During their recent phone call, shortly after Secretary Mattis’ confirmation, both ministers agreed on the need for NATO to be more agile and responsive so it can respond faster to new threats including cyber and terrorism.

In July NATO confirmed that the UK meets the two per cent spending target, which includes a £178bn equipment plan and rising defence spending every year of this parliament.

The Defence Secretary spoke to fellow ministers to call for other states to spend both 2% overall and to spend 20% of that on new equipment to help tackle threats.

In his face-to-face meetings with Secretary Mattis Sir Michael reassured him that the UK stands shoulder to shoulder with the US in calling for NATO to be more agile to meet new threats in the fields of cyber warfare and counter terrorism.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

NATO has been a guarantee of mutual security for more than half a century. Britain is now calling for our partners to step up and share burdens on spending and help it become more agile in dealing with new threats including cyber and terrorism.

As leading player in the Alliance we recognise the importance of backing up our operational and exercise commitments with investment in new equipment to deal with threats to our security.

Sir Michael is discussing the UK’s leadership in NATO. The UK’s Enhanced Forward Presence deployment to Estonia is gathering momentum, seen this week in a 600-strong exercise in Sennelager in Germany which features British personnel from the Battle Group for 5 RIFLES. Hundreds of British troops including 5 RIFLES personnel from Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire have spent the last week exercising with four Challenger II tanks, Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Jackals – alongside Estonian, French and Danish troops.

The deployment of 800 British personnel to Estonia under EFP is part of a package of measures that the UK is leading in NATO this year. These include leading the land element of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force with 3,000 British troops ready to deploy rapidly to threats wherever they arise in the Alliance, and committing RAF Typhoon aircraft to the NATO Southern Air Policing mission to offer reassurance to in the Black Sea region.

Over the two-day ministerial, defence leaders will discuss issues such as protecting NATO’s southern border, developing NATO’s deterrence and defence posture, and strengthening the transatlantic bond.

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HM Government • • •