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Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's Assembly candidate for Gower, has welcomed the announcement of £65,000 from the Welsh Government for the first stage of a cycle route project to link Kingsbridge, Gorseinion and Grovesend to the National Cycle Network route 4.
This is part of the Labour Welsh Government's drive to support sustainable, active travel, and to develop a safe network for walking and cycling that meets the needs and desires of local communities. Rebecca Evans said: "This investment is great news. Whether you're a leisure walker, an experienced cyclist, a family with children, or thinking about becoming a cycle commuter, the National Cycle Network in Wales offers many opportunities for travel, discovery and fun. I am glad that communities in Gower are benefitting from this new funding from the Labour Welsh Government." The National Cycle Network route 4 is a long distance route of 432 miles between London and Fishguard. Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's prospective candidate for Gower, has welcomed a decision by the Welsh Government to extend its fracking moratorium to include underground coal gasification.
This decision is in line with the Labour Welsh Government's the 2015 Direction which prevents local planning authorities from approving developments involving the onshore exploration of shale oil or gas using unconventional extraction techniques. Rebecca Evans said: "The Conservatives in Westminster promised to be the greenest Government ever, but the reality could not be further from that. "Gower's Tory MP, Byron Davies, waxes lyrical locally about the AONB, and then heads off to London to vote to frack under Areas of Outstanding National Beauty. "Welsh Labour, on the other hand, has set out a clear energy policy which includes support for a mix of renewable, green, sustainable energy production, and is working to move us to a low carbon economy." The Welsh Government has achieved international acclaim for its work on sustainability. The Director for Sustainable Development at the United Nations has said: "We hope that what Wales is doing today the world will do tomorrow. Action, more than words, is the hope for our current and future generations.” This new direction will apply to any relevant application for planning permission registered as valid on or after 25th March 2016. Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's prospective Assembly candidate for Gower, has promised to be a Breast Cancer Ambassador if elected to represent Gower at the Assembly in June.
She is backing Breast Cancer Now’s 'Stop Women Dying' campaign by committing to take action for people in people affected by breast cancer and doing what she can to help put an end to women dying from the disease. Breast Cancer Now are the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, dedicated to funding research into this devastating disease. They believe that if we all act now, by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer will live. Rebecca Evans said: "I am proud to have signed up to be a Breast Cancer Ambassador. "We are investing more in our NHS than ever before, and cancer survival is increasing faster in Wales than elsewhere in the UK. We have put in place tougher waiting time targets for cancer treatment in Wales. But we need to keep on working to stop breast cancer taking the lives of the women we love." Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Wales and this year around 600 women in Wales will die from the disease. Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's prospective Assembly candidate for Gower, has put her name to Rare Disease UK's 'Pledge for Patients' ahead of the elections in May.
Rebecca Evans, who is currently a regional AM, has long been a champion of rare diseases in the Senedd. She said: “Rare diseases are not rare. There are over 6,000 known rare diseases, and a rare disease is defined as any condition affecting fewer than 5 in 10,000 people. “Rare diseases will affect 1 in 17 people at some point in their lives – that’s 175,000 people in Wales." In recent years, Rebecca Evans has joined rare disease charities in successfully campaigning for the UK's first strategy to help build understanding of rare diseases and boost research to find and deliver more effective treatment, support and therapies. This is accompanied by a Welsh Rare Disease Delivery Plan. She said: “It was clear to me that people affected by rare diseases sometimes faced common problems, including access to a timely diagnosis, misdiagnosis, lack of access to information, problematic transition from children’s to adult services, poor access to treatment, and lack of research. "That is why I successfully raised the issue in the Assembly to ensure that a plan was put in place to facilitate research, and to improve access to care, treatment and support for patients affected by rare diseases and their families. "By signing this pledge, I am committing to continue to work to ensure the plan is implemented, to press for improved diagnosis, and break down any barriers to innovation in this field." Rebecca Evans has served on the Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee and has Chaired the Cross Party Group on Disability. Fifteen micro businesses in Swansea have received a total of £364,000 from the Welsh Government-backed Finance Wales Micro Business Loan Fund.
Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's Assembly candidate for Gower, said “Micro businesses are an important part of a vibrant economy. They are often the drivers of innovation, and is important to support them in order to help them expand and grow the Welsh economy.” Rebecca Evans AM, Julie James AM and Mike Hedges AM welcome the fact that Swansea has attracted a higher than average amount of money from this fund. They said: "We would encourage other micro businesses to contact Finance Wales to see if they are able to access these loans. “ Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's prospective Assembly candidate for Gower, is backing the Motor Neuron Disease Association's "MND Won't Wait" campaign, and has promised to continue to be a champion for people with MND both in the Assembly and in the community.
MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, and can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe. It kills around 30% of people within 12 months of diagnosis, more than 50% within two years, and each day it takes the lives of 5 people. It affects people from all communities and currently has no cure. Mrs Evans said: “I am proud to have supported people with MND and their families through my work as a regional Assembly Member. I have hosted an event for the Motor Neuron Disease Association in the Assembly to give AMs the chance to speak directly with people affected by MND and their families, and with the clinicians and nursing staff who care for them. I am also pleased to be a signatory of the MND Association’s Charter in recognition of the rights and priorities of people living with MND and their carers.” As MND champions, Assembly Members are being encouraged to support prompt and accurate diagnosis for MND, and ensure best practice in care and support. Rebecca Evans, who has chaired the Cross Party Group on Disability in the National Assembly, added: “I know the difference good services can make to the lives of people with MND. Everyone with MND should be supported to maximise their quality of life, and I will continue working for people with MND if I am elected to represent Gower in the next Assembly.”  Since 2007, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has been holding an annual global celebration where people switch off their lights for one hour to show they care about the future of our planet.
Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's prospective candidate for Gower, has a keen interest in environmental issues and is a long-time supporter of the Earth Hour campaign. Rebecca Evans said: “I have long supported Earth Hour and have previously raised a Statement of Opinion in support of it in the National Assembly. “This year’s celebrations will be on Saturday 19 March from 8.30pm to 9.30pm, and I would like to invite residents of Gower to join others across the world in simply turning off ones lights for one hour in support of the campaign. It’s a simple act that will remind us of the issues facing our planet, and one which will show, that we, as a global community, are willing to address these concerns, and together do what we can to preserve our planet. "The Welsh Labour Government has put sustainability at the heart of everything we do. We have recently passed landmark legislation in the form of our Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, which will help us work toward a more prosperous, resilient, healthier and more equal Wales - a Wales where we have strong communities with a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language, and where we are mindful of and responsive to global challenges - including climate change." WWF's Earth Hour is an opportunity to place an emphasis on issues facing the planet, and to inspire millions across the world to live more sustainably.  Rebecca Evans, Welsh Labour's Assembly candidate for Gower, has joined Education Minister Huw Lewis on a visit to Gorseinon Junior School.
The visit came following the announcement that Welsh Labour will invest a minimum of £100m in additional frontline funding to continue raising standards in our schools if it wins the May election. Rebecca Evans said: "Welsh Labour's pledge is good news for pupils, parents and teachers in Gower. "It follows on from recent figures which show that the percentage of children persistently absent from school has fallen steadily under the Labour administration in Swansea, and the recent National School Categorisation results which showed that schools across Gower are continuing to improve. "Last summer's GCSE results were the best we have ever seen in Wales. "Raised standards of education across the area are the result of strong leadership from the Welsh Government, and the hard work and dedication of our teachers and staff who strive to ensure that their pupils are supported to achieve their full potential." Education Minister, Huw Lewis, said: "Over the last term, the Welsh Labour Government has driven a major programme of reform to raise standards in our schools. We have increased investment in our schools, and this is manifesting itself in stronger schools and better outcomes for our young people. Our new pledge of £100m in additional frontline funding will see us build on that." Rebecca Evans and the Minister took the opportunity to meet with staff and parent representatives at Gorseinon Junior School to explore issues facing the school. After more than a year and a half as Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, I was pleased this week to receive my very first piece of correspondence from Byron Davies MP on behalf of farmers in Gower, as described in his press release published in the South Wales Evening Post on March 9th (p17).
Mr Davies' article sadly showed his ignorance about the payment of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) subsidies, and the rules surrounding the scheme. There are no late payments. The payment window closes on 31st June 2016. Despite this, I have already ensured that more than 90% of Welsh farmers have received their part-payment. This performance is GB-leading, and the Labour Welsh Government has consistently out-performed his own Conservative Government in Westminster on this matter. We are working hard to make remaining payments, although some cross-border cases are delayed because we are waiting for data from the Government in England. Sincerely, Rebecca Evans Deputy Minister for Farming and Food In 2011, Welsh Labour promised the people of Wales a decade of delivery. We said that despite the record cuts to our budget, we would fulfil the promises we made to steer the country through tough times. We are half way through that journey and on the promises we made in the last election, we delivered.
We have now set out six new promises which are Welsh Labour’s pledges to the people of Wales. We will support working parents by providing free childcare, offering the most comprehensive and generous childcare offer in the UK. We will provide tax cuts for all small businesses in Wales to promote more local economic growth. We will oversee the establishment of 100,000 quality apprenticeships for all ages. We will create a new treatment fund for life-threatening illnesses, and double the capital limit for those going in to residential care in order to create a more beneficial environment for both sick and old people in Wales. On top of this, we also pledge to add an extra £100m to improve school standards. Our priority is to ensure that Swansea and Wales is heading toward a fairer, and better future for everyone. We want to support our local businesses, families, and students, while at the same time improving the effectiveness of our health system and making certain the older members of our communities get the proper care they have earned and deserve. These pledges serve as the foundation for Welsh Labour to achieve those goals, and we are wholly committed to the deliverance of these pledges for all of Swansea. There is a clear choice for the People of Wales in the Assembly Elections - vote Labour, we are the only party that can and will stand up and fight the cruel Tories, and battle for a fairer deal for Wales. Signed by Julie James Swansea West AM, Mike Hedges Swansea East AM and Rebecca Evans AM, Labour Welsh Assembly candidate for Gower, Together for Swansea and Together for Wales. |
