Politics

Welsh public bodies ‘could be shortchanged on NI hike’

Published

1 year ago

December 12, 2024

PUBLIC bodies in Wales may not receive full compensation from the UK Government for the cost of employer national insurance increases unlike in England, a committee heard.

Mark Drakeford told the Senedd’s finance committee the cost of workers within the Office for National Statistics definition of a public sector employee will be covered by the UK treasury.

Andrew Jeffreys, director of the Welsh treasury, explained the UK Government plans to use the Barnett formula to decide how much Wales will receive based on the costs in England.

But Prof Drakeford said: “That’s not my position … if public authorities in England are getting 100% compensation then public authorities in Wales should have 100%.

“The Barnett share may turn out to be less than we need in Wales.

“That would seem to me fundamentally unfair if English public authorities know they’re getting everything covered and in Wales we’re left filling gaps.”

He added: “If things worked out in the way we just described where Wales doesn’t have full cover but English public authorities do …, I won’t simply be leaving it there.”

Peredur Owen Griffiths, who chairs the committee, raised a warning from Ynys Môn council of a “gaping hole” in the budget that leaves local authorities facing an existential crisis.

Peredur Owen Griffiths at the Senedd on December 7, 2021 — South Wales East’s Plaid Cymru MS Peredur Owen Griffiths

He said councils could be put in an invidious position of having to balance books, potentially making jobs redundant, in the interim before clarity on compensation in May or June.

Pointing to the example of extra cash from UK pay deals, Prof Drakeford stated ministers took a risk-based decision to plan for the funding coming to Wales despite some uncertainty.

He told the committee: “I think local authorities will want to do that. They will look to see the ONS definition … and make assumptions against that. I equally think there will be organisations who … will need to plan on the basis they won’t get help from the treasury.”

Prof Drakeford, who was appointed finance secretary in September, said he would be loath to use money that comes to Wales to “substitute for responsibilities held elsewhere”.

Giving evidence after unveiling his £26bn draft budget, including a £6bn planned settlement for councils in 2025/26, Prof Drakeford said local government funding will increase by 4.3%.

The former First Minister told Senedd Members headline figures on how much funding each council receives often disguise the fact some are doing well on a per-head basis.

Prof Drakeford said he would look if anything more can be done to assist councils at the bottom end before the final budget is published on February 25.

He said the mission has not simply been to restore the position before wide-ranging cuts across almost every Welsh Government department were announced in October 2023.

He told the committee: “I’ve resisted with my colleagues suggestions that what we should be doing with the money we’ve got available next year is go back and fill the holes that we had to create in order to make this year’s budget viable.”

Pressed about tough decisions he has had to make, Prof Drakeford said: “There’s very little in this budget where people have had to deprioritise …. Last year we were using that term to denote the fact we were having to cut budgets, there’s very little of that in this budget.”

He suggested he would have liked to have allocated more than an extra £20m for childcare due to pressures to raise the hourly rate for providers and extend the Flying Start scheme.

Conservative Peter Fox questioned whether enough funding would be provided to the NHS in the draft budget to tackle the record 618,000 people in Wales on waiting lists.

Prof Drakeford replied: “There’s no ceiling here where you could say ‘well, the health service has now got everything it needs’ because there is always more demand…. I am satisfied that there is adequate funding … to make inroads into those waiting lists.”

Mike Hedges asked for an update on introducing a vacant land tax after talks with the Tory UK Government on devolving powers requested nearly five years ago broke down.

Prof Drakeford told his Labour colleague plans for a vacant land tax had completely stalled but he had a positive meeting with James Murray, exchequer secretary to the UK treasury.

He said he was given a commitment to revisit the proposal which aims to test arrangements set out in the 2014 Wales Act to devolve powers for new taxes to Wales.

Pressed about talks with the UK treasury on the Welsh Government’s borrowing powers and flexibility with reserves, Prof Drakeford warned the issue becomes more pressing every year.

He said if capital borrowing continues at the current rate of £150m a year, the Welsh Government will hit the £1bn cap during the next Senedd term from 2026.

News

Kurtz calls on Labour MPs to back release of Mandelson papers

Published

4 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Staff Writer

Opposition motion follows Epstein-linked document disclosures

A SENEDD Member has called on Labour MPs to support a Conservative Opposition Day Motion demanding the release of papers linked to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK Ambassador to the United States.

Samuel Kurtz said the motion follows the publication of new files and photographs involving Lord Mandelson, which were released as part of a United States investigation into the disgraced and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking out, Mr Kurtz said that during Prime Minister’s Questions, the Prime Minister admitted he was aware of Peter Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein at the time of his appointment.

“That means the Prime Minister knowingly appointed Peter Mandelson to one of the most important diplomatic roles in government despite his links to Epstein,” he said. “This raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement.”

Mr Kurtz went on to accuse the Prime Minister of attempting to prevent transparency over the appointment process.

“Now, instead of being open and transparent, the Prime Minister is attempting to block the release of documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment in order to protect his own position,” he said.

He warned that Labour MPs who oppose the motion would share responsibility for withholding information, adding: “If Labour MPs support blocking the release of these papers, they will be complicit in covering up the process and judgement that led the Prime Minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as Ambassador, despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.”

News

Welsh peace campaigner removed from court during Palestine protest case

Published

6 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Concerns raised over use of terrorism laws against silent sign-holders as Welsh activist among those ejected from London hearings

A WELSH peace campaigner was among several protesters removed from court by security staff this week as plea hearings continued for people charged under terrorism legislation for holding pro-Palestine signs.

Angie Zelter, aged 74, from Knucklas, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday as part of mass proceedings linked to the Government’s ban on Palestine Action.

Campaigners say hundreds of people across the UK – including some in Wales – have been charged under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after quietly holding handwritten signs reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Zelter, a long-time anti-war activist and founder of Trident Ploughshares, attempted to read a prepared statement criticising the prosecutions before being escorted from the courtroom, according to supporters.

She told the court she did not accept being labelled a terrorist for what she described as peaceful protest and opposition to the war in Gaza.

Outside the building, fellow campaigners said she had sought to argue that international law and freedom of expression should protect non-violent dissent.

Also removed from the hearing was Tim Crosland, co-founder of Defend Our Juries, who said he had tried to raise legal objections to the charges before being asked to leave.

Arrests nationwide

Organisers of the “Lift The Ban” campaign claim nearly 3,000 people have been arrested across Britain since late 2025 for taking part in silent vigils, with several hundred now facing prosecution. The offences carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

The group argues the legislation is being used to criminalise peaceful protest. It is calling on the Government to lift the ban on Palestine Action and to change its stance on military cooperation with Israel.

However, ministers have defended the proscription, saying the organisation has been linked to criminal damage and disruption at sites connected to defence manufacturing.

Welsh perspective

While most hearings are taking place in London, campaigners say demonstrators in Wales have also taken part in sign-holding protests.

Civil liberties advocates have warned that applying terrorism laws to non-violent protest risks setting a troubling precedent.

For many in mid Wales, the sight of a pensioner from rural Powys being removed from a courtroom has sharpened debate over where the line lies between legitimate protest and criminality.

Further hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks, with more defendants from across the UK expected to appear.

Business

Bid to convert office space into chocolate factory, salon and laundrette

Published

13 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for the retrospective conversion of office space previously connected to a Pembrokeshire car hire business to a chocolate factory, a beauty salon and a laundrette has been submitted to county planners

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr M Williams, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the subdivision of an office on land off Scotchwell Cottage, Cartlett, Haverfordwest into three units forming a chocolate manufacturing, a beauty salon, and a launderette, along with associated works.

A supporting statement said planning history at the site saw a 2018 application for the refurbishment of an existing office building and a change of use from oil depot offices to a hire car office and car/van storage yard, approved back in 2019.

For the chocolate manufacturing by ‘Pembrokeshire Chocolate company,’ as part of the latest scheme it said: “The operation comprises of manufacturing of handmade bespoke flavoured chocolate bars. Historically there was an element of counter sales but this has now ceased. The business sales comprise of online orders and the delivery of produce to local stockist. There are no counter sales from the premises.”

It said the beauty salon “offers treatments, nail services and hairdressing,” operating “on an appointment only basis, with the hairdresser element also offering a mobile service”. It said the third unit of the building functions as a commercial laundrette and ironing services known as ‘West Coast Laundry,’ which “predominantly provides services to holiday cottages, hotels and care homes”.

The statement added: “Beyond the unchanged access the site has parking provision for at least 12 vehicles and a turning area. The building now forms three units which employ two persons per unit. The 12 parking spaces, therefore, provide sufficient provision for staff.

“In terms of visiting members of the public the beauty salon operates on an appointment only basis and based on its small scale can only accommodate two customers at any one time. Therefore, ample parking provision exists to visitors.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing and commercial laundrette service these enterprises do not attract visitors but do attract the dropping off laundry and delivery of associated inputs. Drop off and collections associated with the laundry services tend to fall in line with holiday accommodation changeover days, for example Tuesday drop off and collections on the Thursday.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing ingredients are delivered by couriers and movements associated with this is also estimated at 10 vehicular movements per week.”