Upfront 6 News Economy Social Policy Environment Endpiece Welsh By

winter 2003/04

upfront 24 barnett squeeze 44 backlash 65 culture versus r. ross macKay argues we simon brooks explains why commerce 2 a post national wales should measure need when 8,874 people in Ceredigion alun davies reports on the chris williams says it is time allocating spending across are demanding a mayor establishment of Ofcom to move on from irresolvable the UK problems of nationality to a 28 europe social policy more open, participatory greening the economy roger thomas society recommends practical steps to make 46 two cheers 67 physicians cure neil macCormick progress with sustainable reveals thyselves 6 news jon owen jones development what the European assesses the Convention is achieving for Assembly Government’s economy Wales response to the Wanless review politics and policy of health and social care 10 mind the gap 50 only connect jan royall dylan jones-evans puts the 30 peter’s question discusses the work 69 funding fog economic performance of for ivor of the European Commission’s david reynolds says education the richer and poorer regions alan trench says the Richard Office in Wales spending is losing out of Wales under the spotlight Commission should address 71 we bought a mountain constitutional principles not culture and catrin ellis jones reports on questions about service welsh by design special a venture that is breathing delivery communications 13 life into upland Wales i) water in a bottle 32 52 ross lovegrove describes leashed watchdogs cardiff, kairdiff, leighton jenkins the thought processes argues that caerdydd environment peter finch that led him to further the Assembly’s Committees probes the develop one of Wales’s lack the powers to do their job literary output from the 74 dislocated icon

COVER STORY COVER capital’s clash of cultures most successful products 35 legal wales william wilkins suggests a way forward for the National 16 ii) Halen Môn keith bush reports on how Botanic Garden david lea-wilson argues Welsh incorporation into language special that successful marketing England is being reversed 55 i) turning the tide? 76 DNA database entails combining a local anthony campbell 37 virtual majority john aitchison and unveils a with a global image harold carter unravel project to survey the marine leighton andrews reports on linguistic messages from organisms of Pembrokeshire 18 iii) whisgi gymreig his first six months as an AM the 2001 census brian morgan on how a 78 sustainable futures 39 clear welsh water Welsh spirit has been 59 ii) belonging carys howell and sylvia nick bourne outlines new conjured out of Penderyn euros lewis reflects on davies examine proposals to directions for Welsh the heartland’s ‘invisible’ extend the role of the Conservatism identity crisis 21 flights on our doorstep National Parks madoc batcup says we 41 nation-building 62 iii) the world in welsh should take another look cynog dafis explores Plaid ned thomas argues that endpiece at Llanwern’s potential to Cymru’s future in the wake the time is ripe for a Welsh-language daily become a major of its May 2003 election 80 peter stead newspaper international airport setback harri webb’s budgies

Cover Image – Portrait of Ross Lovegrove examining one of his product designs for a folding chair. upfront

chris williams says it is time to move on from the irresolvable problems of nationality to a more open, participatory society a post national wales

his is an important with our genes! If we look back to the nineteenth century, moment in the Friedrich Engels dismissed the Welsh, amongst others, as history of Wales. ‘non-historic’ peoples. Conventional thinking had it that there tToday, Wales matters more were those peoples who were called to national greatness (the politically than it has ever English, the French, the Germans), for whom the nation-state done. Today, Welsh represented the apotheosis of their ambition, and there were citizenship is a reality: those who, it was thought, could not hope to play a useful role there is a devolved political as independent states, largely on account of their small size. unit, called Wales, which For Wales, then, the logical trajectory to follow was one which has its own government. would see the Welsh people progressively more absorbed into True, that government has the British state and British Empire, both of which offered them limited powers. It cannot much in the way of opportunities and progress. The trade-off make laws, it cannot vary would be a steady diminution in their ‘difference’ as a people. taxes. It appears presently John Stuart Mill, writing in Utilitarianism, Liberty and to be confused about what Representative Government, explained that: it can and cannot do. In the four years since it came “Nobody can suppose that it is not more beneficial into being the National for a Breton or a Basque of French Navarre to be … a Assembly for Wales has not delivered effectively enough to be member of the French nationality, admitted on equal counted a success, yet. terms to all the privileges of French citizenship … than to sulk on his own rocks, the half-savage relic of I hope very much that it does succeed, for government at this past times, revolving in his own little mental orbit, level on many issues makes sense, and I am inclined to think without participation or interest in the general that the closer that government is brought to the people the movement of the world. The same remark applies to more democratic it is likely to be. I suspect that the current the Welshman or the Scottish highlander as members devolved constitution is not one that is ultimately tenable, and of the British nation.” in due course I would anticipate that Wales will gain law- making powers. There is some considerable distance to go, In actual fact, the Welsh reaction to such an opportunity was however, before one can predict that the people of Wales will highly ambivalent. On the one hand, most Welsh people embrace such an option. But whatever the short- and were prepared to reconcile themselves to the British state medium-term future for the governance of Wales, the and to an increasing English cultural dominance in many question of Welsh identity is as relevant now, at the beginning spheres of life. Yet, confounding the expectations of those of the twenty-first century, as it has ever been. And, as the who saw political and cultural uniformity as the inevitably sociologist Charlotte Williams has recently written: corollary of political association, the nineteenth century also saw the beginnings of what Kenneth O. Morgan has called “One of the clear implications of devolution is the the ‘Rebirth’ of the Welsh nation. This rebirth was not a opportunity to rework discourses of race and ethnicity, unilinear or smooth process: it embraced many to reconfigure discourses of nation and national contradictions. It could encompass the reinvention of the identity and to re-imagine Wales in deliberate and Welsh as a purely Nonconformist nation, of the Welsh as a 2 conscious ways …” musical nation, of the Welsh as a rugby-playing nation. None of these were ever fully accurate, but they did provide the The fact that Wales ‘exists’ at all in the twenty-first century Welsh with a multi-faceted identity that reasserted their might be considered remarkable. It must be something to do difference from the English.

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These and other characteristics formed the basis for the Welsh Many will also be familiar with Denis Balsom’s ‘Three Wales’ version of what political scientists call ‘ethnic’ nationalism. model, which breaks Wales down into another triptych: ‘Y Fro ‘Ethnic’ nationalisms are those that stress certain essential criteria Gymraeg’ (roughly equivalent to Zimmern’s ‘Welsh Wales’), that peoples may be thought to have in common: race, language, ‘Welsh Wales’ (approximating to Zimmern’s ‘American religion, culture. Thus to belong to a specific national group you Wales’) and ‘British Wales’ (matching Zimmern’s ‘English have to possess certain characteristics: to share in a line of Wales’). I do not think it an exaggeration to suggest that most common descent, to speak a particular language, to adhere to Welsh historical writing has focused on (in Balsom’s one religious faith, to be part of a common culture. The Welsh, terminology) ‘Y Fro Gymraeg’ and ‘Welsh Wales’, and that it no less than any other national group in the nineteenth century, is the experience of those areas that stands at the centre of bought into the idea of an ‘ethnic’ nationalism: ‘Welshness’ is to competing understandings of historical and contemporary be ‘Celtic’, or it is to be Welsh-speaking, or it is to be ‘Welshness’, about which more in a moment. What this ‘Nonconformist’, or it is to be ‘naturally’ poetic or musical or to selective focus does, however, is marginalise those who are have been produced by Max Boyce’s fly-half factory. seen as irrelevant to the unfolding ‘national story’. Those in ‘English’ or ‘British’ Wales are considered ‘not really Welsh’, Many historians of Wales, most obviously Prys Morgan, Gwyn and are easily viewed either as labouring under a form of A. Williams, Dai Smith, and Gareth Williams have devoted false consciousness or as making a self-serving much of their careers to demystifying such notions, to locating accommodation with Wales’s more powerful neighbour. the roots of the invention of multiple traditions. They have, collectively, demonstrated that the nation is not a natural As a consequence, central, singular narratives of Welsh political unity but a contingent, historically limited condition. history and identity, that initially privileged the experiences The impact of their work has been to query the notion of a of Zimmern’s ‘Welsh Wales’, have been challenged by those holistic Welsh past, of unitary narratives of national progress. identifying with ‘American Wales’ (tellingly renamed ‘Welsh And so, as the idea of a pure Welsh race was revealed as a Wales’ by Balsom), only for those too to be undermined by myth, as the percentage of the Welsh people speaking Welsh the collapse of the heavy industries that had given us such a receded, as religious attendance in Wales declined to a point strong sense of a vibrant, radical, collective culture in the where it is now lower than that in England, and as Welsh south Wales coalfield. New narratives have arisen, performances on the field of play have become more and articulating the dynamics of gender and of ethnicity, but more abject, so the very idea that there can be any essential inevitably these are partial and fragmentary. core of Welshness has become less and less sustainable. The ethnic definition of national identity has been exhausted and, That is not to say that there are not those who believe that such one might say, not before time. The identification of essential, ethnic definitions are still worthy of being defended, or who ‘ethnic’ criteria for belonging to a nation is a necessarily exclusive instinctively reach for those talismans – the controversies of recent process. In elevating a single ‘monoculture’ as the model of years over English in-migration into Welsh-speaking communities nationality this upholds characteristics that cannot be universal. It in north and west Wales which have revealed that there are still must of necessity (especially in such a historically divided and some who cling to such ideas. But on the whole scholars have diverse society as Wales) put obstacles in the way of at least been more inclined to work with the concept of the nation, in some of its own people. Benedict Anderson’s famous phrase, as an ‘imagined community’, imagined because, according to Anderson, ‘the members of even What, then, can replace an ‘ethnic’ definition of the nation? the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow-members, The alternative is most commonly called a ‘civic’ definition, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the which discusses national identity not in terms of essential image of their communion.’ Wales is understood as, to cite the characteristics such as language or religion, but in terms of subtitle of the book edited by my Glamorgan colleague Tony the structures of citizenship and government. Thus, as Curtis, The Imagined Nation. We view national identity as a Merfyn Jones noted in an article published in 1992: continuous process of making and remaking, of invention, construction and deconstruction. The very idea of a homogeneous “… the Welsh are in the process of being defined … by nation is seen as a fiction, and we ask, who is doing the reference to the institutions that they inhabit, influence imagining? In whose interests is the nation being imagined? Many and against which react ”. will be familiar with this 1921 quotation from Sir Alfred Zimmern: Those institutions are much more tangible now, after “The Wales of today is not a unity. There is not one devolution, than they were before. Welsh citizenship is a reality Wales; there are three … There is Welsh Wales; there is not only when one votes in National Assembly elections, but 3 industrial or, as I sometimes think of it, American also both when one takes advantage and when one suffers Wales; and there is upper class or English Wales. These from the varying implementation of policy this side of Offa’s three represent different types and different traditions.” Dyke. We are in the apparently paradoxical situation that, as

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the processes of globalization seem to render borders less and the experiences and interests of those that do not fit, and less relevant, more and more porous, the changing that, through what Edward Said called the ‘rhetoric of constitutional settlement in Wales has made the Welsh border blame’, stresses difference and conflict with England to the more important than at any time in modern history. exclusion of shared experiences and cooperation.

But although a ‘civic’ definition of Welshness – effectively In Wales, according to the last census, there are 582,000 you are Welsh if you live in Wales and (if adult) have a vote people who can speak at least some Welsh. I am one of them. here – is certainly preferable to the older ‘ethnic’ definitions, Quite rightly there are policies and strategies, funding streams I would question whether we need to remain confined by the and initiatives, that are dedicated to shoring up the Welsh discourses of nationality at all. Devolution, in theory, offers language and helping it to revive. Also according to the last us the opportunity to reinvent a new Welsh patriotism. But, census, there are 590,000 people in Wales who were born in rather than struggling to reinvent the nation, contesting it in England, ‘by far the biggest ethnic grouping in Wales’. They its different incarnations, I suggest that it is time to move include my wife, my mother and my sister. Now these two beyond the nation, for two reasons. groups are not mutually exclusive, but they are very different in their identities and prospects. A definition of Welshness The first is that, in a global era, the nation-state is less and less that ignored Welsh-speakers would be untenable. A definition relevant. The concept of globalization embraces the fact that the of Welshness that recognizes that only three-quarters of the ‘global’ is a dimension of increasing importance in many aspects people of Wales were born in Wales has yet to be articulated. of our lives, whether they be economic, political, environmental or cultural. Global warming, the internet, international terrorism, For me, the answer to these contradictions is not, in the Microsoft Powerpoint, more and more, we cannot escape the fact pluralistic style of the Parekh Report on ‘multi-ethnic’ Britain, that we are one world, and that the problems that face human to reinvent the nation as ‘a community of communities’. This beings in one society necessarily have the potential to have an merely displaces the problems of identity definition and impact on our own lives. In a globalised world, the nation-state is collective exclusion onto a different level, and runs the risk progressively more anachronistic, its limited sovereign powers of reifying identities at levels other than that of the nation- diminishingly able to control what goes on within its borders. state. That is why I am not a spokesperson for an English- Putting up the shutters is not an option. One cannot screen speaking Welsh identity, for a Monmouthshire identity, or for globalisation out at the nation’s frontier. One can only hope to a border identity: none of those collectivities are viable build transnational institutional and legal structures that control foundations for a future politics of inclusion. the process to the benefit of the majority of the world’s peoples, rather than benefit only the multi-national corporations: a We in Wales have the opportunity to move to what might be globalisation from below, not a globalisation from above. called a post-national state, to construct a partially- autonomous Wales where that autonomy liberates all The second reason is not only that to reinvent nationality in a citizens, not just those who subscribe to the conventional global era is anachronistic, but it is that it is also philosophically views of what the characteristics and direction of that nation- untenable. For any discourse of nationality erects psychological state should be. This ‘post-nation’ would be a society that barriers between us as members of one nation, and the rest of has discarded the notion of a homogeneous nation-state the peoples of the world as members of other nations. with singular forms of belonging, and that is instead Definitions work by ‘othering’: we define who we are by who inclusive and culturally diverse. we are not. Thus we are Welsh because we are not English or British. These sorts of binarisms not only excite unnecessary A ‘postnational’ Wales would be a Wales that has moved on antagonisms towards others, they also tend to render marginal from the discourse of national identity, that has dispensed with or invisible those identities, those groups, those people, whose the rhetoric of ‘Welshness’, and that has fully embraced and characteristics do not fit those of the imagined nation. come to terms with the concept of a postnational citizenship. Rather than deny (explicitly or implicitly) a Welsh identity to Even civic nationality is still contaminated by the unavoidable black and Asian people, or to those living near the English logic of any national identity discourse that raises barriers border, or indeed to English-born people who have chosen to between human beings in different states. Because nationality live in Wales, a post-national Wales discards identity discourse articulates difference, it is a fundamentally unhelpful discourse. and starts from somewhere else. We decouple the idea of a It places obstacles in the way of mutual understanding and it national culture from the civic rights and responsibilities that compels individuals to commit themselves to one (nation)-state go with being a citizen of Wales. Our ‘imagined community’ is 4 or another. The peril of embracing the national project (even in imagined as something that goes beyond the nation-state to its civic form) at this very time is that we will end up with an embrace the idea of a global democracy. In moving, as Merfyn insular, exclusivist vision of our future that once more attempts Jones puts it, ‘Beyond Identity’, we make Wales ‘a place with a false homogenisation of Welsh society and that marginalises citizens, not a cause with adherents’.

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The opportunities here are not just that we move beyond project looks to have suffered an important recent rebuff in exclusivist positions on Welsh national identity. They are that we Sweden and there is little immediate prospect, it appears, of find, through the idea of a postnational citizenship that crosses Britain joining the single European currency. Once one thinks existing borders and boundaries, a consensus of universal moral about the global dimensions of postnational citizenship the values that enshrines the rights of the individual through most obvious framework for this would be the United democratic participation, that speaks in terms of respect for all Nations, and no-one can be in any doubt that the recent human beings of all levels of wealth and status, that aims to conflict in Iraq, and as importantly the lead-up to that reduce inequality within and between countries and continents, conflict, damaged the standing and effectiveness of the UN. that seeks human societies that are more in tune with And there are plenty of other reasons to be pessimistic at environmental pressures and demands. Perhaps this is a present, including George W. Bush, Islamic fundamentalism, suitably refurbished and updated internationalism of the sort international terrorism and the continuing conflict in and that appealed to so many of the south Wales miners with whom around Israel. So I do not pretend that this is a goal that will I began my research career. But there is nothing specifically or easily or quickly be achieved. But I do believe that, in the necessarily ‘Welsh’ about any of these ideas. long term, human society is moving in this direction, and it might be to Wales’s benefit to be at the head of the queue. This call for a postnational Wales is unlikely to appeal to all, in fact I suspect that it will fail, at present, to convince a majority. Finally, some may suggest that the advocacy of post-nationality Some of the sceptics will come from the nationalist movement, represents a denial of history and of the relevance of history, notwithstanding the fact that there are those within that that it is a means of cutting contemporary society away from its movement who have done much to advance postnational historical moorings. It would be curious if I agreed with that. ideals. They might say that to argue for a postnational Wales is Rather, I think that, if we understand history properly, in all its to denude the concept of Welshness of any essential meaning. complexities and ambiguities, we cannot settle for half-truths in The answer to that is if that ‘essential meaning’ consists of the present. The language and rhetoric of the nation-state terms that are well past their sell-by date then, of course, and belongs to just one phase in human history. It does not have to the sooner the better. Others might worry that to problematise govern our minds and behaviour for infinity. the notion of Wales in such a fashion is to jeopardise the new Welsh democratic project, and that taking a stronger hold of Outside Wales, political philosophers and social theorists, Welsh nationality is crucial to making devolved Wales a such as David Held and Jürgen Habermas, have been success. But I feel that it is precisely at this point, when the arguing this position for a while. My colleague Stefan Berger exact form and tenor of Welsh democracy is so fluid, that it is has written persuasively, in the context of German history, important to recognize fully and take proper account of the on the need for individuals to be at one with their own ambiguities and complexities that render the national project selves, to move away from the imperative of seeking so problematic. Otherwise we shall generate a future Wales validation by attachment to a broader collectivity. that is embraced by, or fully relevant, only to a minority. Inside Wales, there have been genuflections in this direction There is a danger that, in rejecting the language of the nation by one or two writers, particularly Merfyn Jones and (historically a reasonably successful means of integrating Charlotte Williams. But on the whole, and for very good individuals into a large-scale society), we lose social cohesion reasons of its own marginality and relative powerlessness, and descend into a marketplace of anarchic individualism, in Wales has been preoccupied for the best part of two which one chooses one’s identity as a ‘brand’, a mixture of centuries with asserting and inventing its identity rather than designer labels and chic affectations. Critics of globalisation setting it to one side. We are now, in the twenty-first century, have worried over the ‘McDonaldisation’ of the world, the on the cusp of a newly relevant sense of Welsh citizenship. swamping of existing cultures by a bland, Americanised Rather than feel we need to bolster that with the tired consumerism. Globalisation certainly brings with it rhetoric of nationality, we in Wales have the opportunity to disadvantages as well as advantages, and it presents Wales, short-circuit the historical process. If we so choose we can as it presents every country in world (including the USA) with leave behind the ultimately irresolvable problems of major challenges. But social cohesion can only be nationality with its discriminatory and negative dimensions, strengthened through the democratic participation of all and move to a more open, participatory society in which all citizens who feel they have an equal stake in the future of are equal, not just before the law, but also in the language their society, and not by writing some groups off as and consciousness of civil society. possessing fewer of the credentials of nationality. • Professor Chris Williams is Director of the Centre for Modern 5 The concept of a postnational citizenship is not without its and Contemporary Wales, School of Humanities, University of problems. The most obvious location for such a citizenship, Glamorgan. This is an edited extract from his inaugural lecture, in the short term, would be the European Community. That delivered on 14 October 2003.

winter 2003/04 news

an academy of national administration

In the wake of its new policy Secondly, opportunities in and organisations like the paper making the case for a Wales to take a Masters in WDA and the Wales Tourist Welsh Public Service, the Business Administration Board. IWA is launching a research (MBA) course recognised by project on the feasibility of one of the leading This call was the starting an Academy of National accreditation organisations point for Professor Stephen Administration to serve both such as the Association of Prosser’s study, the public and private sectors MBAs, are limited. Development of a Welsh in Wales. Two concerns have Undoubtedly, this places Public Service, published by come together to highlight Wales at a disadvantage in the IWA in November 2003. the need for such an attracting high calibre people In it he argues that there is initiative. First, has been the from many organisations no central focus or call for a new form of public and businesses that will only organisation to bring the service in Wales made by consider accredited courses. different parts of the Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan It also obliges business in public service groups in the run up to the May 2003 Wales to opt in many cases together. As he says: Assembly election. for courses outside the country when they wish to “The Welsh public service provide to provide MBA needs a physical location to training for rising executives. be clearly identified with its development … This would Part of the background to the be a dedicated resource, First Minister’s call for a new charged with taking forward form of public service is that the learning and the small size of the Welsh development agenda and civil service is limiting career jointly owned by the possibilities, especially since constituents of the Welsh there is very little flow public service. between Cardiff and Whitehall. The Permanent The IWA’s new research Secretary Sir Jon Shortridge project will take this drew attention to this in his recommendation forward, evidence to the Richard and also examine the Commission which is looking prospect of widening the at widening the powers of brief to embrace the private the National Assembly. sector. This would not only address the limited As Rhodri Morgan declared, opportunities to take “We need to invent a new accredited MBA courses in form of public service in Wales, but also ensure cross- Wales, in which individuals fertilisation between the are able to move far more public and private sectors. easily than now between one form of organisation and another.” He said staff should be able to zigzag’ in their careers between local • Development of a Welsh 6 government, the Assembly, Public Service can be health service obtained from the Institute administrators, higher of Welsh Affairs (price £10; education administration, half-price to IWA members).

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Challenge, IWA Director, does liverpool belong to second term John Osmond, said, “The challenge for the second north wales? challenge term is to put this distinctive profile into effective practice. So far it has been largely A debate on the relationship Assistant Director of Culture Wales’s relatively weak expressed as declaratory between Liverpool and north and Leisure, Denbighshire devolution settlement has left policy statements. Following Wales is being organised by County Council; and will be it at a disadvantage in closely behind is another the IWA’s North Wales chaired by Geraint Talfan formulating innovative challenge: to improve the Branch on Thursday 12 Davies, Chair of the IWA and economic policies to deal with structures and extend the February 2004 at Llandrillo the Arts Council of Wales. the loss of manufacturing jobs powers of the Assembly to College, Rhos-on-Sea, when compared with give the Assembly starting at 6pm. In 2008 Liverpool becomes Scotland. This is a conclusion Government the discretion it European Capital of Culture. drawn by Professor Phil needs to put its policies into Its bid document promises to Cooke, of Cardiff University, in effect.” “celebrate Liverpool’s Second Term Challenge, established and emerging published by the Institute of cultural links with Cologne, Welsh Affairs in association New York, Dublin, Riga, and with the Constitution Unit at Shanghai. The Cities at the University College, London. Edge Festival will explore the The new book, arising from a creative and historic threads conference held by the two that link Liverpool with some organisation in the wake of of Europe’s other most the May 2003 election, culturally vibrant and edgy examines the tasks facing the For generations Liverpool port cities – Naples, National Assembly for Wales has been regarded by many Marseilles, and Bilbao.” Yet as it proceeds into its second in north Wales as their nowhere in the document term. capital, the closest major does the city’s doorstep urban centre, a gateway to Welsh neighbour get a look Professor Cooke, director the world. Through the 19th in. Can this change? This of the Centre for Advanced and much of the 20th IWA evening offers a chance Studies at Cardiff, argues Century it was home to a to debate these issues with that Scottish policy has been In the book Welsh-speaking community, leading figures from both able to develop innovative Professor David Reynolds of complete with chapels, sides of the border. instruments with a strong the University of Exeter deals Eisteddfodau and sporting focus on knowledge-based with education policy, Scott institutions. In one formation The debate will be followed economic development Greer, of the Constitution Unit it was an external colony for by a wine reception and strategy. In contrast Wales’s examines health policy, and the Welsh. Will this continue buffet. entrepreneurship and Professor Iain MacClean of in the 21st Century? innovation supporting Nuffield College, Oxford looks policies have not been at the operation on the Barnett Sponsored by the public systematically integrated, Formula which underpins the relations firm Quadrant, the lack synergies and have Assembly’s finances. Professor main speakers will be David under-performed. Robert Hazell, Director of the Henshaw, Chief Executive of Constitution Unit, analyses how Liverpool City Council and • To obtain tickets, £10 per In the run-up to the May Labour will deal with Secretary of the Liverpool head to include hot buffet 2003 elections First Minister recommendations that are Culture Company which and wine, contact: Rhodri Morgan claimed that likely to come from the Richard steered through the 2008 bid; IWA, Ty Oldfield he had placed ‘clear, red Commission on the Assembly’s Rev D. Ben Rees, the Llantrisant Road, Llandaf, water’ between his powers in early 2004. Liverpool-based publisher Cardiff, CF5 2YQ administration in Cardiff and 7 and iconoclast, a Telephone 02920 575511 Tony Blair’s ‘New Labour’ • Second Term Challenge is spokesperson for the Facsimile 02920 575701 Government at Westminster. available from the IWA at Liverpool Welsh; Ann Gosse, E-mail [email protected] The Editor of Second Term £10 (half-price to members).

winter 2003/04 news

new gwent branch

An IWA Gwent Branch, the region’s economic and West Wales and Swansea covering Newport, cultural driver. Bay. After consultations the Monmouthshire, Torfaen, IWA’s Management Board Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent “This is an extremely has decided to amalgamate and south Powys is to be important initiative for the Ceredigion with launched in March 2004. Institute,” said Director John Carmarthenshire and Three planning meetings Osmond. “The Gwent region Pembrokeshire in the West have been held with is one of the most populated Wales Branch. For the time members electing Geoff and important parts of the being northern Powys will be Edge, Pro Vice Chancellor of country and will be an serviced by the North Wales University of Wales College important voice in the Branch while south Powys Newport as Chair. counsels of the IWA in will become part of the coming years.” Gwent Branch. If there is The new branch will be demand consideration will be launched at a day conference The new Branch will given in future to the creation Geoff Edge – elected Chair of the which will examine the complement the existing IWA of a Powys Branch on its own new Gwent Branch emergence of Newport as branches in North Wales, account.

slow train coming

Much greater priority needs services from London may 1980s, with more and longer that trains to and from to be given to south Wales also be restored, enabling trains on the route: “We Cardiff were making faster rail services in order to people to spend an evening recognise that rail travel will average journeys 16 years reflect the growing in London and return home. continue to grow next year ago than they are now. In importance of Cardiff as a and the Strategic Rail 1987 the fastest train was European capital city and to “We share the concern that Authority will be consulting timed at 1 hour 49 minutes to support the potential for speed and reliability of these on a Great Western route London and 1 hour 40 economic growth in the services have now been left utilisation strategy, seeking minutes from London. Today area. This is the frank behind those of the best high- views from everyone as to these fastest times have been admission made by Chris speed railways in Europe and how we should develop this extended by six minutes and Kinchin-Smith, managing elsewhere and we wish to important part of the 20 minutes respectively and director of First Great work with private and public transport infrastructure.” average journey times have Western, the operator of sector partners to resolve also become longer. In 1987 London-Cardiff services, these issues,” he says The IWA report calls for 17 out of 21 services were responding to the IWA’s substantial further scheduled to reach Cardiff in recent report on rail services, The report, produced for the investment in rail services less than two hours Capitals United. Institute of Welsh Affairs by between Cardiff and London, compared with none (out of the Wales Transport revealing that although the 28) in 2002. Mr Kinchin-Smith, whose comments appear in the Research Centre at the frequency of services to and report, promises a new University of Glamorgan, from London has improved By contrast, services to and timetable in late 2004 with also generated a strong significantly in recent years, from Leeds and Nottingham the aim of improving response from the chairman there has been no matching – regional capitals punctuality on the line. He of the Strategic Rail improvement in timings. respectively of Yorkshire and also reveals that studies are Authority, Richard Bowker. the East Midlands – have being made to see whether Contrary to the findings of Indeed, the report’s analysis achieved generally better 8 some limited-stop express the report he argues that the of timetables between times over the past 15 years services can be introduced, service between Cardiff and London and three other and have also grown in avoiding some of the current London is “dramatically” important UK cities in 1977, frequency. Average times to en-route stops. Late night better than it was in the 1987, 1997 and 2002 show Leeds (which has benefited

winter 2003/04 newsflash

coming up… news

• Cardiff Lunch: First Minister Rhodri Morgan Thursday 29 January Hilton Hotel Cardiff 12.00pm bar opens from the electrification of the “They want to be on the from London, compared with 12.30pm Speaker West Coast Main Line) have shopping list for companies the late 1980s. In particular, the Tickets £30 / £27.50 to improved and the average seeking to locate regional or main line has had to IWA members £250 journey time is only just over national public and private accommodate many more table for ten. 10 minutes longer than to sector headquarters and to trains, both passenger and Cardiff, despite the extra have facilities that will attract freight. Paddington itself is • West Wales Branch distance. not just UK but international much more congested since the Dinner: Inward Migration tourists. They want to be introduction of the Heathrow and the Market Economy In addition, the report, which able to boast universities Express and trains are making Friday 12 March, has the backing of CBI that are among the top ten in more stops en route. Half of all Falcondale Hotel Wales, points out that there their field and to house Cardiff trains now stop at Didcot Lampeter is the problem of delays on prestige research institute. to accommodate increased 7.30pm for 8.00pm the Great Western main line, They want to have vibrant commuter traffic to and from with Cynog Dafis which means that trains retailing centres where the London. former MP for often run more slowly than world’s top fashion houses Ceredigion and AM for time-tabled. “By any normal and other leading retailers Signalling has also come under Mid and West Wales. standards Cardiff has good are represented.” review following accidents • Cardiff Lunch: Richard rail services, yet as frequent such as that at Ladbroke Grove Lambert, Monetary travellers will testify, a gap in 1999. The age of the fleet Policy Committee, Bank has emerged between and of the track and signalling of England. Friday 19 promise and performance,” are also a factor. March, Hilton Hotel it says. Cardiff. 12.00pm bar In their recommendations the opens 12.30pm Speaker. A weaker rail service than is authors of the report say rail Tickets £30 / £27.50 to available to other leading UK services to Wales need to be IWA members £250 cities could impact severely seen in the context of transport table for ten. on Cardiff’s future policy as a whole. “In the case competitive position. As the of south Wales the need is for • Creating a Welsh Brand authors of the report, Rhys adequate investment in rail - Lunch with Rachel David of the IWA, and services to and from London Rowlands, Friday 26 Professor Stuart Cole of the and other major centres, March, Bodysgallen University of Glamorgan, providing a frequent fast and Hotel, Llandudno note: reliable service. 12.00pm bar opens 12.30pm Speaker. Tickets £25 / £22.50 IWA “A number of medium-sized Small countries such as “If Cardiff is to grow to its full members £200 cities up and down the UK, Wales need one of these potential it needs to be table for ten. including Cardiff, are seeking semi-super cities if they are positioned as an easy-to- to move into a bigger league to have a strong place in the reach destination enjoying of British centres creating the world. If visitors find it fast, frequent and peak period just published… critical mass that will enable limited stop access to the UK increasingly difficult to visit • Second Term Challenge: them to capture regional capital and good services to the Welsh capital by road or Can the Welsh Assembly leadership across a wide other important cities. by rail, it will be Government Hold its area. It is these cities that disadvantaged in its attempts Course? £10 want to position themselves to attract those international • Capitals United can be to play host to big events, players, the report states. obtained from the IWA, • Development of a Welsh such as celebrity concerts, Ty Oldfield, Llantrisant Public Service big sports teams, significant The report points to a Road, Cardiff CF5 2YQ By Stephen Prosser, £10 cultural activity such as number of understandable Telephone 029 2057 5511 • Capitals United 9 theatre, opera, museums and reasons why it is taking E-mail [email protected] By Stuart Cole and galleries, and big longer to reach Cardiff and (price £10; half-price to Rhys David, £10 conferences and exhibitions. other parts of Wales by train IWA members). more information: www.iwa.org.uk economy mind the gap

ollowing the Assembly elections Fortunately, this has recently been in May 2003 First Minister Rhodri addressed with the body responsible Morgan made the pledge that his for administering the project – the all-Labourf government's highest Welsh European Funding Office – priority was to help the least well off in losing its status as an independent society. As he put it, “We have to body and being brought under the spread prosperity and create social direct control of the Economic justice and that sense that we are Development Division. bringing home the bacon for all parts of Wales and all types of communities Quite rightly, Economic Development as well.” Minister Andrew Davies has established a system to streamline the In this case the key issue for the Welsh management of the entire programme. economy during the next three-and-a- Hopefully, this will simplify the half years is not whether it is doing application process and speed up the well as a whole, but whether prosperity delivery of new project ideas. Whether is being spread across the nation. And these changes are a tacit admission of in particular, this means to the 15 failure of the process to date or merely counties in west Wales and the Valleys a reorganisation of the management of dylan jones-evans that have qualified for Objective 1 the Objective 1 programme to make it funding and are classed amongst the more efficient and effective depends puts the economic poorest areas in Europe. upon your political colours. However, the only real examination of whether performance of the The regional disparities were the programme is working is whether recognised in 1999 through the the Objective 1 regions of Wales are richer and poorer awarding of Objective 1 status to west actually closing the gap with the rest of Wales and the Valleys that qualified the country. regions of Wales because their average prosperity was less than 75 per cent of the European Data published by the Office for under the spotlight average. Consequently, at the same National Statistics at the end of October moment it assumed powers over revealed that the average prosperity for economic development, the Assembly the Objective 1 region had decreased to Government was given access to £2.5 67 per cent of the UK average in 2001. billion of investment from public, In contrast, east Wales – comprising of private and European funding. This the counties of Cardiff, Newport, Vale of was a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity Glamorgan, Powys, Monmouthshire, to regenerate its poorest areas. Indeed, Flintshire and Wrexham – continued to one of the most difficult challenges of grow in prosperity at the same rate as the Assembly’s first four years has the UK. In the period 1998-2001 the gap been the management and delivery of in wealth between the two regions of the Objective 1 programme. Wales widened by over 20 per cent (see Table 1). For example, it was nearly nine months before the first projects were approved. Instantly, it was argued that these The complicated administrative figures were out-of-date and that they 10 systems put into place to deal with do not take into account the applications led to considerable employment changes that have concern that the private sector would occurred within Wales in the last two be turned off by the entire process. years. Since 2001, it can be argued,

winter 2003/04 economy they may well have closed Force Survey shows that the gap between the west wales and the valleys objective 1 region the number of people in Objective 1 region and the manufacturing has declined rest of Wales. by over 21 per cent since 2000 within the Objective 1 Given the absence of gross region, with the number of value added figures since manufacturing jobs in 2001, an informed answer Rhondda Cynon Taff for can only be provided by example going down by examining more up-to-date around 13,000. The number statistics in other areas – in of jobs in financial services particular job creation, has also decreased within increasing wealth and the Objective 1 region since reducing economic 2000, whilst showing an inactivity. increase in the rest of Wales. In terms of job creation, data from the Labour Force Another worry regarding Survey suggests that in the the employment figures for period from August 2000 Wales is the change in the (when the Objective 1 age profile of workers programme first came on during the last three years, stream) to August 2003, the with evidence of out number of people in migration of young people employment in Wales from the poorer parts of increased by 81,000 – a Wales. For example, the record of which the Labour Force Survey shows Assembly Government that those in employment should be rightly proud. between the ages of 16 and 35 within the Objective 1 However, as Table 2 shows, region has actually only a third of these decreased by around 34,000 additional jobs – 27,000 – since 2000. In contrast, the have been created within the Objective the Objective 1 programme – is taking number of over 50s in work within 1 region. In contrast Cardiff, place, it is not happening as fast in the west Wales and the Valleys went up by Monmouthshire, Wrexham and Objective 1 region as in the rest of the 38,000 in the same period. Flintshire experienced an increase in country. employment of 54,000 during same In terms of increasing wealth, data period. This demonstrates that though In terms of sectoral growth in high skill from the New Earnings Survey job creation – one of the main aims of and highly paid sectors, the Labour suggests that since 2000, the difference

table 1: gross value added at current basic prices 1998-2001 (£ per head) 1998 1999 2000 2001 % Change 1998-2001 Non-Objective 1 12,793 13,317 13,854 14,430 12.8% Objective 1 8,857 9,056 9,364 9,678 9.3% Source: Office for National Statistics

table 2: employment in wales 2000-2003 (all 16+) July July July July % Change 2000 2001 2002 2003 2000-2003 11 Non-Objective 1 492,000 497,000 518,000 546,000 11.0% Objective 1 781,000 770,000 769,000 808,000 3.5% Source: NOMIS (Labour Force Survey)

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in pay between Objective 1 and the rest of structural funds to the Assembly’s The reasons for such a disparity need Wales has increased by over 40 per cent Economic Development Committee greater analysis, as it calls into (see Table 3). In 2003, the gross average indicating that over £1.2 billion has been question the approach and relevance of weekly wage in the Objective 1 area was committed to 918 projects within the the current Objective 1 programme. £327, as opposed to £370 for the rest of Objective 1 programme. Wales. Certainly, the cost of living is Perhaps the most important question is probably lower within the less prosperous whether there are enough infrastructure areas. Nonetheless, this is a worrying and capacity building projects being statistic given that one of the main aims of Those parts of undertaken within the Objective 1 region the Objective 1 programme is to ensure to underpin a sustainable future. If not, that the gap between the poorer and Wales that are then we will be left with a reliance on richer areas of Wales is closed. the more prosperous areas to generate wealth and employment, leaving much Decrease in economic inactivity has been not receiving of the Objective 1 region to serve as perhaps the main social and economic residential or tourism areas. This would mission of the Assembly Government and, Objective 1 cash not sit well with many natural Labour to some extent, it has succeeded with the supporters who would be reluctant to number reduced by 35,000 in the period support any approach to concentrate 2000-2003. However, the biggest fall has are actually doing sustainable jobs outside of their core not been where it has been hoped for, constituency. Indeed, the Norman Tebbit namely in the poorer parts of Wales. As better than those ‘on your bike’ approach to employment table 4 shows, there has been a fall of 10.6 and wealth generation is something that per cent in the proportion of those who one would not expect from the current are economically inactive since 2000 in the in receipt of Labour administration in Cardiff. non-Objective 1 counties. In contrast, however, there has only been a 0.2 per structural funds. To ensure that wealth and employment cent fall in the Objective 1 counties over come to all parts of our nation equally the same period. Therefore, while the during the next decade, the Assembly overall record is impressive, 97 per cent of The Objective 1 programme is one of Government should consider diverting the fall in economic inactivity is happening long term transformation. Some of the resources from the more prosperous where it is needed least, namely within the projects that are being developed have parts of Wales. That would certainly be richer counties of Wales. considerable potential to make a a bold move. However, it will be significant difference to the more needed if the gap between the ‘haves’ The evidence presented here suggests deprived areas of Wales. However, the and ‘have nots’ within the Welsh that in terms of employment generation, most up-to-date statistics available economy is to be closed. weekly wages, and economic activity suggest that those parts of Wales that the gap between the poorer and richer are not receiving this extra cash are • Professor Dylan Jones-Evans is parts of Wales continues to increase. actually doing better than those in Professor of Entrepreneurship at the This is despite the latest report on receipt of substantial structural funds. North East Wales Institute, Wrexham.

table 3: gross weekly wage in wales, 2000-2003 2000 2001 2002 2003 % Change 2000-2003 Non-Objective 1 326.1 339.12 356.22 369.76 13.4% Objective 1 295.28 304.87 319.76 326.52 10.6% Source: NOMIS (New Earnings Survey)

table 4: economic inactivity in wales, 2000-2003 2000 2001 2002 2003 % Change 12 2000-2003 Non-Objective 1 322000 327000 312000 288000 -10.6% Objective 1 635000 648000 661000 634000 -0.2% Source: NOMIS (Labour Force Survey)

winter 2003/04 economy welsh by design special i water in a bottle

y Nant, which had built its The Italian business model is one success on a marketing pure based on intuition and trust. Welsh water in a deep blue glass Friendships are founded on a love of tbottle, approached me during 2000 to life and creativity. There is a shared design a plastic version that would help interest in the cultural and them grow in the more popular end of commercial ambition to make things the market. Their approach came beautiful. Quality follows the unexpectedly as I had never anticipated presentation of food, the way a working in my home country. product is moulded, how a fine suit is cut and worn. The company is owned by an Italian, Pietro Biscaldi, who lives and works in However, the company was young. Genoa. Apparently his wife had read There was a learning curve to traverse. about me in an Italian magazine called It would be a testing challenge to Amica, which talked about my produce a new bottle with new background from Wales and my materials and new processes. This success as an international designer. would be so even if we were to produce ross lovegrove This had instant appeal. It seemed a a fairly non-challenging, good fit had been established between standard design, which of describes the thought the origin of the designer and the course was not the origin of the brand. There was potential objective. Technical processes that led him for creating a powerful design with an knowledge and excellent media story to follow. understanding the market to further develop one had to be acquired. The When we first met at the St David’s bottling plant had to be of Wales’ most Hotel in Cardiff, along with Nick Taylor researched and the company’s managing director, an installed. All this had to successful products immediately warm and open be done connection was made, one that was full simultaneously, from of optimism. There seemed to be a true scratch, and in a way uniqueness about this collaboration. At that maximised the the table were a group of people who investment, respected knew the potential of the brand and its schedules and iconographic status. Moreover, we guaranteed the were all connected to design problems, product’s successful either through practice, study or entry into an already patronage. saturated global market place.

And, of course, the Welsh and the Yet the company had one great Italians have a lot in common. I resource. This was its position as the remember writing a little note to Pietro bottler and distributor of truly illustrating with a sketch how Wales beautiful water, packaged in a way 13 must have once been joined to Italy, that was already distinctive and and was now only separated as a result recognised as an authentic product all of plate tectonics. over the world.

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Indeed, the blue glass bottle continues concept that would communicate the brand, but a completely new aesthetic to enjoy success as a premium product relative quantities of liquid that could be approach. The packaging should reflect favoured by leading luxury hotels and obtained from a small 50cl bottle and the integrity of this magical transparent restaurants. Its shape and colour is from 1 and 1.5 litre bottles. liquid. regarded as elegant and refined for non utilitarian table-top use where The ideas I came up with were all too presentation and service are as technical or conversely too simplistic. important as consumption. The My joy in creating was always …Wales must bottle has a universal status as a countered by the nagging thought that cultural artefact. too many people across the world are have once been denied access to clean water, this essential element of life. My moral dilemma made me question my joined to Italy, continued involvement and at one moment I considered returning my and was now stage one fees to the client.

However, rightly or wrongly water only separated consumption has become an intimate part of first world systems of food production as a result and global distribution. There is no way we will retract from this position in the foreseeable future. My professional of plate instinct told me that branding the world’s most essential tectonics commodity for mass supermarket consumption could be one way of The transportation of this dense liquid communicating a new across the length and breadth of our sense of belief in planet is truly remarkable. Clouds carry water better than any container. Water As the water’s value and manifests itself in a multitude of commissioned purity. designer the improbable ways, from the powdery easiest route for me lightness of snow to the hard would have been to crystalline solidity of ice. It can float as have adopted a similar fluffy white clouds or darken our skies rotational form to that of with the menace of satanic blackness the glass bottle, made more bursting with bulk. contemporary in some way, and to have pigmented the polymer in It can fall as balls that can penetrate the same blue. However, this a car roof, or sprinkle its droplets opportunist, quick fix approach would onto flowers so gently as to stay have been a dis-service not only to the there as invisible moisture with client but also to our emerging culture. It imperceptible lightness, evaporating would have been a lost opportunity to gently into the air. It can float as a re-assess the meaning of water and its bubble or open a rock as an iceberg. value to humanity itself. It can shower us with warmth in the mornings in the privacy of our own The first few months were very Such constant homes, or can swell up as a death frustrating as I searched for deeper questioning, defying tsunami with waves of meaning at an economic, environmental supported by the belief destructive force. It can brighten the 14 and purposeful level, and studied how and understanding of the client, opened eyes of all cultures and all ages as a to use less material in the design. I up my mind to discover a three rainbow in the sky composed of the wanted a collapsible structure to dimensional image. What was required purest transparent stained glass alleviate land fill mass. I also wanted a was not a cannibalism of the existing colours.

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The result combined a minimum of materials with a stretching of the boundaries of the technological manufacturing processes – against much opposition by the industry. It is tactile. It fits hands that are large, small or arthritic. It loses nothing of its silent, ergonomic appropriateness through volumetric change of scale. Its tessellated surface provides integrity from its minimum use of material.

The structure encourages the use of the last drop of liquid as it flow towards the cap. The surface of the water interacts with the walls as it is poured. The result is an asymmetry of form that guarantees that no two bottles will be perceived the same way. In turn this promotes a sense of unique experience at the moment of consumption – a kind of mass individualism through the repeated use of a mass-produced product in distinctive ways.

The bottle cross-migrates from the public to the private domains. It is not perceived as strictly utilitarian, even though its production comes from the same origins as more engineered and unemotional industrial solutions. The employment of crystal transparent polymer, without false blue tinting, also anticipates the need when creating to use pure materials. Colouring contaminates later recycling.

Finally, after listing more than nine Machine tool developed for factory production for the new Ty Nant bottle. Molten plastic is blown into legitimising factors for use of the the mold which produces the distinctive shape humble plastic bottle, the final It can be an ocean, a lake, a stream, a My form for the new bottle, said to be justification is its sculptural form. pond or the trickle from a tap with its incapable of improving upon the old, Created from modern technological own fluttering mind. Indeed, without it was stimulated by two books. One processes it nonetheless displays an life as we know it could not exist. contained the water studies of optical beauty that is instantly Dependence on its preservation and Leonardo da Vinci and the other the recognisable as the embodiment of the purity in supporting the biosphere we call designs of Issey Miyake, a Japanese life giving and life supporting earth is something all living organisms master of the process and substance we call water. share. To capture its spirit requires a non- understanding of materials in our commercial approach. A container should contemporary world. They helped be akin to sculpture born out of open condense my thinking around a shape • Brought up in Penarth, Ross Lovegrove 15 arms and the solidification of a fleeting which satisfied the material, functional, is product designer based in London impression seen and imagined, but with philosophical and aesthetic who has exhibited across the world, no fixed moment or definition. requirements I sought. including New York, Paris and Japan.

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welsh by design special ii Halen Môn

wo brands dominate my life. One When we started Halen Mon we just david lea-wilson says is Halen Mon, pure white sea salt had the idea of extracting white flakes from Anglesey. The from the sea. The product was tangible successful marketing tother is the much larger brand of and well rooted. The Romans made Wales itself. Halen Mon is an exciting salt here and there is a Salt island on entails combining product being exported to twelve Anglesey. Branding merely had to give different countries. The thinking behind the product an identity. a local with a global the brand for the sea salt is straightforward. However, its long-term With the help from Menter Mon (a image success will depend on the global European-funded Leader group) and brand of Wales. Design Wales we developed a brief for prospective designers. No one inspired Brands are not easy things. They have us. But Design Wales gave us the to be rooted in something tangibly confidence to reject what we were different from their competitors. They offered at that stage and search for also have to have an emotional element someone who shared our aspirations that can’t be quantified. If they don’t for the quality of the product. The work on both levels they won’t be nearest role model we could point to successful. was Ty Nant mineral water. Eventually we found a designer in Wales who I am writing this in Nice in the south of understood the brand we visualised. France, only four hours travel time (via Packaging, typefaces and the colours Liverpool) from Anglesey. This region’s were carefully thought out and proved brand is so strong that it needs few highly successful. For instance, during branding devices. Bright hot sun, blue a recent demonstration and talk we sea, Mediterranean terra cotta roofs and gave on site to 20 members from a good food and wine are the products local WI we found that six of them had almost everyone would mention if already bought and given the product asked to paint the ambience in ten words. Branding devices such as logos to relatives and friends abroad. and strap lines are almost unnecessary. They were responding to our vision The stronger the product, judged by its that the product was much more than unique selling points and image, the sea salt in a cardboard tube. It is pure easier it is to brand. The key issue in and white, has organic certification and Wales is that there are lots of branding a local provenance At the same time it devices, many with dragons woven reflects some of the qualities of the Isle into them (Countryside Council for of Anglesey and Wales, making it an Wales, Wales Tourist Board, Welsh ideal gift. Development Agency, National Botanic Garden and the Institute of Welsh Success was also happening at 16 Affairs all come to mind). However, the different levels. Spanish Michelin 3 star core essence behind the brand is much restaurants and French delicatessens harder to pin down – there aren’t ten were buying and France and Spain words that many would agree on. have plenty of their own sea salt.

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Our product is good quality and made beaches, unpolluted sea water, and with care; branding merely enhances it. accessible marinas. Think of our many The proof has been our resistance to coastal villages and the activities that producing own-label sea salt for major we can offer: kite and wind surfing, customers. Instead, we have insisted sailing, snorkelling, ribbing, sea on joint branding. This has culminated angling, coastal footpath walking. In in working with Harvey Nichols and France they are eating mussels from Marks and Spencer. Both have Wales. But on the menus they are just accepted that local origin or 'terroir' is Moules Marinières. now important. As a result Anglesey sea salt is on the front of both these The future for Halen Mon's brand is companies "house" sea salt. We have now something we are debating. been happy to work with both of them Spiced salt, smoked sea salt and a gift because their quality values are similar pack of sea salts have been successful. to our own and so help our brand So has working with Anglesey wood emerge onto a wider stage. turners and a slate producer to make complementary regional sea salt The power of getting the brand and containers. Should we follow brand the marketing right was brought extension into a range of other quality home to us when the American items incorporating sea salt? Anglesey 'home style guru' Martha Stewart sea salted butter, cheese biscuits and flew a film crew over to do pieces on crisps would be the food avenues. Portmeirion, Bodnant, Crug Farm Plants and ourselves. Despite never Should we develop a range of quality making it over herself because of well bath and beauty products? David Lea-Wilson finds plenty of the stuff on the publicised tax problems, the TV Menai Straits. Alternatively, should we leave these to footage of Anglesey and our others and concentrate on meeting production process on her own TV proud to use it. Products need to be global demand for Halen Mon by channel led to a twenty fold increase identified simply and succinctly, and building a state of the art 'green' in orders on our web shop and new their branding repeated with numbing expansion plant on the shores of the outlets in Canada. One spin-off for frequency until it is lodged in the Menai Strait? Anglesey and possibly Wales was global consciousness. that an American curriculum designer After all, we are a tiny company saw the piece and now Anglesey will Changes being stimulated by the WDA employing just eight people with a tiny be one of ten places that many and WTB are wholly laudable output compared to every other sea American children have to identify as especially the True Taste campaign. salt producer in Europe.. A part of their coursework. The raising of quality seems essential if compromise is likely as both avenues Apocryphally, only 10 per cent of we are to be a tourist country of choice will generate the long-term growth in Americans have passports, so for residents and incomers. But what is sustainable jobs and income that we projecting Wales into the American the Wales brand? What does the seek. It would be a missed opportunity consciousness in this way can only dragon mean? What is the essence of not to ride the brand (and the dragon) be helpful. Wales? The saddest occasions are and develop with all the help now when you hear commentators refer to available. As an idea or brand Wales has many an area ‘the size of Wales’. I want good things going for it. However, it Wales to be identified with something lacks the instant iconography or the as recognisable and good as Guinness, core products that characterise our the or Smoked Salmon or Malt Whisky or other nations of the British Isles. The Roast Beef. We do have amazing lamb challenge, I believe, is to find out what for example but it is more a perception those core products are or could be we have inside Wales than one that and then seek the right communication others globally recognise. channels to get them into global 17 consciousness. The nearest thing we It is the sea that offers one area to be have to a core brand or identity, of internationally differentiated. We have • David Lea-Wilson is Managing Director course, is the dragon and we should be 80 per cent of the UK’s blue flag of Anglesey Sea Salt.

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welsh by design special iii whisgi cymreig

n developing the Penderyn brand, final whisky – including various acids, the Welsh Whisky Company had to esters and phenols as well as other think beyond simply packaging not so pleasant substances such as iand graphics in order to develop a viable carbon and sulphur. The addition of a marketing strategy that would build drop of water helps to release the customer loyalty and generate repeat flavours – phenols for example business. We had to ask ourselves what produce the peaty taste found in Islay are the key communication issues for malt whiskies. creating a successful Welsh Malt? What is the raison d’etre (or ‘unique selling We had to decide where and how a proposition’) for choosing a Welsh malt Welsh malt could fit into this picture. in the market place – and in particular We were also aware that some ‘entry for choosing a new, untried Welsh level’ malts, such as Glenfiddich, are brand? marketed very aggressively to first time whisky drinkers, while the Classic malts Whisky is an interesting global have to be ‘discovered’ rather than product.Though the malt whisky market forced down the customer’s throat is dominated by Scotch malts their through marketing hype. brand environment is highly complex. brian morgan on how The malt brand is influenced We firstly thought long commercially by perceptual issues such and hard about the name. a Welsh spirit has as heritage and provenance. Some of The marketing company the more mature, classic malts – we engaged came out been conjured out of Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, Macallan, strongly against Talisker, and Lagavulin – have an almost ‘Penderyn’ and instead Penderyn entrenched position in the market. preferred the name ‘Beacon’. They In addition, as with all branded products, insisted Beacon was pricing plays an important role and malt easier to ask for at whisky sells for at least twice the price of the bar – the ‘bar call’ an ordinary blend. This is partly because – and were sceptical its production costs are greater. Barley is of the benefits of more expensive to purchase than other focusing too much on grains used as the base for blended a Welsh name. whisky and it has to be ‘malted’ prior to fermentation and distillation. Also, grain We argued that whisky in Scotland does not go through Beacon was neither the second distillation given to malt very evocative nor whisky. intriguing and was underwhelming Because of these unique differences emotionally. Beacon 18 malt whiskies produce an interesting is not Wales-specific range of flavours and aromas that and it did not link emanate from the hundreds of into the provenance chemical elements that make up the of the distillery’s

winter 2003/04 economy geography. It said nothing about the whisky and was simply too bland and emotionally barren to form the basis of a story or provide provenance for a new single malt. Despite the reservations of our marketing experts, the Board decided on ‘Penderyn’.

The marketing company did however, come up with some good ideas on packaging and bottle design which fitted our brief. We had asked them to produce a design that was contemporary, creative, credible, confident, and challenging. We also wanted the design to be minimalist – in contrast to some of the more pretentious ‘heritage wall paper’ that too often surrounds Scottish malts. But the design wasn’t to be simplistic. It had to be capable of credibly supporting our claim that a relatively young single malt from Wales could command a premium price along side the classic malts and sell for around £30 a bottle. The Welsh Whisky Company have more than a thousand barrels maturing in these Jack Daniels bourbon casks in its bonded warehouse in Penderyn in the Brecon Beacons. Having studied the Scottish market for a known designator of product quality produced. The still at Penderyn was malts it was important to understand and will undoubtedly help us market designed by Dr David Faraday of the the issues around brand access. ‘Malt Penderyn. However, we also have to University of Surrey. Unlike the Whiskies’ are inherently challenging remember that ‘Scotch’ adds value to Scottish stills, the Penderyn still is and encourage a sense of mystery. One ‘Malt’ – and is heavily marketed as based on the most modern needs a certain amount knowledge to such. We are starting from a position technological methods of distilling join the malt whisky club. At the same where Wales has no known whisky used in the chemical industry. It utilises time the marketing campaigns of the association or geographic provenance a continuous distillation process (rather big Scottish distillers seek to make with ‘malt’ and has difficulty projecting than the ‘two pot method’ used in them accessible and even try to impart itself into the quality market. In the Scotland) and achieves a much higher a veneer of knowledge to the entry absence of heritage, knowledge, or level of distillation. A much greater drinkers to enable them to confidently provenance we needed to create a volume of ‘fats’ is burned off during ask for a ‘malt’. strong emotional reassurance that the distillation process, producing a suggested heritage and proven quality. mellow product of the highest quality. With little provenance surrounding ‘Malt’ alone would not enable us to Welsh malt whisky we have had to achieve the £30 price point. Another point of difference is the beer. focus on communicating a reassuring Whisky is essentially distilled beer and story about the quality and accessibility Welsh Whisky is unlikely to be Brains brewery in Cardiff produce the of Penderyn single malt. To be successful in the market place if we are wash (a specially fermented malted successful in the market place we had seen as producing an identical product barley liquor brewed exclusively for the to maximise our brand assets and to Scotch, except that it is ‘made in company). Each day the pot still is minimise barriers to entry by getting Wales’. Welsh Whisky has to be charged with 2,500 litres of wash and the ‘Price, Positioning, and Status’ of different and it has to be top quality. this produces an average of 200 litres of the product just right in order to locate pure whisky spirit. The minimum Penderyn at the top end of the malt One important point of differentiation maturation period for whisky is three whisky connoisseur market. is distillation. We use an innovative years and we now have over 1000 19 production process, unique in the barrels in our bonded warehouse – Our first hurdle is the link between world, which enables a very high maturing in Jack Daniels bourbon ‘Scotch’ and ‘whisky’. The term ‘Malt’ is quality single malt whisky to be casks.

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Gold makes a good story, has great provenance and various derivatives are then possible, such as ‘Golden Welsh Malt Whisky’. Aur Cymru, AC, is a unique brand monogram, distinctive and evocative, denoting a quality product. Also, AC offers an opportunity for an allegory of heritage by association. Symbolism is very important here: • AC = Rarity = Special Welsh Gold = Exclusivity • AC is evocative of ‘XO’ and ‘Appellation Controlle’

So the perceived provenance of the product brings together the ideas of Jim Swan, renowned ‘noser’, reckons that when fully matured Penderyn will be “in the top twenty of the Penderyn brand, individuality, single malts world-wide”. location, water source, Aur Cymru (AC), and the scarcity value of Welsh By uniting time-honoured distillation • A sense of place is vital for a single Gold. Together they this form the basis and maturation methods with malt – location, location, location is the of the brand. Then it has to be created, modern technology we believe we message to highlight the geographic produced, packaged, fashioned and have produced a whisky that and historical aspects of Penderyn. crafted so as to ensure that the finished captures the spirit of the new, • Quality of the ingredients should be product becomes greater than the sum contemporary Wales. As the world stressed – the malted barley wash of its parts – the Welsh Gold Standard renowned ‘noser’ and taster of malt from Brains and the unique water for malt whisky. whiskies, Dr Jim Swan, has judged, source under the distillery. “The distillation and maturation • Artistry of the production process is In this way the Welsh Whisky Company process at Penderyn produces a another factor, the unique continuous aims to create a modern Classic – the whisky that has a smooth, unique distillation method. So, too, is the ‘Absolut’ of Malt Whisky. Absolut style and is easy to drink, delicate ageing of the whisky in oak barrels, provides a good benchmark. The and full of flavour ... When fully particularly the Jack Daniels and Evan smart, minimalist adverts for Absolut matured it is likely to become one of Williams bourbon casks that are used supported its famous clear bottle but the best single malt whiskies on the and their links to previous generations both the ads and the bottle were market – certainly in the top twenty of whisky distillers in Wales. dreamt up long before the vodka was of single malts world-wide.” • The delicate, full flavour of the whisky fermented. According to Absolut’s makes it ‘dangerously easy to drink’. president Goran Lundqvist, the main Having convinced ourselves that we • Finally the Welsh connection is reason for its success is that : “Absolut had a quality product for sale, the next important: ‘Penderyn’ equals Welsh is a personality”. Penderyn malt whisky stage was marketing it to a sceptical Whisky, where ‘Welsh’ is our unique will be launched on 1 March 2004 at St public. These were some the key ideas selling point. David’s Hall, Cardiff. that emerged from a brain-storming session: With all these ideas in mind we came • The Brand name, the bottle, and the up with the idea of ‘Welsh Gold’, Aur packaging will need to demonstrate Cymru. Since Celtic times Welsh Gold credibility, communicate provenance, has been mined in Snowdonia. Celtic engender trust and authenticate the Chieftains wore gold collars to denote relevance of Penderyn single malt their rank and, of course, the Royal whisky. family wear wedding rings fashioned in • The labelling will have to offer Aur Cymru. Hollywood legends 20 support by becoming the custodian Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta of the brand story – most great malts Jones have also fallen under the spell have a story that underpins their of Welsh Gold and used it for their own • Brian Morgan is Chairman of the Welsh individuality and value. wedding rings. Whisky Company.

winter 2003/04 economy madoc batcup says we should take another look at Llanwern’s potential to become a major international airport flights on our door step

lthough there are still some thousand people employed rolling steel at Llanwern, it is inevitablea that there should be concern over their future. Cessation of steel manufacturing on the site, the closure of the Ebbw Vale Corus plant and the recent announcement of closure of the AvestaPolarit plant at Panteg, near Pontypool next March, are not comfortable precedents.

Meanwhile, the future use of this uniquely situated 1,300 acre site remains a key to the transformation of the south Wales economy. It is essential that appropriate contingency plans are put in place to make the most of its potential in the event of steel processing coming to an end. So what are the potential uses for the site? Four possibilities come immediately mind, but each has serious drawbacks: In the 21st century Wales economy, airports are liable to replace steel making. 1) Retailing There is scope for a large out of town retailing unit 3) Cardiff as a result of the collapse of 4) Housing Faced with the alternatives comparable say to the Cribbs the dot.com bubble. It is likely to be housing seems the most likely Causeway near Bristol. But is such some time before demand would be option planners will choose. Yet this an out of town shopping centre sufficient to attract office users from would be unlikely to result in the needed? Certainly, it would have a outside Wales into a significant new area east of Newport becoming a detrimental impact on the Newport office complex. destination of choice or an and Cwmbran shopping centres, 3) Manufacturing Since the site is so economic magnet distinct from and perhaps Cardiff and beyond. large there would need to be a other locations in the south west of Neither would such a use be in line massive development of industrial the UK. Nonetheless, developing the with government guidelines. units. This would be contrary to the site for housing would inevitably 2) Office development Similar extensive drive to ensure that more result in large-scale population concerns would apply to the activity is based away from the M4 movement. It could well be that it development of a large office corridor. Moreover, it begs the question would end up as a commuter belt complex. There is already a very of how much additional industrial for Bristol and a further drain of the 21 large amount of office space activity we could or should attract to valleys population as people move available along the M4 corridor Wales and how long it is likely to stay, closer to job opportunities. The from Reading through Swindon to given current global trends. effect would be to move economic

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4) activity from one part of south carried out. This stands in marked present share of just under 1 per cent of Wales to another rather than being contrast to the popular opposition to the UK’s air passenger traffic would a significant creator of additional expansion of airport capacity in south remain virtually unchanged. growth in its own right. Is this the east England. strategic vision we want to promote In the case of Bristol Airport it is for south-east Wales? The government has recently finished anticipated that it could grow from its conducting a consultation exercise in current 2.5 million to some 8.5 million. However, there is one other potential respect of airport provision in the United But this would still be well below the use of the Llanwern site which could Kingdom over the next 30 years. They critical mass that Manchester has already transform the economic prospects of anticipate that the number of air achieved. It is acknowledged that the Newport and south Wales as a whole. passengers in the UK will rise from the position and layout of Bristol Airport A new airport would be economically, present 180 million to 500 million by 2030. means that it might not have sufficient financially and environmentally more capacity to meet future demand if flights advantageous than the comparable At Manchester the north of England from south east England are constrained expansion of the capacity of existing has a regional hub airport with the and more passengers seek to travel from airports in the south east of England. capacity to provide a large proportion a local airport. At the same time it would make south of its air transport requirements. Some Wales a magnet for high value added 19 million passengers use Manchester Due to the limited destinations offered enterprises. each year and this is estimated to grow by Cardiff and Bristol two-thirds of to as many as 70 million by 2030. In passengers from south Wales and the There is widespread support for the full contrast the south west of the United south west of England take flights examination of the construction of an Kingdom has no such facility. outside their own area, mainly from airport. Both Newport City Council and Heathrow and Gatwick. This is not only the Secretary of State for Wales have The geographical location and logistical inconvenient for the thousands of expressed interest in a feasibility study constraints of Cardiff and Bristol passengers concerned, but acts as an to thoroughly evaluate the potential. In Airports severely restrict their ability to economic brake on the whole of south addition the South East Wales act as regional hubs for the south west west Britain. If it remains the position Economic Forum which includes the Britain, either now or in the future. This there would be some 25 million local authorities together with such is recognised by the anticipated growth passengers per year from Wales and organisations as the CBI, the Wales figures for these airports. Cardiff the south west of England travelling TUC and the Welsh Development Airport’s capacity is estimated to grow from airports in the south east of Agency have issued a briefing paper from 1.5 million passengers per year to England by 2030 (see Figure 1). announcing their support for such an 4.5 million by 2030. By a remarkable This background indicates the potential airport, subject to further studies being coincidence this would mean that its for an airport to serve south Wales and the south west of England which would figure 1: air passengers originating in south wales and the enable passengers from both areas to south west of england, 2000, 2015 and 2030 fly to many of the destinations of their choice without having to go to the south-east of England.

Llanwern has the size and the ground infrastructure to act as a regional hub airport not only for south Wales and the south-west of Britain, but for a wider area still. The site is situated alongside the mainline railway and is connected to the M4 motorway, not far from its intersection with the M5. Consequently it already has easy access to road and rail in both a 22 north/south and an east/west direction.

The airport would have a very significant potential catchment area, stretching

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A new International Airport at Llanwern would not necessarily result in the closure of Cardiff Airport at Rhoose (pictured here) – Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport ‘has continued to flourish in the shadow of Manchester Airport’. eastwards towards Reading and north- Airports are important creators of jobs. It has been suggested that any such east towards Birmingham. For instance, A general rule of thumb is that one new airport would result in the closure with current railway timetables it would million passengers per year create of Cardiff airport. Although it would be possible for a passenger from about one thousand direct jobs. If a certainly have an impact on its Swindon station to be in the airport new airport at Llanwern were to grow business prospects this is not without changing trains in just 45 to 20 million passengers over the next necessarily the case. The example of minutes. Travel time from Reading by two decades, which is perfectly the Liverpool John Lennon Airport train to a Llanwern airport of a little over feasible, this would result in the which has continued to flourish in the an hour would be comparable with the creation of some 20,000 jobs on the shadow of Manchester Airport shows Heathrow link because there would be airport, and a considerable additional that neighbouring airports can co-exist. no need to change trains. number of jobs elsewhere. The consultation document on airport It is difficult to imagine any other Although views vary widely on the development in the UK, issued by the location in the southern half of the multiplier effect of an airport a Fraser Department of Transport in conjunction United Kingdom that has such potential of Allander report in 2000 estimated with the Welsh Assembly Government, to be developed as a fully integrated the employment multiplier to be over states that it is a central objective to transport hub of the premier rank at a three times. The same study also achieve high and stable levels of very competitive cost and with such showed that indirect employment growth and employment. The limited environmental damage. It even attributable to (Scottish) airports is construction of a new airport on has access to a deep water port. geographically very widely spread. The polluted land connected to a mainline benefit of such an airport would railway and linked to the motorway The existence of first class road and therefore be felt over a large area of network, which is near the coast and rail facilities alongside means the cost south Wales. It is difficult to imagine situated next to some of our most of developing a prime multi modal hub any alternative use for the site that deprived communities would fulfil would be substantially lower than sites could be as economically these policy priorities as well as in the south east of England. The advantageous, capable as it would be meeting environmental and ‘brownfield’ character of the site of generating in excess of 50,000 jobs. sustainability requirements. provides additional cost advantages. Not only that, these jobs would be much less susceptible to being The site is situated close to the coast, transferred to lower wage cost thereby limiting the amount of flying countries. Compared with the other over land. The orientation of the uses to which the Llanwern site could • Madoc Batcup is a barrister and runways south-west/north-east means be put, an airport is likely to provide Managing Director of New airPort Ltd., 23 that noise pollution would be much the greatest potential for additional job a company formed to promote the lower for Newport than the position of creation and the least potential for job merits of an international airport in the site might suggest. transference. south east Wales.

winter 2003/04 economy barnett squeeze

r. ross macKay argues we should measure need when allocating spending across the UK

A ‘Barnett Squeeze’ would ensure that comfortably above the UK average. In the Welsh, the Northern Irish and the Wales, Northern Ireland and the North Scots all lose. Spending on medicine, East, many adults discover that work is education and on law and order will be out of reach. For those in work, earnings confined. Standards of public goods are lower than in the rest of the country. and public services will be difficult to maintain. Needs are difficult, sensitive Figure 1 shows Full-Time Equivalent territory, but we cannot afford to work as a percentage of the working t is accepted that equal citizens ignore a search for agreement. In this, population. One full-time job (employed should be treated equally in terms as in other areas of practical political or self-employed = 1; a part-time job of tax and public spending, no economy, some rough compromise is (employed or self-employed) = 0.5. imatter where located within the United better than pure agnosticism. Working age is 16 – 64 for males, and 16- Kingdom. It is accepted that your 59 for females. Per 100 males of working child’s education should not suffer, just Most families are heavily dependent on age, Full-Time Equivalent Work (FTEW) is because you live in one of the poorer income from work. The reach of work 19 jobs higher in the IRC (Inner Region parts of the nation state. It is accepted (Figure 1) and the return for work (Figure that relative levels of need should Core) than in Wales. Per 100 Females of 2) vary enormously as between regions. determine devolved expenditure in work age, FTEW is 13 jobs higher in the Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In the Inner Region Core (IRC = London, IRC than in Wales. In regions where South East, and East) work levels are regional opportunity levels are low for Unfortunately, this remarkable high and average earnings are males, they are also low for females (see agreement on underlying principles is rendered worthless by a reluctance to figure 1: work contrasts 2001 – identify and measure need. We are told full-time equivalent work by design needs are difficult They are contentious territory. Your concept of need is different from mine. Since there is no perfect approach, the argument is that it is wise to avoid controversy.

True, there is no ideal measure of need. But, the reality is that the strict application of the Barnett Formula – which distributes spending between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – will ensure that devolved spending in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland moves towards English levels. Wales and Northern Ireland are much poorer than England, 24 but without an agreement on measuring need, devolved public spending will decline relative to England.

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Figure 1). Opportunity levels are notably low in Wales, Northern Ireland and North figure 2: pay contrasts – full-time earnings by region 2001 East England.

Figure 2 shows relative regional earnings, male and female. To encourage comparison, in Figure 1 and Figure 2 the regions take the same order – lowest work levels on the left, highest on the right. The regions with the lowest levels of work have the lowest levels of pay for those in work. On average, male earnings in Wales are 71 per cent of the IRC level. On average, female earnings in Wales are 79 per cent of the IRC level. If regional earnings are low for males, they are also low for females (see Figure 2).

For those in work, earnings are particularly low in Wales, Northern Ireland and North East England. Low levels of work connect to low levels of pay for bad health and bad health increases the problems with regard to health, those in work. The obvious explanation risk of poverty. A growing and impressive education and law and order. These three for both is low levels of effective demand literature argues that, in affluent societies dominate devolved spending. One way for the goods and services produced by such as the United Kingdom, health and to determine need would be to use GDP low opportunity regions. life expectation depend on degree of per head as the guide. The lower the equality. Being poor by the standards of level of income (GDP) in a region, the In regions with low levels of effective the society one lives in does not merely higher the level of need and the higher demand, it is more difficult for hurt, it kills. Health standards are socially the level of devolved spending (see individuals and families to function determined and hierarchy promotes McLean I., McMillan A., ‘The distribution effectively. In such regions it is more distance and discomfort (see, for of Public Expenditures across the UK difficult to identify and develop potential. example, Marmot M., and Wilkinson R.G., Regions’, Fiscal Studies, Vol.24:1, 45-71, Market forces can and do leave some Social Determinants of Health, Oxford 2003). An alternative approach, favoured regions with low levels of opportunity, University Press, 1999). in this paper, is to look for a poverty while resources are more than fully rather than an income measure. It is stretched in others. The relief of want Education demonstrates that equality of concentrations of the truly disadvantaged and the provision of benefits to poorer opportunity is difficult to reconcile with that add to the difficulty of providing the households can ease the problems in growing inequality of income and wealth. social basis for self-respect. poorer regions, but work is the positive Learning is a struggle for children in signal for individuals and families. households that lack the resources to Prosperity and opportunity are Training and work are the best way to support education. Davies in The School unevenly distributed across the twelve develop and encourage human capital Report (Vintage, 2000), goes so far as to United Kingdom regions. Work income and also to promote communities. claim that the detrimental impact of child per person of working age in Wales is poverty is the key to differences in school only 58 per cent of the Inner Region Health, education and law and order performance. Growing inequality adds to Core average. In difficult labour markets account for 8 out of every 10 £s of social distance and weakens the social individuals and families have greater devolved spending. Health is the major fabric. Inequality adds to crime and crime difficulty in developing their internal component – 4 out of every 10 £s – concentrates on the poor. A small minority resources. In regions with low levels of with education the next most important of the population suffer a disproportionate effective demand, capabilities may – 2.5 out of every 10 £s. incidence of criminal damage. remain latent, concealed, potential. 25 Health, education and law and order Regional need connects to regional In all parts of the country economic needs connect to poverty and lack of income. Low opportunity and low misfortune, or accident, or illness leave opportunity. Poverty increases the risk of income regions have particular individuals and families dependent on the

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transfer payments provided by the nation regions where expenditures on public Welsh devolved spending levels are 16 state. However, dependency levels are services are much too low are the North per cent above English. The strict highly variable across (and indeed East and the North West of England. application of the Barnett Formula within) regions. Dependency (social would (over time) ensure that spending security) levels identify those unable to In searching for a compromise on levels in Wales move close to those in rely on the market. The payments and need, expenditure levels in Wales, England. Taking 2000-01 expenditure terms and conditions for social security Scotland and Northern Ireland are figures as a rough guide, this would are identical in different parts of the particularly important. Figure 3 mean a reduction of over £500 per United Kingdom. This uniformity ensures suggests that devolved expenditure is head in Welsh devolved spending. The that dependency levels are “simple, but too high in Northern Ireland and substitution of a dependency based plausible indicators of relative need” Scotland but slightly too low in Wales. approach for the Barnett Formula could (Bell D., Christie A. ‘Finance – The Barnett Dependency levels are not the only (over time) raise devolved spending Formula: Nobody’s Child?’ in Trench A possible measure of relative regional per head in Wales by as much as 19 (Ed.) The State of the Nations, 2001, poverty, but they are a useful guide. per cent. Taking 2000-01 expenditure Imprint Academic, Thorverton, 2001). Table 1 outlines the implications of figures as a guide, this would imply an The different levels of need develop, to a avoiding the Barnett Squeeze by extra £600 per year per capita devolved substantial extent, from the labour replacing the Barnett Formula with an spending in Wales. market. Taking dependency payments as approach that takes dependency (social a rough guide to relative need allows us security) levels as the appropriate Taking dependency (social security) to test whether devolved spending in a guide to increases in devolved levels as a measure of relative need suggests that devolved expenditure table 1: avoiding the barnett squeeze levels should be roughly one-fifth higher in Wales and Northern Ireland than in Actual Spending Convergence Targets England and roughly one-tenth higher in Levels per Head* Scotland than in England. In Northern Barnett Formula Dependency Ireland and Scotland, public expenditure Level Formula** would continue to be squeezed, but England 100 100 100 instead of convergence on English levels Northern Ireland 141 100 122 of public spending, more realistic targets Scotland 121 100 112 would be introduced. A dependency Wales 116 100 119 formula would adjust over time to reflect * calculation based on years 1998/99 – 2000/01 changes in relative regional poverty. ** calculation based on financial years 1998/99 – 2000/01 Source: Treasury, 2002. Devolved expenditure would become an region is too high or too low.1 In regions spending.2 As dependency levels important part of the automatic where relative devolved spending per adjusted over time, the dependency stabilisers that adjust regional spending head is greater than relative dependency based formula would also change. and regional tax according to changes in expenditure per head, devolved economic fortune. expenditure is over generous. With a strict application of the Barnett Formula, devolved spending in Wales, In the absence of an agreed approach In regions where relative devolved Scotland and Northern Ireland would to identifying and measuring need, spending per head is lower than relative move towards English levels. Pace of public expenditure in Wales would dependency expenditure per head, convergence would depend on rate of move closer to the English level and devolved spending is too low. Figure 3 increase in devolved spending. be severely squeezed. There would be suggests that there are three regions Inflation, as well as real increases in substantial problems in improving (London, Northern Ireland and Scotland) public expenditure, would contribute to standards of public service in Wales. where devolved spending is too high and convergence. With the Barnett seven regions (North East, North West, Formula, there would be no attempt to With a poverty based formula, public South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire identify need, or to compensate for spending in Wales would rise relative to and Humberside and Wales) where differences in relative poverty (or England. The substitution of a poverty devolved spending is too low. The two relative prosperity). based formula for the Barnett approach 26 1. Spending is only devolved to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but it is possible to estimate spending by each English Region on the programmes of expenditure devolved to the three countries. 2. The Barnett Formula is applied to annual increases in devolved spending. In rough and ready terms, for every increase of £100 in English spending on devolved programmes, Welsh spending increases by £5.90 (Wales’s population is approximately 5.9% of England’s). With a dependency-based formula, for every £100 in English spending on devolved programmes, Welsh spending would increase by close to £7.00 (Wales’s social security spending is approximately 7% of Englands).

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international crime confirms the figure 3: soc. sec. and devolved exp. compared – importance of early social intervention by region 1998-99 to 2000-01 (Fajnzylber P., Lederman D., Loayzan N., ‘Inequality and Violent Crime’, Journal of Law and Economics, XLV, 1, 2002). Violent crime waves are difficult to contain and control once they have built momentum. There are strong imitation effects. British research on crime prevention underlines the importance of unorthodox approaches, and particularly the role of early years programmes designed to reduce the tendency to commit crime.

The interrelations between poverty, ill health, educational disadvantage and anti-social behaviour point to the importance of intersectoral policies, partnerships and working with local communities. Social programmes that change behaviour patterns and build trust are unlikely to achieve immediate would play an important role in goes on health, education and law and returns. They need room to breathe, supporting Welsh living standards and in order. Extra needs develop from poverty. freedom from year by year targets and compensating for a soft labour market. But recognising and responding to long-term monitoring. needs that develop from poverty should The Barnett Formula is a puzzle. It was not simply imply additional conventional The claim that locals know best is intended to be temporary, it has lasted expenditure on medicine, on schools, on central to the case for devolution and for more than twenty years. It was extra police. The impact of medical care points to one of the potential designed to produce convergence, the is not one of the major contributors to advantages of the National Assembly. It reality is divergence.3 If it is followed improvement in health and years of life. is better placed than central government religiously from now on (and that Social influences are more significant. to identify the wishes of local appears to be the intention), it would Medical care, it has been suggested, “is communities and to work with them. bring public expenditure levels in the ambulance waiting at the bottom of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland the cliff” (Daniels ‘Justice, Health and The key argument in this essay in below the levels implied by relative Health Care’ in Rhodes R., Battin M., persuasion is that poverty and low need. Nobody loves the Barnett Silvers A. (Eds.) Medicine and Social regional incomes add to the problems approach, not even Lord Barnett. But Justice: Essays on the Distribution of faced by medical services, education there is no agreement on a substitute. Health Care, Oxford University Press, and by law and order. An appropriate Whatever replaces Barnett cannot and Oxford, 2002). Early life interventions, measure of need should be sensitive to need not be perfect. However, without changes in lifestyle, childcare and downturn or expansion in the a framework for considering need, an improved early education may be more economies of Wales, Northern Ireland arbitrary and misleading target, important to health and quality of life and Scotland. With such a measure, convergence on English levels of than extra emergency services. devolved expenditure would be one of spending continues to be accepted. the automatic stabilisers that serve to In education, as in health, the counter regional decline and contain Needs and poverty imply limited access importance of habits and lifestyle regional inequality. It would be one of to basic goods. They also imply limited established early is critical. “Give me the the stabilisers that keep the Kingdom choice. Poverty connects to educational boy until he is seven and I will give you United. Convergence on English levels disadvantage, to poor health, to above the man” is the popular claim. The pre- of expenditure would depend on average crime that concentrates on the school years may be just as important as improvement in the Welsh, Scottish or poor. Four fifths of devolved expenditure the primary school. A statistical study of Northern Irish economies. 27 3. For an explanation of why and how a formula designed to produce convergence on English levels of expenditure actually produced divergence, see R. Ross MacKay, The Search for Balance: Taxing and • R. Ross MacKay is Emeritus Professor of Spending across the United Kingdom, Institute of Welsh Affairs, 2001. Economics at the University of Wales, Bangor.

winter 2003/04 economy greening the economy

ir Gofal, and its predecessor Tir organisations in Wales to a tune of over Cymen – schemes which reward £2.5million. These in turn support 90 farmers for investing in the jobs. The grants enable larger projects to tenvironmental quality of their land – go ahead, and so the overall impact of epitomise how jobs can be created and the spending is much larger – over 500 sustained in rural Wales. In the first jobs are supported in total. The largest three years of Tir Gofal, payments of proportion of grant payments are made £16.1 million were made to 1,500 to organisations in south Wales and farmers. In addition the Countryside support a variety of schemes – from Council for Wales (CCW) invested £2 helping local authorities manage Local million in more than 600 agreements to Nature Reserves and supporting free manage land of special scientific educational access to a massive cave interest, payments that helped sustain complex and to a community furniture the viability of associated farms. and health-related walking projects.

Much of the work that is undertaken It has benefits for communities through under these agreements is labour creating employment and improving intensive. Examples include hedgerow amenities for the communities and for management, stonewall building, and the thousands of visitors who come to roger thomas the maintenance and repair of footpaths. enjoy rural Wales every year. The last This is why Tir Cymen, for example, example also shows how the green recommends practical generated an additional 29 days per year economy contributes to cost reductions of environmental work for each in healthcare in Wales. steps to make progress participating farm, as well as sustaining an existing 19 days of environmental But the question remains: how do we with sustainable work each year. The work is normally ensure that the environment continues carried out by local people, by sons and to be an economic asset to Wales, development daughters or workers already employed without destroying its special qualities? on farms, or by local contractors. The answer lies simply in sustainable development. If the whole economy was The attractive appearance of the Welsh to adapt to become environmentally countryside maintained by this work, sustainable then we could make big and the opportunities for public access, strides forward. Amongst the things that are a magnet for visitors. Some 80 per we can achieve now are: cent of the £7.5 million spent by • Implementing the recommendations visitors to just three of our 62 National in Farming for the Future as fully as Nature Reserves occurs within ten possible. Government, the farming miles of those reserves. And the industry, individual farmers and million visitors to the Pembrokeshire consumers must pull together – to Coast Path, one of our three National ensure that we have better food Trails, spend over £14 million locally. In labelling so that consumers know turn, this work has a knock-on benefit where their products are sourced, for local business who, for example, larger farmers’ markets selling Welsh supply interpretation signs and leaflets quality produce, and more farms in Tir or stiles and gates as well as a whole Gofal. The launch of Hybu Cig Cymru 28 host of other goods and services. at the Royal Welsh Show this year was a first step in the right direction. CCW’s grants programmes to • Our fishing industry needs to be voluntary, public and private sector managed sustainably. If we don’t act

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• now fish could be permanently off • Growth in GDP is one indicator of the the environment as an optional extra, to the menu, and out would go an strength of the Welsh economy, but it be considered once our basic needs for industry that is worth more than £100 takes no account of the costs of jobs, incomes and homes have been million to the Welsh economy. There growth – in terms of environmental fulfilled. Yet more than 117,000 full-time have to be massive changes in the degradation, use of irreplaceable jobs in Wales depend heavily on the Common Fisheries Policy. We know resources, pollution and social environment. Other indirect jobs take that of the 70 big vessels registered externalities. Nor indeed does it tell us the total to 169,000. That’s one in six here in Wales half of them don’t use about the distribution of resources in Welsh workers, making the any of our ports and so don’t society. That is why we are urging the environment one of the largest contribute anything to the Welsh Assembly Government to adopt a employment sector in Wales, second economy. Local processing will help more comprehensive indicator – the only to the manufacturing industry, ensure that economic returns do not index of sustainable economic welfare which is declining. This translates into suffer, while fish stocks have a (ISEW). If it is combined with the other the production of goods and services chance to recover. standard Government measures – that are worth around £9 billion every • We must use the Assembly such as GDP, educational attainment year. This work itself generates income Government’s duty to promote or housing conditions – then it is that adds up to £1.8 billion each year. sustainable development to create a possible that the Assembly’s progress massive step-change in the public towards its sustainability duty can be The management and use of the procurement of locally-sourced, more accurately assessed. environment underpins the whole of the environmentally friendly goods and • Make money work harder in the local Welsh economy, and not just in the services. Hospitals, schools and other economy – use local businesses but obvious areas such as tourism and public bodies should purchase their demand high environmental agriculture. It has rightly been said that, food and services locally. standards. It’s not just the Assembly whilst it is possible to have a natural • We need to turn the table on or the environmental and economic environment existing without an environmental challenges to make development organisations that can economy, it is impossible to have an them into economic opportunities. have an impact. Every individual and economy existing without a natural For example, if we all reduced, re- organisation can make a difference. environment. There is an incontrovertible used and recycled waste properly we case for ensuring that looking after our could create thousands of new jobs Explaining how they can make a environment becomes an integral part of in rural and urban Wales. For difference and convincing people that our economic development strategy. instance, 2,762 jobs are associated the economy and the environment are with waste management in Welsh intertwined is the greatest challenge. At • Roger Thomas is Chief Executive of the local authorities. the moment people still tend to think of Countryside Council for Wales.

One of the farm environmental schemes funded by the Countryside Council for Wales – building a dry stone wall at Cefn Isa Farm, Llanbedr near Harlech in Meirionnydd. politics and policy

alan trench says the Richard Commission should address constitutional principles not questions about service delivery peter’s question for ivor

eter Hain will soon be a man subsidiary questions. Will any change wing of the Welsh Labour party; the with a dilemma. With the that Richard recommends create more policy-driven tendency in the UK Richard Commission’s report jobs? What would be the implications Government, mainly in and around 10 p due in February 2004, the for resources or its effect on related Downing Street; and (much less Secretary of State for Wales has been services? However, Peter Hain’s important) the Tory opposition in thinking about how to respond. The essential question remains: will Westminster. But the existing, report will be addressed to the tinkering with the 1998 Wales Act, for profoundly problematic arrangements Assembly, and widely debated within instance by giving the Assembly are themselves the product of an Wales. But how the report plays in primary legislative powers in some internal Labour party compromise. London will be equally important if its areas, improve the delivery of services? That compromise has hardly helped recommendations are to become For the Secretary of State democratic resolve the issue within Labour, and reality. As Secretary of State, Peter legitimacy is important, but comes certainly pays no attention to the Hain will be the UK Government’s second to this key criterion. broader constituency within Wales gatekeeper. He is the one who will lead which wants to see much wider Cabinet discussion on it, and have to The issue works well inside the Labour powers for the Assembly. That pilot any bill changing Wales’s party, and perhaps beyond. It provides includes Plaid Cymru, the Liberal constitution through Parliament. His a way to deal with the split in Welsh Democrats, some Tories, and many response and his involvement will be Labour over devolution. Opponents of aligned with no party. This argument crucial if the report is to do more than devolution can hardly sustain that goes unheard when the spotlight is gather dust on the shelf. opposition if it means public services just on Labour. get worse not better. It also helps make The Commission’s report will address a strong case in Whitehall for taking on Besides excluding many interests, two key questions: the powers of the all the difficulties that will follow Hain’s approach has two big, inherent, Assembly, and its electoral changing the devolution arrangements problems. The first is that it is unclear arrangements – how many AMs there – not just getting political support and what the criterion – whether increased should be and how they should be Parliamentary time, but exposing the powers will improve the delivery of elected. By the time it is finished, the government to what may be a difficult services – means. The Richard Commission will have taken a huge passage through Parliament for a new Commission tried to get Hain to clarify amount of evidence and tried to find a Government of Wales bill. it when he gave evidence to them, but constitutional way forward for Wales Parliamentary problems will be with little success. Does it mean that if that commands wide support. reduced if opponents have to accept the Commission couch their poorer public services as the price for recommendations in terms of how Peter Hain has set out his stall on their principled stand. Added to that, it these will improve service delivery, several occasions – in his speech to the means that the circle of public service Hain will try to get Whitehall to IWA’s conference on the National improvement through a strong central deliver? Or does it mean that each and Assembly’s second term in July 2003, lead can be squared with transferring every recommendation will be in his own evidence to the Commission control from the UK Government to scrutinised in the Wales Office, and in May, and in other speeches. The key Cardiff Bay. perhaps in Cabinet Committee, for 30 factor, he says, is whether altering the how exactly it will improve services, Assembly’s constitution will improve The problem with this approach is that and only those that pass muster will the delivery of public services in a it is aimed at three limited get taken any further? Hain has practical way. Linked to this are several constituencies: the anti-devolution consistently avoided saying which

winter 2003/04 politics and policy approach he will take. That makes the the National Assembly thought that a Commission’s job of deciding what to technocratic policy-driven fix would recommend and how to frame its solve the problems arising from the recommendations much harder. It is half-way house of devolution created playing a game of constitutional poker Peter’s by the Government of Wales Act 1998, in which it has to lay all its cards on the there would be plenty of quicker and table, while having little idea what is in question simpler ways of doing so than by a the other player’s hand. comprehensive inquiry carried out in public by a Commission with such wide Even on a practical level, detailed for Ivor is membership. While the Secretary of evaluation of each recommendation State needs to look at what the raises great problems. Let us assume whether Commission recommends, he should that, to make its recommendations, do so in the same way as the the Richard Commission takes a Commission itself approaches its work. variety of views and concerns, and extending the The Richard Commission is dealing produces from them a carefully- with an issue of constitutional principle, assembled and balanced Assembly’s and what it has to say deserves to be constitutional package for Wales. That evaluated in the same way. package will have its own logic; some parts will be more acceptable to some powers will The Commission has only a little time parties, others less so. However, now to finalise its report. As it does so it overall, the package may command improve should keep the courage of its support among the members of the convictions. It should produce a report Commission and the various interests that matches the aspirations of Wales as that nominated them. But if Hain delivery it understands them, expressed in terms second-guesses the Commission, that of constitutional principle not Hain’s bargain will last only until the of utilitarian, second-guessing criterion. If recommendations reach the Wales the government of Wales is to change, Office. At that point, they risk being the people of Wales are entitled to know undone by Hain and his advisers, who services what is intended and why. If it is not to may choose what they will take change, the people of Wales are entitled further and what they will drop. to see what was rejected and to understand what were the reasons for Effectively, it means that the views of its rejection. Then they can express their the broadly-based Commission, seeking The real questions that need to be views at the ballot box. to outline the main features of a new addressed are constitutional in nature. constitution for Wales which can How do the people of Wales want to For Hain, the question is partly whether command general support, are to be govern themselves in the first part of he wants to protect the status quo, or to picked apart by someone whose eye the twenty-first century? What sort of go down as the architect of a new and will inevitably be mainly on Labour’s institutional arrangements give effect durable settlement. But he also has to concerns – and, in particular, those of to that wish? How will those decide whether he is going to put the Labour MPs whose jobs will decline in arrangements relate to other parts of interests of Welsh Labour ahead of the importance if there is further devolution. government, whether within Wales or interests of Wales more broadly, and at UK or EU level? How can those whether he thinks constitutions are about The second problem with Hain’s arrangements be put in place given more than short-term pragmatic criterion is greater. This is, quite simply what already exists – how do we get considerations. Richard Nixon once said that improvement to service delivery is there from here? that you had to be a politician first in the wrong measure to judge the efficacy order to become a statesman. Hain is of constitutional change. While it may These are the questions that lie behind already a politician; now he has to decide cause delight in Downing Street and the Commission’s terms of reference, whether he is ready to be a statesman. spike the guns of anti-devolutionists in and they are the right ones. Any new Labour’s own ranks, it has little appeal arrangements need to make sense in • Alan Trench works in the Constitution 31 beyond those circles. It is a technocratic, terms of service delivery, but that is a Unit at University College London, policy-driven approach to a quite technical issue, to be resolved after the concentrating on inter-governmental different sort of question. issues of principle have been decided. If relations.

winter 2003/04 politics and policy leashed watchdogs

he Hutton Inquiry has led many Solicitor-General in the Margeret leighton jenkins to take a fresh look at Thatcher government in order to Parliament’s abilities to hold undermine the then Trade Secretary argues that the tgovernments to account. Parallels are Michael Heseltine’s advocacy of a being drawn between the Inquiry’s European rescue of Westland. The Assembly’s forensic abilities and the more prosaic Defence Committee sought oral feats of Parliament’s established evidence from the officials most Committees lack the watchdogs. Departmental select involved as well as from the Prime committees have been Westminster’s Minister’s Press Secretary – Sir Bernard powers to do their job main tool for holding the government Ingham – and her Private Secretary, to account for almost a quarter of a Charles (now Lord) Powell. In the end, century. As the Assembly gets into political pressure was brought to bear gear for Rhodri Morgan’s second term, on the Conservative members of this can the Assembly’s own watchdogs - committee, and the government Chief the Subject and Standing Committees - Whip persuaded the head of the Civil learn anything about scrutiny from Service to attend. their older Westminster cousins? In a Welsh version of Westland the Both breeds of committee have absence of a check on the power of essentially the same categories of Cabinet Ministers is a fundamental flaw powers: the ability to send for persons, in the powers of Assembly committees paper and records. What differs is the and goes against the spirit of the strength of that power. At the same Assembly’s own ministerial code. time, the Assembly’s subject Under the Act the committees are committees have some unique empowered to call named officials and characteristics such as ministers as those who work for them, including members which can only be indirectly staff within a private office of the compared with Westminster. Welsh Joint Education Council, for example, but they would have no The power of select committees to power to call members of a Minister’s summons ‘persons’ is ‘unqualified.’ private office or seek to call any With the exceptions of the royal Minister to account. Both the code and prerogative, diplomatic immunity, and standing orders confirm the parliamentary privilege, they can call committees’ central role in scrutiny. Yet anyone they wish. However, Assembly neither of them empower the committees are limited by the 1998 committees to conduct ‘Westland’ type Wales Act to calling officials from the investigations where the Government’s organisations shown in the Panel decision making process itself is under alongside. The result is that they can scrutiny. call officials from the Welsh Development Agency or the Welsh Arts These limited powers have already Council, but are powerless to order the caused problems. In November 2001 attendance of any of the three the Audit Committee took evidence on thousand departmental civil servants in the Auditor General for Wales’s report the Welsh Office. into the £9 million spent on the failed 32 Centre for Visual Arts in Cardiff. After a In Westminster, more than a decade presentation by one of it prominent ago, the Westland affair saw the ‘scrutineers’ – Alison Halford AM – the leaking of a confidential letter by the committee decided to hold an historic

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bodies that can be required to attend assembly committee hearings Public Bodies / ASPBs Bodies and Offices Economic Development • Welsh Development Agency & Transport • Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board

Health, & Social • Health advisory committees • Clinical Standards Advisory Group • National Biological Standards Board Services • Welsh National Board for Nursing, • Community Health Councils • A NHS Trust consisting of hospitals Midwifery and Health Visiting wholly in Wales in Wales • Standing Dental Advisory Committee • Standing Nursing Midwifery Advisory • Dental Practice Board • Public Health Laboratory • Committee on Dental and Service Board Surgical Materials • A Special Health Authority • A Health Authority for an area of Wales • Central Council for Education • Standing Medical Advisory Committee & Training in Social Work • Mental Health Act Commission • UK Transplant Support • Standing Pharmaceutical Service Authority Advisory Committee

Education & Life Long • The Further Education Funding Learning Council of Wales • Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority • Higher Education Funding Council for Wales

Environment • Environment Agency committee • The British Waterways Board • The Environment Agency Planning & Countryside for Wales

Culture, Welsh Language • Wales Tourist Board • The British Tourist Authority • The Museum and & Sport • Welsh Language Board • Trustees of the National Heritage Galleries Commission • Arts Council for Wales Memorial Fund • National Lottery Charities Board • National Library of Wales • The United Kingdom Sports Council • National Museum of Wales • Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments • The Ancient Monuments Board for Wales • The Historic Buildings Council for Wales • Library and Information Services Council (Wales)

Agriculture & • The Countryside Council for Wales The Advisory Committee on Pesticides • Committee on Agricultural Valuation Rural Development • Agricultural dwelling-house Agricultural Wages Board, England &Wales • The Apple & Pear Research Council advisory committees of Wales Food from Britain • Committee on Aquaculture • Agriculture wages committee Sea Fish Industry Authority Research and Development for Wales Committee under the Hill Farming Act 1946 • Home Grown Cereals Authority • Welsh Sub-Committee of under the Horticultural Development Council • Joint Nature Conservation Committee Hill Farming Act 1946 Joint Nature Conservation Committee • Milk Development Council Meat and Livestock Commission • British Potato Council National Biological Standards Council 33 Sugar Beet Research & Education Committee

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second hearing. They were fortunate that precedent, but one that will alleged breach of the EU’s Waste people previously involved with the undoubtedly be tested in another Framework Directive. The UK Centre, one of whom was retired and situation where the Assembly government, defending its position, another who had moved to England, Government resists full disclosure. sought from Sue Essex, the Minister agreed to do so. However, as Dafydd involved, a critique of the Committee’s Wigley, a later Chair of the Audit Unlike Commons select committees report, which she herself had helped to Committee, pointed out in his submission whose membership is comprised entirely investigate and compose. to the Richard Commissions in December of backbenchers, Assembly Government 2002, the Committee should not have to Ministers are members of their relevant The presence of Ministers and deputy depend on the goodwill of witnesses. subject committee. The result is that Ministers on the Subject committee for scrutiny is mixed in an organic way with the portfolio they manage is Also during the first term the policy development to an extent that it is unacceptable by Westminster standards. Environment, Planning and Transport hard to tell when the committees are in The role of deputy Ministers is especially Committee conducted an investigation ‘scrutiny’ or ‘policy’ mode. In practice, problematical since there is no reference into health concerns caused by the because of the prominence given to to them in the 1998 Wales Act. Their Nantygwyddon landfill site in the Ministers’ reports to the committees, position has emerged as part of the Rhondda. In his submission to the they largely decide the topics upon ‘devolution process’. In effect their role is Richard Commission, the Committee’s which they are scrutinised. analogous to Westminster Personal chair at the time, Richard Edwards, said Private Secretaries. Together with they were hampered by their inability ‘Opposition spokespersons’ these to obtain information about the affairs individuals were banned from sitting on of the waste disposal company that Committees committees by the Committee of had operated the tip. He said there was Selection in 1980, resulting in the a case for giving the Assembly power should scrutinise expulsion of two MPs. It was said that the to require the attendance of witnesses presence of such people “might lead to who had information relevant to the doubts about the course of the enquiry or Assembly’s functions. the Assembly the content of the reports”. The same is true of the Assembly. For instance, with With the increased role of the private Government, yet the present Economic Development sector in carrying out public policy there Committee’s Labour Chair, Labour has been greater use of ‘commercial Minister, and Labour Deputy Minister, can confidentiality’ as a justification for lack the powers we expect a strenuous examination of the governments withholding information. Assembly Government’s economic The Assembly’s Audit Committee found to do so. policies to be a top priority? itself on new ground when taking evidence on the Auditor General’s In the House of Commons the report into the Assembly’s computer Each week the committee chairs could experience of Select Committees is system (Osiris) set up under a PFI provide a list of issues the Ministers that, from time to time, information is agreement with Siemens Business should address in their reports. withheld, civil servants refuse to Services. The Committee was refused Although this occasionally happens, it is attend, and Ministers are difficult and access to the exact profit made as it was not the norm. One option, favoured by uncooperative. Given their comparative deemed ‘commercially confidential.’ As Plaid Cymru, is for committee sessions lack of powers the Assembly’s Subject Alison Halford AM asked at the time, to be divided into those devoted to committees are in an even weaker was this sensitivity more to do with the scrutinising the Assembly Government, position. They lack the formal powers interests of the Assembly Government with questioning of the Minister, and to insist on civil servants attending or the company in question? others to policy development. hearings and submitting papers or records. They are intended to scrutinise After protracted negotiations the As things stand there can often be the Assembly Government, yet lack the Permanent Secretary eventually agreed confusion between these two roles. powers to do so. to release the information on a This was demonstrated during the confidential basis in a private session Environment, Planning and Transport 34 of the Audit Committee. However, there Committee’s investigation into • Leighton Jenkins, a researcher in the was no provision for such a meeting in Nantygwyddon. At one point the National Assembly working for Jeff the Assembly’s standing orders. For investigation was used as evidence Cuthbert, Labour AM for Caerphilly, backbench AMs the episode has set a against the Environment Minister’s writes here in a personal capacity.

winter 2003/04 politics and policy legal wales keith bush reports on how Welsh incorporation into England is being reversed

hen Lord Bingham of spin-off of devolution. That is not to But the strong link between the Cornhill became Lord Chief deny that some strands of the growth of Legal Wales and devolution Justice in 1996 he adopted movement go back beyond 1999. For is illustrated by the revolutionary step, thew practice of always describing some years far-sighted judges, of taken on the eve of the establishment himself not as Lord Chief Justice of whom Lord Bingham was one of the of the Assembly, of providing regular England, as his predecessors had most prominent, had regretted the sittings of the Administrative Court in invariably done, but of England and traditional London-based centralism of Wales. An influential figure in this Wales. Many in the legal fraternity the English legal system. As part of an development, as in many others in the will have regarded the change, if effort to reverse the trend, Lord Legal Wales project, was the then they bothered to take notice of it at Bingham was instrumental in presiding judge of the Wales and all, as a meaningless eccentricity. instituting regular sittings of the Court Chester Circuit, Mr. Justice Thomas. After all, did not Henry VIII, over 450 of Appeal in Cardiff. In common with a As a court which scrutinises the years ago, so thoroughly incorporate number of English provincial cities, legality of government action through Wales into the English legal system Cardiff also became a centre for judicial review and similar that as far as the law is concerned it mercantile and chancery courts which proceedings, the fact that the is truly a case of ‘for Wales – see provide litigants with access to Administrative Court was previously England’? specialist judges who, only a few years confined to London, the sole home of ago, would not have been found central government in the United At the end of September 2003 Lord outside London. Kingdom, was perhaps Bingham, now the senior law lord, was understandable, even though the in Cardiff for an event which proved administrative court also reviewed the that Wales is fast reclaiming the status actions of local government. of a distinct legal entity within the world of common law. The highly- By this logic, the imminent successful ‘Legal Wales’ Conference, establishment of devolved held at the St. David’s Hotel and government in Wales demanded that attended by 160 lawyers from Wales Cardiff should emerge as a second and further afield, heard Lord Bingham focus of the court’s activity. It would warmly endorse the establishment and not have been consistent with the growth of indigenous legal institutions status of the Assembly as an in Wales. autonomous body possessing powers parallel, in devolved fields, to those of What is ‘Legal Wales’? It has been the UK government, for the legality of described as a renaissance in all the Assembly’s powers to be aspects of legal life in Wales, adjudicated upon in London as if it encompassing not only the practice of were no more than a glorified English law in and for Wales but also the study county council. of legal topics from a Welsh perspective. In his key-note speech to the Legal Wales Conference Winston Roddick 35 Why, over the past six years, has the QC, the outgoing Counsel General to Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord idea of ‘Legal Wales’ become so Bingham, warmly endorsed the growth of indigenous the National Assembly, and a major attractive? Primarily, of course, it is a institutions in Wales. proponent of ‘Legal Wales’, identified

winter 2003/04 politics and policy

the ever-growing legislative output of language in the courts, discussed the the Assembly, which has already future role of the Welsh language in created an impressive corpus of Welsh legal life. He drew attention to bilingual secondary legislation on the apparently effortless way in which devolved subjects, as a driver of further the Canadian legal system developments in the organisation of accommodates the needs of both main the courts. Despite the continued language groups in that country. existence of what he described as “devolution blindness” amongst many Whilst the assimilation of Wales into decision-makers, he predicted a the English legal system began in the continued process of legal devolution, Tudor era, it was not until 1830 that it tracking the progress of administrative reached its high point with the and legislative devolution. abolition of the Court of Great Session. This was a distinct system of courts These trends have begun to have covering the whole of Wales and profound effects on the legal separate from the English circuit profession in Wales. The recent trend system. Although it administered for legal work to leak away to Bristol purely English law, the Court of Great and London has been reversed. Both Session was at least a recognition that bar and solicitors have benefited. The Mr Justice Thomas, influential in the Legal Wales the geographical and, to some extent, steady flow of administrative court project, brought sittings of the Administrative Court the social and cultural characteristics of to Wales. and other work generated by the Wales could not easily be forced into Assembly has helped to encourage the English mould. For all its faults the local lawyers to specialise in these Court of Great Session was at least areas. The raising of the profile of able to respond more flexibly to the Wales has further spurred a number of needs of the Welsh community than firms of solicitors specialising in that which came after it. The practical commercial work to market their benefits of a court system tailored to services on a European or even world- the needs of Wales is perhaps wide basis. illustrated by the fact that one of the main arguments used to justify the The potential for economic benefit to abolition of the Court of Great Session the Welsh economy flowing from was that its accessibility encouraged these developments has not been lost litigiousness amongst the Welsh and on government. The Assembly an unhealthy growth in the legal Cabinet recently re-affirmed its profession. support for the Legal Wales concept, recognising the economic importance Whilst the focus of the Legal Wales for the Welsh economy of the movement over the past four years has development of legal services based inevitably been the establishment of in Wales and serving not only Wales Despite “devolution blindness” the inaugural Counsel devolved government in Wales, it may but a much wider client base. General Winston Roddick QC predicts Legal Wales well shift during the next few years to will be a continuing process. the courts and the desirability that Legal Wales should not be seen courts generally, and not just those however as a concept limited to legal delegates could choose to hear operating in specialist fields, should practice. One of its features has been presentations. These ranged from respond positively to a developing the establishment of a number of ecclesiastical law to freedom of Welsh legal identity. societies dedicated to the study of information and from international subjects such as Welsh legal history, commercial law practice to the life and human rights, and public law as well as work of Lord Elwyn-Jones. the more practice-orientated fields of 36 commercial and personal injury law. A One of the best-attended sessions was highly successful feature of the Legal that which, under the chairmanship of Wales conference was the wide Mr. Justice Evans, a long-standing • Keith Bush is Assistant Counsel diversity of subjects on which supporter of the increased use of the General, National Assembly for Wales.

winter 2003/04 politics and policy virtual majority

s Labour backbencher, one of on at least one occasion and the fore- the most frustrating aspects of shortening of debates on others. my first six months in the Assemblya was the failure of the From November, one half of the Opposition parties to accept that things Chamber will be occupied by the 30 had changed since the election. Two Labour Members: the other side of the parties did well in May. Labour won its Chamber by the Opposition. This is a four target seats of Conwy, Islwyn, simple, sensible arrangement that Llanelli and Rhondda. A little local could have been agreed at any point difficulty saw the loss of Wrexham, and earlier in the year. This was what we were a few votes short of electing Labour was seeking. Yet the Opposition Wales’ first ethnic minority Assembly sought to use the change to disrupt Member in Mid and West Wales. The Assembly business. As Mario Basini Conservatives also made gains. rightly pointed out in the Western Mail, it could strengthen the image of the On the other hand Plaid Cymru lost National Assembly as a proper nearly one-third of its seats, and the Lib parliamentary-style forum. This Dems stayed where they were. Labour proposal was on the table from May leighton andrews emerged with 30 out of 60 seats – and onwards. Why it could not be agreed with the election of the Presiding until the summer recess, after an reports on his first six Officer from Plaid Cymru and the absurd and deeply damaging public independent as his Deputy, a working game of ‘chicken’, you will have to ask months as an AM majority: what I call a virtual majority. the Opposition parties.

Despite this, in the period to the Of course, the seating row made the summer recess, the Opposition parties headlines in Wales and beyond. You in the Assembly sought to disrupt the are only likely to read or hear about the Assembly business on no fewer than Assembly if there is a row or a scandal. ten occasions, when they objected and Yet every day, were you to read the filibustered on the business statement, Assembly website’s news section you causing the loss of important business would find the Assembly delivering for

37

Musical chairs in Plenary Session took time to settle down following the May 2003 elections.

winter 2003/04 politics and policy

Wales across the range of policies. Earliest impressions confirm the view With a few noble exceptions, the state that the committees are where the of political journalism in Wales is Assembly’s real work is done. They depressing. The loss of the Welsh remain a slightly strange hybrid as Mirror – for most of its recent life less a vehicles for both scrutiny – which is Labour paper than a Blaenau Gwent apparently what Opposition Labour paper – removes another outlet spokespeople are doing when they for coverage of Welsh events at a time grandstand on the issue of the day – when Scottish titles seem still to be and policy development. Certainly marching onward. debates in the Assembly Chamber perform a more theatrical – I nearly A simple example will illustrate the wrote therapeutic – function. problem of political journalism. As The Rhondda’s Pop Factory young people’s Assembly Member for the Rhondda, project led to the Audit Committee Meanwhile Labour could perhaps think “overdosing” on ELWa decisions. I am the constituency member for the about its own mechanisms for internal Pop Factory. An inordinate amount of communication. While relations my time since May has been taken up between Labour Ministers and the with the issue of ELWa’s grant to fund Labour Group are warm and open, we the Pop Centre MP3 Café project, run could probably develop a better by Learn to Live Ltd, a subsidiary of the informal two-way flow of ideas in one Pop Factory’s owner, Avanti. Since I or two policy areas. We also need to also sit on the Assembly’s Education hold more regular discussions between and Audit Committees, I feel I have Labour Assembly Members and Labour overdosed on ELWa. MPs.

In September, ELWa came before the ELWa is a civil service crisis and But the overall challenge the Assembly Assembly’s Audit Committee. The worryingly suggests a colonial not a faces is building genuine popular Assembly’s Permanent Secretary, Sir democratic culture. The civil service support for its achievements. In 1997 Jon Shortridge, also gave extended clearly aspires to be modern, strategic Sir Robin Mountfield reported on UK evidence. Given the extent of public and proactive. The Welsh Assembly Government Communications and interest, column inches and airtime Government now has a Strategic made it clear that the communication previously generated by this story, you Policy Unit, but across the of policy needed to be considered by might have expected that Welsh political Government departments one might officials alongside the development of journalists would have been there. In still question the depth of the policy. As an outsider, It’s not obvious the end, the coverage was marginal: a strategic advice available to the to me yet that the Assembly few minutes on Good Evening Wales, Government. Government’s communications references on TV so brief that you strategy has drawn on those proposals. would literally have missed them if To take another example, I asked at an you’d blinked, and short summaries of Education Committee whether there Finally, there are still unanswered ELWa bosses’ apologies in the papers. was any research available on how questions about the Assembly’s pupils in Wales decided on their powers and functions, which Lord It was left to the old warhorse himself, university choices. Did they decide on Richard’s Commission will address. But Clive Betts, to pick up on the real story their favoured universities in a Welsh it seems inevitable that as the that came out of the Audit Committee or in a UK context? The Education Assembly demonstrates it is delivering, hearing: that Sir Jon Shortridge had department was unaware of any such its powers and responsibilities will discussed with the Government’s research. Frankly, when I worked in a grow. Six years after the referendum, employment lawyer whether there public sector organisation trying to Wales is a different country. were grounds for dismissing ELWa’s modernise itself – the BBC in the 1990s then Chief Executive. Where did Clive – we sure as hell wanted to know that Betts’ story run? In the Times our policy decisions were based on Educational Supplement. If the sound market research. Are officials 38 conventional outlets in Wales can’t pick really formulating advice on tuition • Former Head of Public Affairs at the up something as significant as this, fees and student funding without BBC and co-founder of the Yes for perhaps it’s time for an enterprising knowing why pupils make decisions on Wales campaign, Leighton Andrews is soul to resurrect Rebecca. their university choices? AM for the Rhondda.

winter 2003/04 politics and policy clear welsh water

efore the ink was dry on the the United Kingdom and that it has 1997 referendum result, close contributed massively to all the as it was, there was no doubt component parts of the Union – Wales, bin my mind that the political England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. topography in Wales was changing, That is a constant. This is one reason that and changing forever. The Welsh we are vehement in maintaining that Conservative Party – not a body that Wales needs a full-time Secretary of then existed in reality – would need to State in the Cabinet. Underlining the accept these results and move forward. importance of the union has been the involvement of myself as Leader of the It was obvious to me that we would National Assembly Group, and David need to establish clear Welsh water McLetchie as Leader of the Scottish between Conservatism in Westminster Parliamentary Group, in Shadow Cabinet and Welsh Conservatism in Cardiff. meetings at the UK level. There is, of course, a coherent set of values and principles that unite There is no contradiction between this Conservatives in both places. However, continuing belief in Unionism and our nick bourne outlines Welsh Conservatism would need to developing distinctive policies at the adjust to a different, though not Welsh level. Since the 2003 Assembly new directions for necessarily contradictory, set of values elections I have established two in Wales. For instance, the very strong Standing Committees, one to look at Welsh Conservatism sense of Welsh community makes public services in Wales, and the other Wales different from much of England. at the Welsh language and culture. The Early on we opposed tuition fees for committee on public services, chaired Welsh students whereas our by David Melding AM, is examining Westminster colleagues had no similar how we can concentrate resources at policy for Westminster. We also called the sharp end of delivery and how the for a St David’s Day Bank Holiday and public, voluntary and private sectors were fully supportive of the Children’s can work in partnership. The basis of Commissioner for Wales. our appeal is true compassion rather than barren egalitarianism. Labour There may have been some misgivings talks repeatedly about delivery but amongst our Westminster colleagues, but waiting lists are growing, the I was determined that we develop ambulance service needs crucial specifically Welsh policies appropriate for investment, and a massive number of Wales. At the same time, what does unite care home beds have been lost. both Welsh Conservatives and Meanwhile, Labour’s top up fees will Westminster Conservatives is a distrust of deter students, especially from poorer bureaucracy, a belief in small government backgrounds. The public services and a commitment to devolving power to committee will concentrate on two local institutions, be they hospitals, main questions: schools or local police forces. • How we can reverse trends on waiting lists and slash the numbers waiting The development of Welsh Conservatism • How we can prevent Labour’s plans represents work in progress. The for tuition fees. challenge for Welsh Conservatism has 39 been to adapt without altering our core The committee on the Welsh language principles. A core principle of and culture, chaired by Lisa Francis AM, Conservatism is a belief in the value of will focus on the following concerns:

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• How we can preserve the language, Assembly if it simply produces of public services, and also to say that not just as a second language but as expensive photocopies of policies that the powers of the Assembly should be a community language. are being applied at Westminster. That extended. The former argument to me • How we can help people, and is not what the Party in Wales is about. has much more strength than the latter. particularly young people, purchase homes in their communities. One of the key questions in the second Having said this, I think that there is a case • How we can protect local community Assembly term is going to be the for looking at particular functions moving services such as schools, medical powers of the Assembly. I think this is to the Assembly on a case by case basis, services, post offices, and shops. to be regretted. I foresaw that this in much the same way as happened under the old Welsh Office. We have argued for animal welfare powers to be transferred to Cardiff. We have argued for large energy projects to be transferred to Cardiff. This is happening, although too slowly. There is also a strong case to be made out for police functions to come to the Assembly, just as issues relating to the Fire Service have in the wake of the Bain Report. All four Chief Constables in Wales are in favour of this, and it is something that is being actively discussed within the Party.

It is not without its ironies that the Welsh Conservative Party has prospered under the devolutionary settlement. We opposed the institution initially, and most of us have been elected by an electoral system which we certainly oppose for Westminster elections. However, the essence of Conservatism is a belief in pragmatic change. It is no surprise to me that the future of Nick Bourne meets a few of the fifteen children at Trecastle Community School near Brecon. Reprieved devolution is safer with Conservatives from closure threats in 2002, it is again under threat along with several other small schools in Powys. than with other political parties. These and other policy committees will would happen, and indeed predicted work alongside a Welsh Policy Forum that if the Assembly did not deliver on Our Party has become more Welsh being established with the help of Lord the quite impossible expectations that focused. It is already much more rooted Griffiths of Fforestfach, Lord Roberts of had been hyped up by some politicians in Wales than many people realise. We Conwy, Jonathan Evans MEP, Nigel Evans in the referendum campaign, there have our own Chairman, Carole Hyde, MP, and our Vice Chairman in charge of would be siren calls saying that this who represents Wales with great force policy, Catrin Edwards. This will help in was because it did not have enough and verve on the National UK Party developing distinctly Welsh Conservative powers. Similar arguments were made Board. We have our own separate Party policies in advance of the next Assembly about socialism in the 1980s, that Headquarters with our own Director, elections. Just as in the first Assembly Labour was not winning elections Leigh Jeffes. We have our own Board of term there will be the fullest consultation because it was not sufficiently left wing. Management in Wales, on which I sit. with affected bodies and with the Party Much of our funding is derived from membership in Wales. It is my belief that the Assembly will be Wales, and we are becoming more judged by delivery on public services, on Welsh focused in our candidate selection The policies that emerge will no doubt economic performance, and on fighting for Westminster. No doubt all these are differ from Conservative policies from Wales’s corner on key issues, and not by processes that will continue. Westminster while remaining the rather barren question of powers. It 40 consistent with Conservative aims and does seem to me to be contradictory to principles. It would indeed be argue both that the Assembly is a new surprising if they were not different. institution and that this is why it has not • Nick Bourne is Leader of the Welsh There is little point in having a Welsh yet delivered on some of the key aspects Conservatives in the National Assembly.

winter 2003/04 politics and policy nation building cynog dafis explores Plaid Cymru’s future in the wake of its May 2003 election set-back

eroded at the very time when some of There seems to me to be an urgent the necessary structures of nationhood need now for the party to redefine its are being put in place. The party’s message, so that it can carry conviction failure to address the inmigration issue in the reality of contemporary Wales. in the face of Labour’s grotesque This must be done in such a way as to attacks has for many been a real crisis reinvigorate the membership by of confidence. convincing them anew of their party’s unique and historic role, to broaden its One danger in these circumstances is membership, and to fire a new that the party revert to a total generation with enthusiasm for the concentration on its ultimate cause of Wales. And it must be done so constitutional aim. The new as to enable the garnering of commitment to terminological accuracy sufficiently widespread support to by owning the word “independence” is undermine the stifling dominance of of course to be welcomed. A confident, Labour. clear-thinking Plaid leadership can easily make Labour’s UK nationalism Plaid Cymru exists to advance the and its poverty of aspiration for Wales, development of Wales as a nation. This oming after a period of evidenced in its depiction of an is a task that demands, but cannot wait unprecedented success, the independent Wales as an unmitigated upon, constitutional change. And it reverse of the 2003 Assembly disaster, boomerang to good effect. The must be undertaken in the full electionsc delivered a blow to the solar time for evasiveness on this issue is knowledge that the concepts of ‘nation’ plexus of Plaid Cymru. The Party is past. and ‘nationality’, alive and kicking as seeking answers to the particular they are, must find a new definition in questions that inevitably arise at times However to make independence the a world of rapid change, migration and like this – about leadership, centrepiece of Plaid’s campaigning mobility. organisation, effective communication, over the next few years would be a relations with the media, resources, disastrous mistake, first for the simple It was Mushaq Ali, then a leading external factors impinging on its reason that support for independence member of Wales’s ethnic minority performance and so on. is confined to some 10-12% of the communities, whom I heard, in a fringe electorate; more importantly because it meeting at the Plaid Cymru National However, underlying the poor electoral would remove the party from relevance Conference two years ago, describe the performance, not confined in fact to the to present realities and concerns; and task facing Wales in the wake of Assembly election, deeper issues are thirdly because it would divert devolution as “nation-building”. lurking. Among the members and the attention from the task of putting in core supporters there is unease. There place the conditions necessary to The phrase seems to me to express is the disappointment with devolution promote the constitutional exactly what Plaid Cymru is, or should in practice, and Plaid’s identification advancement of Wales in the shorter be, about. Commonly used to refer to with it. Even more disturbing is a term (thus making possible, the task of rebuilding after ethnic sense, stronger in some regions than incidentally, in some future conflict, it is also eminently applicable 41 others, that the distinctiveness of circumstances about which we can to a country like Wales where identity Wales, those elements that underpin currently only speculate, the is ambiguous, diverse and – let’s face it our very identity as a people, are being achievement of independence!). – in many ways fragile; where the

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components of nationhood are, to put 1) for campaigning/implementation at 7) far-reaching will be this process, but it mildly, incomplete; but where, different levels of government, and there is scope for active through the 1997 Yes vote and outside government? encouragement in the meanwhile. subsequent events, a decision was made to become, as it were, a proper 1) The demand for a legislative 7) Forging the territorial unity of Wales country and embark on a process of parliament must of course be central, for the first time in history must be democratic self-government. self-government being a powerful an urgent priority. Failure to do so agent of nation-building as well as its and thus counteract the pull of It is within the framework of the product. For Plaid there will always Merseyside, the English Midlands nation-building project that a be a presumption in favour of the and Severnside could yet effectively constructive debate about national transfer of further powers from dismember Wales, devolution identity can occur. There are of course Westminster. However the underlying notwithstanding. Plaid should press, those, particularly within Welsh principle being the sovereignty of the and plan, for major investment in Labour, who will pooh-pooh as either people of Wales, the call must be to intra-Wales road and rail as well as romantic or sinister any discussion of go beyond devolution to electronic connections. Along with the identity issue. It is as well, entrenchment of powers. this must go a continuing process of therefore, to remind ourselves that it is networking our institutions, for important, not just because many of us 2) An independent education system, example our Higher Education hear it in the deep heart’s core, but with a truly national curriculum at sector. because it is necessary to provide that its heart, is fundamental, and, as the solidarity and mutuality of interest Blair government speeds up the 8) The development of powerful which enable progressive social Thatcherite revolution, an economic regions and urban centres change and the implementation of opportunity for a radically different throughout Wales is also essential policies that place the general good Welsh approach. in order to provide a diversity of above short-term sectoral interests. In opportunities for career options and other words, without a robust sense of 3) The Welsh language is by no means upward mobility. national identity, Welsh self- the whole of Welsh identity, but it is government, however much of it we crucial. The need to move from Most important, and probably most get, will achieve little. warm words to a real strategy for challenging of all, is the need to lay growth is evident, and Plaid should the foundations, also for the first time In the most recent IWA Gregynog work with others to lead the way. in history, of a national labour market. Paper, The Psychology of Distance, the For too long Plaid has repeated the late Phil Williams, a passionate 4) Culture policy is a powerful tool in mantra about creating employment to proponent of independence, describes nation-building. Wales, its people, “enable our young people to remain the slow and painful process of nation- its diverse communities, its past and in their local community”. For many building so far. In the absence of any its present, its traditional and of our most ambitious young people serious commitment from any other contemporary forms, its artists, this is simply not feasible, nor indeed party, with Labour by all indications should be its starting point, rather does it accord with their preferences. backsliding on the whole project, it is than the afterthought that they The creation of a national labour the unique role of The Party of Wales usually are. market, linked with the regional to put new momentum into it. Building development approach mentioned the nation must be its driving 5) Visualising a truly national above, linked too with the education motivation and constant concern. In so broadcasting system is as and training and careers advice doing it can seize the political initiative challenging as it is necessary. Plaid services, should be right at the heart and invigorate itself with a new sense Cymru should call for a national of a National Sustainable of purpose. It can also significantly debate on this in the context of the Development Strategy. broaden the base of its membership far-reaching technological changes and support, nation-building being by that are even now transforming the Only thus can we begin to tackle the definition as inclusive as it is positive. field with both threats and chronic outward flow of our best More of this later. opportunities. qualified and most upwardly mobile young people which has been so 42 What then are some of the key 6) Already it seems the existence of damaging to our cultural, social and components in the nation-building the National Assembly is spawning economic vitality, and our identity as a project, from which the Plaid Cymru a Welsh civic society. The greater nation, and which has become so leadership could select as appropriate the Assembly’s powers, the more ingrained in our mindset as a people.

winter 2003/04 How the Western Mail reported Ieuan Wyn Jones’s return to the leadership of the Plaid Cymru group in the Assembly on 16th Septe mber 2003. The shake-up resulted in Dafydd Iwan being elected to the Presidency. As the Mail reported, the two men did not vote for each other and had to exchange mobile phone numbers after the leadership election results were declared.

It is in the context of this last issue, In particular, there should be no degree of support, naturally enough along with the other elements in the nervousness about calling upon English see themselves as uniquely important nation-building project, that the vexed people moving to Wales, members as to the enterprise. Indeed, some such question of in-migration can be they are of the overwhelmingly dominant sense is probably necessary for the constructively debated, as indeed it group in these islands, to recognise that survival and growth of the language. must. Difficult though it may be at they now inhabit a different country with But to them, also, there is a challenge: times, there is no incompatibility its own politics, aspirations, problems to recognise unequivocally that other between considering ways of dealing and culture – and on that basis to actively groups, whether indigenous or of more with the major displacement of seek their participation. Providing them recent arrival, have equal status in the population brought about by with the means to learn about Wales, and Wales that is to be built. simultaneous inward and outward particularly in some regions to learn the migration on the one hand and an language, should be a significant Putting nation-building at the heart of absolute commitment to inclusivity in component in public policy. Plaid’s message would mean that the the nation-building process on the other. diverse groups that make up our society If The Party of Wales does not lead this Plaid Cymru is well placed to encourage can each see themselves as bringing their debate, it will inevitably be dragged into members of the ethnic minority unique contribution to the development it and find itself constantly firefighting. communities to identify with the nation- of Wales. How can that possibly be seen building project. The party has an as other than positive and inclusive? Let The call to nation-building is poles impeccable track-record on issues of Labour’s UK nationalists fulminate as apart from We’ll-Keep-a-Welcome-in-the concern for these communities. A they certainly will. Plaid will have seized Hillsides sentimentality. It is an successful recruitment strategy here the high ground. invitation to participate, but it is also a would be a powerful indicator of the kind challenge. A precondition of success is of enterprise that Plaid exists to promote. 43 that the diverse strands and ethnicities • Cynog Dafis is a former Plaid Cymru in Welsh life respect each other, and Welsh-speakers, among whom the MP for Ceredigion and AM for Mid and this should be a key Plaid message. Party has established a remarkable West Wales.

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the electorate. Increasingly people are people fear overdevelopment: the simon brooks explains coming to see this situation as not only Welsh for cultural and linguistic inherently conservative, but also reasons; the English because of why 8,874 people in unaccountable and undemocratic. environmental and quality-of-life concerns. Ceredigion are It is the issue of political accountability on big policy decisions that has In its controversial forward planning demanding a mayor convinced one group of political document, Ceredigion Unitary activists in independently controlled Development Plan 2001-16, the Council Ceredigion to try and replace the has made a hash of the whole issue. here the new world order current Councillor-led Cabinet system The Unitary Development Plan (UDP) has 'failed states', rural with a directly elected Mayor. If the forecasts up to 6,500 new 'units' for the Wales has 'failed councils'. campaign is successful, Ceredigion will county, with a projected population rise Iw wouldn't want to take the comparison become the only county in Wales to from 75,000 to 90,000. Yet despite any further. Nepotism, corruption and elect its council leader directly. This will embarking on this huge house-building parochialism have been some of the open up Ceredigion to a county-wide programme, the 'homes for locals' distinguishing features of the first vote on the policies and integrity of its element of the Plan is weak. For phenomenon. But of the latter? Executive. example, it makes no use of local residency conditions, in stark contrast In rural Wales, the distinguishing The Local Government Act 2000 to the Development Plans of adjacent characteristic of local democracy has dictates that the executive of a local planning authorities, like been the comparative weakness of authority “may consist of an elected Pembrokeshire Coast and Snowdonia political parties and political mayor of the authority, and two or National Park, and Gwynedd County accountability. Only in Gwynedd is more councillors of the authority Council. there a majority administration headed appointed to the executive by the up by a political party elected on a elected mayor”. The Act enables Matters were complicated by the clearly defined political programme, electors to petition a local authority for revelation on the BBC Wales's Week In, and even here the Plaid Cymru a referendum on establishing a Week Out current affairs programme majority is only two. Mayoral system. Regulations set out by that the Independent leader of the the Secretary of State required 10 per Council, Dai Lloyd Evans, owns land Councils in rural Wales are otherwise cent of a local authority’s electors to earmarked for development in the UDP. 'independent', or mixtures thereof. sign the petition before November 5. In Dai Lloyd Evans is currently being Independents are elected on the very Ceredigion, this amounted to 5,306 investigated by Dyfed-Powys Fraud premise that they have no guiding electors. In the event the Ceredigion Squad. ideology. In reality, of course, they petition achieved 8,874 signatories. As have ideologies galore, but they are a result the county will now hold a There are other signs of discontent. often well-hidden, self-serving and referendum, probably on 22nd April The two statutory consultation never declared at Customs. As 2004. A Yes vote would trigger a stages to the UDP attracted 11,000 Independents claim that they have no Mayoral election, probably in the early objections. Despite the level of political programme, it can become summer. public concern with the Plan, very hard to press for political change. Ceredigion has refused to alter the Ceredigion is on many counts the most main thrust of its proposals. Most Very many Independents are returned unpopular Council in Wales. It is the controversially, the Council has unopposed. If an Independent Council’s misfortune that it sits astride announced that it considers the Councillor of fifteen or twenty years one of the great fault lines of rural draft UDP to be a 'material 44 standing has never been challenged at debate: planning. The rural housing consideration' in large planning the ballot box, it is hardly surprising crisis means that most people favour applications. As a result, developers that he (and it is nearly always a ‘he’) an expansion in the affordable housing who are quick off the mark can get may become immune to the opinion of stock for local people. Yet the same their housing estates approved

winter 2003/04 politics and policy before the Public Inquiry into the UDP, the most transparent manner. He environmental activists. Getting the due to be held next Spring and would publish a Manifesto, and be signatures of 10 per cent of the Summer. given a mandate by the people of electorate in a short period of time is a Ceredigion to deliver that Manifesto. huge logistical challenge for any Despite the pleas of many groups in His first act as Mayor would be to scrap voluntary group, but it is possible for a the county, the Assembly Government and re-write Ceredigion’s planning dug-in and well organised movement has refused to 'call the plan in', thus policies. like Cymuned with a local branch engendering a last-chance saloon structure, and a committed community mentality among many objectors that Of course, arguments have been base. they are 'on their own'. So the reasons presented against plumping for a for the Ceredigion Mayoral campaign directly-elected Mayor. The current Where else in Wales could the are threefold: leadership of Ceredigion County 'Ceredigion experiment' take root? A • The county’s planning policy is Council is fighting the petition on the successful Mayoral campaign would resented by a majority of the population, on both sides of the language divide. • This same majority feels disenfranchised by a Council leadership which is perceived to be both unaccountable and arrogant. • The Leader of the Council appears unable to provide transparent leadership because of an obvious conflict of interest.

And if this were not enough, Ceredigion also faces the first serious tax strike in Wales since the Poll Tax debacle, with over a hundred residents Emyr Hywel and Gwilym ab Ioan do the donkey work, whilst a thoughtful Simon Brooks looks on. promising to withhold their Council Tax until the Council’s planning department cost issue, which they claim would be require an unpopular leader, or cleans up its act. £86,000. Dai Lloyd Evans surely gave emotive grievance, coupled with an the game away when when he told The organised opposition. A directly elected The most likely political outcome of a Cambrian News that “democracy costs Mayor for Cardiff might be a good way mayoral contest would be a Plaid money”. For those with more political for Cardiffians to kick out the unelected Cymru anti-UDP candidate winning, principle, there are arguments about by direct election Lord Mayor for probably Penri James, the current centralising too much power in the Cardiff, Russell Goodway. The threat of opposition leader on Ceredigion hands of one individual. One also gets a local Mayoral petition might make County Council, or perhaps Cynog the feeling that the political parties fear Councillors in Pembrokeshire, Dafis. But were the Lib Dems, or even the unknown. Carmarthenshire or Powys re-think the Tories, to come out strongly against their unpopular rural school closure the UDP, it is not impossible that either For grass-root activists, the Mayoral programmes. What about Crymlyn party might turn in a good show. petition option is a godsend. It offers a Burrows Incinerator near Swansea? It Finally, were all the political parties to chance not only to protest about local is not only in Ffos-y-ffin, Plwmp and wobble, there is always the possibility government, but also to change it. It Synod Inn that developments in the of an anti-UDP Ken Livingstone-style enables this to be done outside the wilds of Ceredigion will be watched candidate running. confines of party politics, which is closely. weak in rural Ceredigion in any case. Such a Mayor would enjoy the The Ceredigion Mayoral campaign is following advantages. He, or she, being run by a steering committee, would have been elected by direct vote Llais y Cardi, which brings together in a County with a traditionally high Cymuned with a number of smaller 45 turn out. He would have been elected groups, including tax refuseniks, Cant • Simon Brooks is a spokesman for on a clearly defined political Ceredigion, and a number of residents Cymuned, and Editor of the current programme in a high-profile election in associations and individual affairs magazine, Barn.

winter 2003/04 europe two cheers

he European Union is trying to Members of the Convention were able re-design itself prior to to submit written contributions. enlargement, with the final Together with colleagues in the taccession of ten new member states European Free Alliance, through a series occurring shortly before the European of meetings in the spring and early Parliamentary Election of 2004. The old summer of 2002 in Strasbourg, method of treaty renegotiation had Brussels, Berlin, Seville, Bilbao, proved inadequate to the task. What Barcelona, and Brno, I produced a came to be called a constitutional contribution to the Convention under Convention (strictly, “the Convention on the title Democracy at Many Levels: the future of Europe”) was established European Constitutional Reform. This by the Laeken Declaration of December represented the position of the EFA 2001. The Convention first assembled fraction within our Parliamentary Group, on 28 February 2002, and delivered a including Plaid Cymru, but also took Draft Constitution back to the Council of account of the wider concerns of EFA Ministers in June 2003 at Thessaloniki. parties not represented in the European Parliament. It is interesting to look back As a representative of the Greens and on that and see how far matters turned European Free Alliance Group (EFA) in out as we argued they should. the European Parliament my role in the neil macCormick Convention was to present the case for The basic theme was one of a 'civic nationalist' or 'regionalist’ wholehearted support for the reveals what the vision for the future of the European constitutional development of the Union. There were other stout European Union in a way that is European Convention supporters of the cause, among whom favourable for democracy and thus for I remember most vividly Erwin Teufel, the flourishing of all the peoples of is achieving Minister President of Baden Europe in a context of peace, security and Würtemberg, Mme Claude du Granrut sustainable all-round prosperity. The for Wales from Picardy and Manfred Dammeyer governing principle to which we appealed from North Rhine Westphalia who took was that of self-determination for all the part as observers from the Committee peoples of Europe. This, we pointed out, of the Regions. implies acknowledging the possibility of “internal enlargement” of the Union. Various others spoke up from time to time, including Commissioner Michel As a principle, self-determination can Barnier, whose Commission operate at more than one level in the responsibilities embrace regional construction of a new and better issues and constitutional ones. Peter European Union. In Europe, it ought to Hain, in his role as Secretary of State include full recognition of the right to for Wales, spoke trenchantly in the self-government of all those territorial debate about regions on 7 February entities in the Union whose citizens 2003, and my old friend Robert have a strong and shared sense of MacLennan (Lord MacLennan of national, linguistic, or regional identity, Rogart) as an alternate from the UK whether such entities are already Parliament, offered another Scottish recognised as states or as self- 46 voice. He and I did some work together governing entities of one kind or about subsidiarity, trying to strengthen another, or remain for the present the idea of the necessity of local unrecognised in the constitutional discretion to apply local knowledge. structure of state.

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The Draft Constitution, I must say, does corner-stone in this, and the struck in Part I, the Convention Draft not unequivocally acknowledge the establishment for the future of an matches this demand of ours. principle of self-determination in this acceptable process of constitutional sense. The presupposition on which the reform replacing the present ad hoc The Council of Ministers, we argued, Constitution rests is the sovereignty of approach another. I would unhesitatingly ought to be redesigned somewhat to the Member States who together sustain claim that the Convention has risen to reveal its role as one of the two and empower the Union. The Union this task that we considered essential. chambers of the legislature of Europe, leaves all questions about governmental that which represents the states and structures at this level exclusively to the That Europe should have a constitution territories of the Union, and which States. As a confederalist myself, I did not and does not for us imply that reaches its decisions typically by cannot fairly object to this. Europe is or ought to become a state, qualified majority voting. The European far less a ‘super-state’. It is a Parliament, which is the other Moreover, I much welcome the opening supranational union of a unique kind legislative Chamber, ought to have sentence of Article I.5(1), “The Union that acknowledges shared and divided power of co-decision with the Council shall respect the national identities of sovereignty rather than its on all matters within the legislative its Member states, inherent in their concentration, and that accommodates competence of the Union. This we fundamental structures, political and constitutional, including for regional and local self government.” I note also, according to Article I.57 (1) of the Draft, “The Union shall be open to all European States which respect the values referred to in Article I.2, and are committed to promoting them together.” This opens a door to internal enlargement, but it must be carefully noted that a new state’s acceptance into membership is dependent on unanimity in the European Council. The second sentence of I.5 (1) somewhat counterbalances its above-quoted first sentence, and has provoked concern in some quarters: The Union “shall respect their essential state functions, The Inaugural session of the European Convention on 28 February 2002 met in the hemicycle of the including for ensuring the territorial European Parliament at Strasbourg. integrity of the state, and for maintaining law and order and safeguarding internal security.” at least four significant levels of considered an essential step in building government (Union level, member a fully democratic scheme of European Going beyond the claim of self- state level, internal territorial level, and self-government. determination, we in the EFA local authorities, themselves very supported the idea that the varied in kind and scope of action). Here again, the Draft Constitution Convention’s essential task was to matches up to the proposals we put produce a constitution for the A critical question we saw was whether forward. The ordinary legislative European Union. Already, we said, the the Council or the Commission should process under it will have just this Union has a constitution in the same be the principal bearer of the executive character, and will apply very generally, functional or informal sense as is found power of the Union. For the Union to though not yet quite universally, in the in states like, for example, the United have a democratic character with fair Union’s lawmaking activities. Kingdom. The task was to transform participation by states and entities this into a formal constitution with varied in size, we took it to be vital that Subsidiarity, along with democracy and adequate guarantees for democracy, the Commission bear this role, under self-determination, was for us the major subsidiarity, cultural and linguistic the strategic guidance of the European issue for the Convention. The 47 pluralism, human rights and the Council and answerable to the Constitution had to give it a better and protection of minorities in the Union. European Parliament. In essence, stronger definition, one that the courts The Charter of Rights would be one despite the slightly tricky compromises could elaborate as a constitutional

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principle in the light also of the decisions specific practical proposals before the especially where state boundaries do of political decision-makers. For Convention. Let me run through them not coincide with linguistic ones. The countries or territorial entities like those here, more or less as we originally states’ shares of parliamentary seats is represented by EFA in the European stated them, with a brief comment on not a relevant model for representation Parliament (Andalucia, Catalunya, the outcome in each case. on the CoR, where the basis should be Euskadi, Flanders, Galicia, Scotland, and the regions themselves, with some Wales) in their present constitutional 1) There should be consideration of reasonable proportionality of situation, a satisfactory understanding of improved terminology to avoid the representation to population, though subsidiarity was essential. Appropriate inappropriate use of the term 'region' to retaining minima for very small states recognition of their role as partners in refer to territorial entities within the and nations. The different roles of the the governance of the Union, was a Union, which their citizens regard as CoR in facilitating input from local requirement of a satisfactory 'nations'. The ideological use of authorities and in creating a forum for constitutional settlement. So important concepts like 'nation state', especially in constitutional entities with legislative was this that I subsequently submitted a contrast to ‘region’, should be avoided. powers should be adequately reflected. separate Contribution on Subsidiarity, Common Sense, and Local Knowledge, We did not win on this one. The We did not make headway here. There and some amendments aimed at terminology of ‘national’ and ‘regional’ is was relatively little discussion of the strengthening early drafts of the used throughout in its ideological sense. Committee of Regions at the Convention, Constitution on this point. and none about its composition. Malta and 2) There must be genuine reform of Luxembourg, for example, will continue to Taking together Article 1-9 and the parliamentary representation in the have more representatives at this Protocol on Subsidiarity and European Parliament by securing that committee than Wales or Galicia. Proportionality, I would say now that in all save quite small states there are However, under Article I.31(5), ‘The rules we made a lot of progress. Still, electoral constituencies that recognise governing their composition [i.e., the however, the Constitution locates the areas with a distinctive sense of composition of the Committee of Regions element of decentralised Parliamentary national or regional identity, and that and the Economic and Social Committee] control of these principles in the central take particular account of existing shall be reviewed at regular intervals by parliaments of the member states. It territorial entities that have achieved the Council, on the basis of a Commission then leaves the further iteration of the constitutional recognition. proposal, in the light of economic, social principles to them: “It will be for each and demographic developments within national parliament or each chamber of No fresh advance was achieved on this. the Union’. The door thus remains a little a national parliament to consult, where Article I.19 (2) says ‘…Representation of open for further developments without appropriate, regional parliaments with European citizens shall be degressively major constitutional upheaval legislative powers.” proportional, with a minimum threshold of four members per member state’. In fact, 4) The Treaties should make clear that It was a matter for regret that the member states have already agreed to the Commission has an obligation to Praesidium of the Convention did not adopt constituency systems, but these are consult in relation to forthcoming accede to the many requests that it very variable in style and in many cases legislation with all legislative authorities should establish a working group to disappointing judged by EFA’s criterion at whatever level within the Union that examine the place of self-governing concerning the recognition for Parliamentary have responsibility for transposing and territorial entities (”regions”) and local purposes of real communities regions and implementing European law. authorities in the European architecture nations. It would be good to see the idea of and similar issues. One day of debate ‘degressive proportionality applied Here, we have success to report, as at the Convention was dedicated to this somewhat within states, as for example in witnessed by the Protocol on the issue, but without the benefit of the the UK’s rather limited concession to it in Application of the Principles of kind of working group report that was the form of the rule that Northern Ireland’s Subsidiarity and Proportionality: Paragraph available for other important issues. In representation in the European parliament (2) “Before proposing legislative acts, the the upshot, we succeeded in should not go lower than three members. Commission shall consult widely. Such persuading the Convention to express consultations shall, where appropriate, more prominently than ever before its 3) The Committee of the Regions (CoR) take into account the regional and local commitment to respect for territorial should either be reformed or be dimension of the action envisaged.” 48 entities within member states. abolished. Its membership must be based upon regions not states, and 5) The Treaties should be clarified In addition to the broad orientation I should include recognition of concerning rights of participation in the have just described, EFA laid nine significant cross-border regions, legislative deliberations of the Council.

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There must be clear provision whereby existence by independent effort, without the states can in appropriate cases be any constitutional recognition at Union represented by ministers from that level (except in so far as sub-sets of the level of government which has, within CoR are involved). any particular state, legislative responsibility for the subject of 9) The linguistic diversity of the proposed Union legislation. A state's European Union must be protected. All votes in qualified majority voting need languages must be recognised as not always be cast as a single block essential elements of the rich heritage of vote, but could be split if internal the EU, and all languages and cultures territories decide to pursue different should have equal rights, as stated in the lines on a particular topic. Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (Barcelona, 1996). All official languages Here, there was neither advance nor retreat. in the territory of the European Union Article I.22 (2) provides: “The Council of must be given proper status at the Ministers shall consist of a representative of European level. We therefore support the each member state at ministerial level for European Bureau for Lesser Used each of its formations. Only this Languages proposals to the Convention. representative may commit the Member Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Chairman of the Convention, State in question, and cast its vote.” oversaw “a robustly statist vision of the Union”. Here we had success. Article I.3 (3) fourth indent says: “The Union shall 6) There should be appropriate rights should be better ways of protecting the respect its rich cultural and linguistic of access to the Court of Justice for all discretion of local agencies to enable diversity, and shall ensure that Europe’s territorial entities exercising legislative them to bring about sensible cultural heritage is safeguarded.” and governmental powers within a implementation of European law state and under its constitution; they having regard to local circumstances. This draft Constitution, though still must be enabled to seek judicial review subject to final amendments and of Union legislation that invades their Some advance achieved. By Article I.9 (3) adjustments, represents a robustly constitutional competences, with a “the Union shall act only if and in so far statist, and to that extent, confederalist, view to ensuring due respect for the as the objectives of the intended action vision of the Union. It is a Union whose principle of subsidiarity in their case. cannot be sufficiently achieved by the powers are conferred on it by member member states, either at central level or states whose internal constitutional We did not gain as much as we sought. at regional and local level.” arrangements remain entirely their own The Committee of the Regions will be affair. To the extent that these able, under the subsidiarity protocol, to 8) The Parliaments of self-governing arrangements empower stateless nations challenge subsidiarity-infringing legislation entities in member-states should be or other territorial collectivities in the of the Union, as will “national better involved in the European form of legislative or administrative parliaments”, which can in turn make institutional system. Those exercising regions, the Union’s institutions are whatever arrangements they see fit to legislative powers should be able to obliged to take account of these, and of involve “regional parliaments with participate in the parliamentary trans- local authorities as well. Linguistic and legislative powers”. The general right of European network known as COSAC – cultural diversity is more generously access to the court for all natural and legal Conférence des Organes Spécialisés recognised than hitherto. Subsidiarity is persons will, however, be somewhat dans les Affaires Communautaires better defined and will probably be better extended, and this will create an (Conference of Community and policed and observed. This is worth two opportunity for internal-territorial European Affairs Committees). cheers, if not yet the full three. governments and parliaments to challenge Union legislation in certain cases. No advance was achieved. The provisions concerning COSAC in the Draft Protocol • Sir Neil MacCormick is an SNP MEP 7) Subsidiarity should be better defined on the Role of National Parliaments in the and Regius Professor of Public Law on and supported by better institutional European Union relates solely to University of Edinburgh. This is an mechanisms. In particular, there should Parliaments at member state level, and edited extract from his Inaugural be criteria for preventing diminution of does not envisage any mechanism for Lecture for the Wales in a Regional 49 constitutional powers of internal involvement of other parliaments within Europe research centre at the Institute territorial entities without full prior the states. Networks of such parliaments of Welsh Politics, University of Wales, consultation and agreement, and there with legislative powers are coming into Aberystwyth, 3 November 2003.

winter 2003/04 europe only connect

jan royall discusses the work of the European Commission’s Office in Wales

ost people have no notion there is a real need for an articulate people, breaking down the barriers of how the EU impacts on and assertive voice of Wales in the between the institutions and citizens, their lives. Many see Commission. There is also a duty to demystifying the legislative process, ‘Brussels’m as an alien power, an raise awareness and nurture and making Europe more relevant to amorphous mass of bureaucrats understanding of the EU and the our daily lives and concerns. We have constantly creating red tape that ordinary impact of its policies on our daily lives. to explain that Bridgend, Bangor and people have to deal with. My job is to The Commission itself has an Barmouth are as much part of Europe blow such myths away. There’s a direct obligation to explain what it is doing as Brussels. correlation between people’s knowledge and why. about the EU and their attitude towards In Wales many people naturally tend to it. The more people know about it, the The key objectives of the European associate the European Union with more positive they tend to be. Commission's Office in Wales is to funding. This is certainly an important report to the Commission, at the same and tangible demonstration of links Now with its own government, Wales is time as keeping Welsh legislators with the EU. The structural funds part of a vast and growing single market informed about European policies and provide invaluable support for which from May next year will have 450 raising public awareness. In an economic regeneration, enabling million citizens with common rights and enlarged Union of 25 Member States it individuals and communities to responsibilities. The opportunities for will be essential for the distinctiveness develop their potential. With the help government at all levels, for businesses, of Welsh needs to be understood in the of research and development funds our for trade unions, for non-governmental European Institutions. Wales is well academic institutions are working in organisations and for individuals are served in Brussels by the offices of the partnership with people throughout huge. In many ways, however, they Welsh Assembly Government, the Europe to find sustainable solutions to remain a well hidden secret. Welsh Local Government Association problems, and their work often has a and the Wales European Centre. global impact. There are literally Many of the opportunities stem directly However, the Commission office can hundreds of initiatives now taking from European legislation and a provide added value by advocating and place in Wales that would not have European system of governance that is articulating the needs of Wales at the happened without the leverage of often not understood or highest level in the Commission and at European funding. Crucial discussions misunderstood. Throughout its life the the earliest stages of the policy making are now taking place in the European Union and its institutions process. Commission to try and ensure that an have failed to connect properly with adequate level of funding is sustained the people they are there to serve. In the past the Commission has tended from 2007 onwards. to be rather reactive, responding to Their partners in member states – at requests for information and defending But Europe isn’t just about funding. national, regional and local levels – its position. Member states, the The policies of the European Union have often been reluctant to engage European Parliament and the now touch many aspects of our lives – citizens in a dialogue on European Commission have now agreed that we environmental protection, water issues. The good news is that there is a must strive to work in partnership in a quality, waste disposal, consumer will to change throughout the Union. more proactive way. Since 1979 Welsh rights, health and safety regulation, 50 Things are certainly changing in Wales. MEPs have been working tirelessly to entitlements to paid holidays, the strengthen links but theirs has often freedom to live and work in 15 – soon With devolution and the forthcoming been a lone voice. We have to act to be 25 – different countries … the list enlargement of the European Union, together to bring Brussels closer to the goes on. People simply don’t realise –

winter 2003/04 europe

Jan Royall started work as Head of the European Commission Office in Wales in May 2003. Fluent in French and Spanish – and now l earning Welsh – she has worked for the European Commission since 1995. She spent the last two years in the Press and Communication Directorate General w here, amongst other things, she was responsible for developing the Commission's proposal for an Information and communication strategy for the Europ ean Union. Before that, she was a member of Neil Kinnock’s Cabinet (the small group of hand-picked officials which all Commissioners call on for advice and support), initially when he was Transport Commissioner and later when he became Vice-President of the Commission. often because they have not been that includes a wide range of shaping of future policies alongside informed – that much of the legislation organisations from professional building on best practice. enacted by the Welsh Assembly information providers (Libraries and Government and local authorities European Documentation Centres) to The European Union is not yet 50 years stems originally from decisions taken rural information centres (‘Carrefours’) old and its evolution has been swift. Its at European level by our elected in Anglesey and Carmarthen. One of our achievements to date are extraordinary representatives in the Council of common aims is to foster but they are often taken for granted or Ministers and the European Parliament. understanding and to engage people in forgotten. The enlargement of the a debate about the European Union. Union will bring new challenges and With enlargement, the signing of a new opportunities but the full potential of European constitution and the European Sometimes in its efforts to Europe and its nations and regions can elections all taking place during 2004, it communicate the Commission is only be fully realised with the will be especially important to improve accused of peddling propaganda. This engagement of its people. That is why the flow of jargon-free information and is most definitely not the role of the we have a duty to connect with citizens to connect with people throughout office in Wales. We strive to provide so that the European Union can Wales. In the Commission office we are decision-makers, opinion formers and continue to bring peace, prosperity and working in partnership with the Welsh the general public with factual security to its people and to be a Assembly Government, local information that is relevant to their strong force for good in the world. government, the TUC, the CBI and non- specific interests and concerns. We 51 governmental organisations to also welcome feedback and • Jan Royall is Head of the European ‘mainstream’ Europe. We support the constructive criticism, believing that Commission’s Office in Wales Wales European Information Network they play an important role in the www.cec.org.uk/wales

winter 2003/04 culture and communications cardiff, kairdiff, caerdydd

rom where I sit I can see the slate brushes the crumbs from the roofs, stone balustrade with tablecloth. The menu has slices, sprouting buddleia, western sky goujons, stacks, wedges, pendants, beyond.f Old Cardiff. Oldest there is. I’m portions, medallions, dollops. There’s at Undeb in Womanby Street, the music in the background but it stays curving street of pirate battles, horse there. manure, cattle market, clubs and pubs, distress and overdrinking that has gone We’re in the city, the real city, heart of on now for almost a thousand years. the city, and it’s new. Wales has no Womanby snakes its narrow way from tradition of cities, of course. Until the the Castle to Westgate Street where the nineteenth century the largest Taff once flowed and the Town Quay conurbation we had was Carmarthen imported wine in exchange for cannon. with a population of over five Red light for decades but now thousand. Cardiff’s total was less than improving. Until recently Undeb was two. Twenty-fifth in the pecking order. the CF1Club, Every Friday American In towns and villages you can know Table Dancing At The Devil's Lounge. everyone. The alienation that wrecks Now it’s Sunday supplement modern. bus shelters, bombs phone-booths and Slate floored lift. Chrome front door puts name tags on all available wall with intercom. Owned by music biz space is an industrial disease. A operators, full of Welsh stars. product of density. Something that peter finch probes the happens because we don’t know our literary output from I’m taking lunch with Grahame Davies. neighbours, don’t care, can’t win, can’t The place is a new experience for both see anyway on or out. In Wales of the the capital’s clash of of us. Fine dining: pan-fried seabass hill farm and the scattered community with roasted scallops, herb-crusted such pain hardly exists. Best we’ve cultures lamb with a white bean managed, down the centuries, is a and chorizo casserole, drunken brawl outside a market day crab and basil mash tavern or a bit of thieving from a with sauce vierge. You passing stranger or our richer don’t put your coat masters. The Welsh, the underdogs. on the back of your But the arrival of iron and coal and chair, someone takes their attendant explosion in it from you. population ended all that. You get a waiter In cities, where the great and the who good mix with the lollard and the lumpen, proximity to the mass changes the way you think. Things are faster and there are more of them. You can no longer know everything because there is far too much of it. The thirty streets of your town 52 become the three- thousand of your Grahame Davies – Welsh Language Writers in Cardiff have yet to boomtime capital. Your develop “a comfortable urban discourse.” village poet serving a few

winter 2003/04 culture and communications hundred houses becomes three Wrexham in Wales’ north east, throw from Undeb but a hundred-and-fifty bards, novelists, been in Cardiff for a mere completely different dramatists, fictioneers, scribblers, seven years. world. Here the air is hacks, journos and pad scratchers fog dense with serving the surging mass of a recently To paraphrase Adrian tobacco, the 28-inch arrived city horde. Perspectives shift, Mitchell, most writers, it TV relays non-stop culture and exposure to it increases, seems, have ignored soccer and the locals writing alters. Distance changes. The Cardiff because Cardiff look like they’ve just horizon is built on. The streets are lit. ignores most writers. reached here from a The night sky goes dark. lie down in the park. For the nineteenth and I’ve got a little digital In the eighteenth century the scattered most of the twentieth recorder on the table parishes of Y Rhath, Llys-faen, Rhymni, century those writers there between us but when I get Treganna and Yr Eglwys Newydd were were either operated in it home all I can hear is the monoglot Welsh. At least half the 2K total isolation sound of goals roaring and living inside Cardiff town’s crumbling (Dannie Abse’s Ash the voice of the bloke walls were able in the language. On A Young Man’s at the table next to Despite these origins a massive influx Sleeve, Bernard ours as he tries to of outsiders has made the city today an Picton’s Tiger Bay) get his roll-up overwhelmingly English-speaking or indulged in John Williams, leading light of the late 1990s alight, bloody thing, place. How has it served its writers? episodes of Cardiff fiction boom, says monoglot speakers won’t go. John is of Kairdiff English are second class citizens in Until recently not brilliantly well. Meic nostalgic ark, the their own city. one of the leading Stephens’ 1980s A Cardiff Anthology lark typified by lights of the late collected the historical view of the city. Frank Hennessey and Pete Measey. nineteen-nineties Cardiff fiction boom. Docks, smoke, coal, cockle markets, Billy the Seal, Clarks Pies, Brains Dark. He reckons that the city feels more a Arms Park, arcades, Western Mail, rap- Tôpher Mills is their natural inheritor south Wales Liverpool than the nation’s tap-ginger in the slums. Some written (although to be fair to Tôpher he has capital. Cardiff is a place which mixes by people not born here, not living tried to update their line). Until the many nationalities with the Welsh here now, never lived here. Alexander 1980s you could count the successful being only one of that number, he tells Cordell, Jan Morris, Idris Davies, Alun women writers from Cardiff on the me. The language, while appearing to Richards, Gwyn Thomas. More by fingers of one hand (Bernice Rubens, be a left-wing cultural idea usually those who didn’t know each other, or Gillian Clarke – both moved out succeeds in alienating the largely didn’t want to, separated by culture because this city didn’t suit them). No monoglot English-speaking local and language or by the nine miles of black writers either. Amazing for a working class who can’t see the point the city’s breadth. No sense of place with the largest ethnic of it. What relevance does it have to community. Literateurs operating in population of anywhere in Wales their lives? Instead, Welsh has become self-contained boxes. Mutual antipathy. (eight per cent). the would be lingua-franca of Cardiff’s Welsh writers divided from their Anglo new media and governing elite. fellows by miles of linguistic fence. My In recent times things have improved, “Cardiff, once an overwhelmingly Cardiff not your Cardiff never ours. for the poets at least. Clustered working-class city, is now becoming a around the Cabaret 246 performance city of haves in a land largely of have- Grahame who is an outspoken satirist group, Happy Demon, Pandora’s Box, nots. The further irony is that the most of the incongruities and follies of the Sampler, Chris Torrance’s Adventures prosperous of the haves seem to be Welsh-speaking media class to which In Creative Writing night classes, the incomers, the Welsh-speaking he belongs tells me that he thinks Seren’s First Thursdays, or one of the government and media types, while Welsh language writers in Cardiff have many readings in the city’s clubs, the monoglot speakers of Kairdiff yet to develop what he calls “a cafes and bars poets have always English start to feel like second-class comfortable urban discourse”. The ensured that their voices can be citizens in their own city.” Despite this responses are disparate, there’s no heard. But are these genuine Cardiff we have still managed a fiction boom, consensus yet. City life is still new. Walk voices? Not really. The poetry could and that’s new. Des Barry, Sean Burke, down the street and hardly anyone be from anywhere. Lloyd Robson, John Harrison, James recognises you. The rain here is so Hawes, Anna Davis, and John Williams 53 different from the rain in Flintshire. This I talk to John Williams about this in the himself have all written about the city is another world. Grahame should Cottage, an old-style Brains pub on and have done so, often, in each know. He’s from Coedpoeth near High Street. This is barely a stone’s other’s company. Cardiff rather

winter 2003/04 Composed by the Cardiff-based poet Gwyneth Lewis, the giant two language inscription at the front of the Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay reads Creu Gwir Fel Gwydr o Ffwrnais Awen (translated as, Creating Truth Like Glass from the Furness of Inspiration) with the English, In These Stones Horizons Sing.

than Kairdiff or Caerdydd pulls this of the committees and the Whether this means that Cardiff is now group together. communities, has yet to be decently a city state trying to rule the rest of explored. Wales or a cultural epicentre with Grahame, as one might expect, sees spokes that run to our far regional things differently. Between spoons of In terms of critical mass – that hard to reaches is a matter for debate. The broccoli and stilton soup he explains pin down meeting of population density, Wales Millennium Centre, with it’s six- that in many ways Cymry Caerdydd cultural institution and contemporary foot high windows across it’s share the experience of some Jewish acclaim – Cardiff has arrived. Much of enormous front forming a bi-lingual communities, whose members are its new fiction – Cardiff Dead, Five Pubs, line from the poet Gwyneth Lewis, and seen as being more prosperous than Two Bars and a Night Club and The Prince the Academi, with its structure of their gentile neighbours – literate, of Wales (John Williams), Deadwater devolved literary provision, both articulate and with ready access to the (Sean Burke), Melting (Anna Davis), exemplify the latter. Our publishers are media. Or to vary the comparison, if Middleman (Bill James) – appears from not here – they are in Bridgend and blacks are a "visible minority" then London publishers. Cult works – Lloyd Cardigan and Llandysul. Our leading Welsh speakers could be termed an Robson’s Cardiff Cut and Leonora Brito’s literary magazines are in Porthcawl and "audible minority." Every time they Dat’s Love have been published by local Aberystwyth. All is well and fair right speak Welsh to one another in public houses. Herbert Williams’ Punters has across the literary world. But try saying their difference is manifested. In such a been a success for west Wales-based that in the villages on Llyn, or in position, any incongruous or Gwasg Gomer. Trezza Azzopardi’s Pwllheli, or in Bethesda where unacceptable behaviour by a member retread of Bute Street through Maltese everyone knows each other, or in of that community runs the risk of eyes, The Hiding Place, was a Booker Llanystumdwy where they all drink in being used as a means of criticising shortlist in 2000. The arrival of the the same pub. Cardiff? It’s in another that community as a whole. "You see National Assembly, even for its country. one West Indian taking drugs and detractors, has given Wales as a nation decide that they all take drugs. See one the credibility it formerly lacked. Shirley Welsh speaker with shades and a fast Bassey, the one famous Cardiffian who car and assume everyone else is the loved us and left as fast as the money same. They are not. Most Welsh- could take her, has even been seen • Peter Finch is a poet and Director of Yr 54 speaking communities are poor.” Is this wearing a dress made from the flag’s Academi, the Welsh writers in the literature yet? James Hawes red dragon. It’s cool to be Cardiffian association. He is working on a follow- touches on it in White Powder, Green (even if the word cool itself is now up volume to his acclaimed Real Cardiff Light but the issue, a real one for Wales suspect). (Seren, 2002).

winter 2003/04 culture and communications language special i turning the tide?

riting in the late 1980s, and at the end of the nineteenth century, john aitchison and basing our conclusions on both the number and percentage of the evidence of the Welsh speakers at national level harold carter unravel censusesw from 1961 to 1981, we show an inter-decennial increase. suggested that “numbers of Welsh- Indeed, the advance in absolute linguistic messages speakers will continue to decline until numbers of Welsh speakers is such the year 2001, but thereafter there will that the total now exceeds that from the 2001 census be a notable reversal of the trend, with recorded for the census of 1971 numbers increasing sharply.” (542,425). The 20.5 percentage figure may be lower than that applying in This advance, we argued, would be 1971 (20.8 per cent), but not greatly based on a “major reshaping of the so. Between 1991 and 2001 the geography of the language.” While numbers of Welsh speakers increased decline might well continue to apply by a momentous 13.3 per cent. (albeit at a reduced rate) within the traditional heartlands of the north and In terms of the proportionate west (Welsh-Wales), this would be dominance of Welsh speakers, figures more than compensated for by a surge for local authorities affirm the in numbers of speakers in Anglo- continuing strength of the traditional Wales. As a result, and for the first time heartlands in the north and west. in over a century, it would be possible However, Table 1 shows that only in to look forward to a veritable one area does the percentage of renaissance of the language – at least Welsh speakers actually exceed 65 as portrayed in census enumerations. per cent – Gwynedd’s 68.7 per cent. For the other main core regions – As has been widely reported, this Ynys Môn, Ceredigion and predicted overall increase in numbers Carmarthenshire the figures are 62.0 of Welsh speakers has been confirmed per cent, 59.1 per cent, and 50.1 per with the publication of the first results cent respectively. Significantly, in of the 2001 census. Our objective here each of these local authorities the is to consider some of the main trends percentage of Welsh speakers fell and patterns that have emerged from between 1991 and 2001. In the case the census enumeration, focussing in of Ceredigion the 7.3 per cent fall was particular on the numbers of Welsh especially marked. speakers at the ward level. A negative, but more marginal, change At the 2001 census 575,640 claimed an applied in only three other areas – ability to speak Welsh. This represents Conwy, Denbighshire and Swansea. As 20.5 per cent of the population aged far as increases in percentage values three and over. These simple figures are concerned, these are widely are of major symbolic significance for recorded, with strong advances being they confirm the predicted turning of returned for Torfaen (8.2%), Newport 55 the tide – at least in terms of crude (7.3%), Blaenau Gwent (6.9%), numbers. For the first time, since Monmouthshire (6.9%), Caerphilly census enumerations were undertaken (4.9%) and Cardiff (4.3%).

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table 1: population able to speak welsh: percentage differences and change, 1991 –2001* Local Authority Area Number Number % % Difference % Able to Speak Able to Speak Able to Speak Able to Speak in Change Welsh Welsh Welsh Welsh percentage points 1991 2001 1991 2001 1991 – 2001 1991 – 2001 Blaenau Gwent 1,523 6,141 2.2 9.1 6.9 303.2 Bridgend 10,159 13,155 8.2 10.6 2.4 29.5 Caerphilly 9,714 17,825 6.0 10.9 4.9 83.5 Cardiff 18,080 31,944 6.6 10.9 4.3 76.7 Carmarthenshire 89,213 83,802 54.8 50.1 -4.7 -6.1 Ceredigion 36,026 37,772 59.1 51.8 -7.3 4.8 Conwy 31,443 31,042 30.6 29.2 -1.4 -1.3 Denbighshire 23,294 23,540 26.7 26.1 -0.6 1.1 Flintshire 18,399 20,227 13.5 14.1 0.6 9.9 Gwynedd 78,733 77,495 72.1 68.7 -3.4 -1.6 Merthyr Tydfil 4,237 5,428 7.5 10.0 2.5 28.1 Monmouthshire 1,631 7,428 2.1 9.0 6.9 355.4 Neath/Port Talbot 23,711 23,182 17.8 17.8 0.0 2.2 Newport 2,874 12,608 2.3 9.6 7.3 338.7 Pembrokeshire 19,759 23,686 18.3 21.5 3.2 19.9 Powys 23,590 25,516 20.5 20.8 0.3 8.2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 20,042 27,505 9.0 12.3 3.3 37.2 Swansea 28,557 28,581 13.3 13.2 -0.1 0.1 Vale of Glamorgan 7,755 12,734 6.9 11.1 4.2 64.2 Torfaen 2,128 9,425 2.5 10.7 8.2 342.9 Wrexham 15,990 17,895 13.7 14.4 0.7 11.9 Ynys Mon 41,240 38,709 62.0 59.9 -2.2 -6.1 Wales 508,098 575,640 18.7 20.5 1.8 13.3 * Not adjusted for changes in boundaries and census base populations.

Table 1 also records percentage rates Overall, within the heartland the amounting to nearly 22 per cent of the of change in absolute numbers of situation is as predicted – a decline in total for the whole of Wales. While the Welsh speakers for the period 1991 and both the absolute and relative strength proportion of the population speaking 2001. Although based on the of the language. Welsh in these areas is admittedly still assumption that the two census relatively low, it is evident that the enumerations are directly comparable, Elsewhere in Wales, and again as actual numbers involved are which very strictly speaking they are predicted, the picture is one of a considerable. They contribute not, the resultant statistics can be general increase in numbers of significantly to the pool of speakers in viewed as broadly indicative of speakers. Although admittedly starting Wales; indeed they underpin the very prevailing trends. They indicate that in from low bases, the advances revival in the fortunes of the language three of the four traditional Welsh- highlighted in Monmouthshire (355 at national level (at least in crude speaking areas – Carmarthenshire (-6.1 percent), Torfaen (342 per cent), quantitative terms). As expected, the per cent), Anglesey (-6.1 per cent) and Newport (334 per cent) and Blaenau growth in these areas has been Gwynedd (-1.6 per cent) – numbers of Gwent (303 per cent) serve to under- sufficient to outweigh the decline in Welsh speakers actually declined. score the emergence of south-east numbers of speakers elsewhere, and Ceredigion is anomalous, however, in Wales as a major growth area for the their contribution is likely to be even that an increase of 4.8 per cent in language. Other local authority areas greater in the years to come. absolute numbers was recorded (even returning strong increases are though the proportion of speakers Caerphilly (83 per cent), Cardiff (77 per The linguistic centre of gravity in Wales declined – see above). Without more cent), Vale of Glamorgan (64 per cent) is slowly shifting, and much has 56 detailed data on the possible impact of and Rhondda Cynon Taf (37 per cent). already been said as to the factors that the student population and general underpin these trends. In particular it migration trends it difficult to account Together, these eight regions recorded will be of interest, when the data are for this particular regional difference. just over 125,000 Welsh speakers, published, to examine the age profiles

winter 2003/04 culture and communications of speakers in these growth areas, for the promotion of Welsh-language figure 1: % population able to speak welsh at 2001 census provision in schools and centres of higher education is certainly a key driving force behind the expansion in numbers.

At the ward level the proportion of the population able to speak Welsh varies greatly. They range from a minimum of 6.3 per cent for St Mary’s (Monmouthshire) and St Thomas (Swansea) to a maximum of 88 per cent for Peblig (Gwynedd) and Penygroes (Gwynedd). For nearly two- thirds of the wards proportions are less than 20 per cent. Together they account for nearly 42 per cent (239,814) of all Welsh speakers. Less than 10 per cent of wards (85) have Welsh-speaking populations of 65 per cent or more. They have nearly 19 per cent of all Welsh speakers.

It is evident that whilst there are some very strong clusters where Welsh speakers are locally very dominant, these are relatively small in number. The great majority of Welsh-speakers are widely scattered and live in wards where the proportion of Welsh speakers is still relatively low. A further observation is that the number of wards defining the strong clusters has fallen since the 1991 census, pointing to a continuing dilution and and a number of issues warrant The decline within the Llyn peninsula is fragmentation of the heartland. Whilst discussion. Due to changes in census even more marked. Here, the only ward this is the case, the increase in definitions of the base population and with a percentage of Welsh speakers numbers of Welsh speakers nationwide shifts in ward boundaries, it is not above 80 is Pwllheli North – previously over the decade has meant that more possible here to record percentage the wards of Tudweiliog (74 per cent), and more wards have returned higher rates of change or differences in Botwnnog (77 per cent) and Abererch (76 proportions of Welsh speakers. percentages. Nonetheless, it is clear per cent) had also recorded percentages Although for many they remain quite that the linguistic map of Wales has in excess of 80. These areas have since low, they are clearly rising. The altered between 1991 and 2001. seen the percentages of Welsh speakers situation depicted is one in which the fall quite markedly. The situation in Welsh language core is seen to be As indicated above, the number of Tudweiliog, which stood at 84.5 per cent subject to a differential softening, while areas recording high percentages as in 1991, is especially dramatic. within the periphery there are clear fallen – the hard cores have both signs of a widespread consolidation. contracted and been diluted. This is the Interestingly, however, the strong core case in Anglesey where just three area that is mainly centred around the Figure 1 charts the proportion of Welsh wards around Llangefni now have axis extending south from Caernarfon speakers at ward level in 2001. At first more than 80 per cent of the to Penygroes has maintained itself. In 57 glance the distribution broadly repeats population with an ability to speak the the ten wards that make up this the patterns described for the 1991 language (Cyngar 84 per cent), Tudur prominent Welsh-speaking nucleus, census. However, there are differences, (83 per cent) and Cefni (83 per cent). percentages have fallen a little, but are

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still over 80. The wards concerned are – these figures – Tregaron (77 per cent), that might be said in conclusion is that Peblig/Caernarfon (88 per cent), Llandysul (70 per cent) and Llanfihangel- while considerable progress has Penygroes (88 per cent), Llanrug (87 per ar-Arth (66 per cent). The majority of certainly been made over the past cent), Seiont (87 per cent), Groeslon (86 wards in this extensive section of the decade, the 2001 census does highlight per cent), Cadnant (86 per cent), Bethel traditional heartland could only muster some serious concerns. (86 per cent) Menai/Caernarfon (84 per figures of between 50 and 65 for the cent), Bontnewydd (84 per cent) and percentage of Welsh speakers. A similar For instance, the simple summary Llanwnda (82 per cent). dilution and fragmentation characterizes description offered here raises the the old industrial region of south-east question as to where the emphasis for Within the rest of Gwynedd only three Carmarthenshire, particularly in the future development should be placed. isolated wards returned percentages areas within the Amman valley. Once a Manifestly, the communities of the ‘Y Fro over 80 – Porthmadog East (84 per cent), stronghold of the language, in both Gymraeg’ need support and measures via Diffwys and Maenofferen (84 per cent), relative and absolute terms, this region planning legislation and housing policies and Llanuwchllyn (81 per cent). The latter has suffered a worrying decline. Now, have been extensively discussed. But if two represent two former language just two small separate clusters of wards the future rests on a wider spread of redoubts, the one about Blaenau have Welsh-speaking percentages in bilingualism then it is clear that policies of Ffestiniog, the other about Bala. Both excess of 65 per cent. a different and perhaps of an even more have suffered losses, even if they are controversial nature will be essential. marginal. But significantly Bala itself has As in 1991, a sharp discontinuity defines for the first time fallen below 80 percent the divide between a predominantly Language survival is closely associated and now just the one ward in Penllyn Welsh-speaking region and an with its social status, its economic value returns over 80 per cent. In 1991 there overwhelmingly Anglicised periphery. and its link to ethnic identity. As far as were a number of wards in south Wales Wards with percentages of Welsh Welsh is concerned the old stigma of where the percentage of Welsh speakers speakers ranging between 20 and 50 are low social status has long gone and were more than 80; now there is none. limited in number and form a rather language facility can now even be narrow band fringing the main core, regarded as an economic advantage in Surrounding the main core areas in mainly on the east but also including a greatly changed jobs market. north Wales, an extensive region certain coastal tracts in the west (for embracing wards with Welsh-speaking example, from Aberystywth to Dyffryn Yet as it broadens its geographical populations of between 65 per cent and Ardudwy). Throughout much of the distribution, the third aspect of the link 80 per cent still prevails. However, it is borderland, percentages of Welsh to ethnic identity presents a clear noticeable that the area concerned is speakers are less than 20. However, challenge. The association of being more limited than it was in 1991. whereas in mapping percentages for the Welsh with speaking Welsh, and Inroads have been made on the eastern 1991 census it was deemed appropriate thereby to experience an immersion in flank around Llanderfl, and in the south to recognize areas where values fell the whole range of Welsh culture, around Corris, Glantwymyn, below 5 per cent, for the 2001 census the arouses hostile, even violent, reactions; Llanbrynmair and Banwy. Here, the lowest threshold needed to be raised to and understandably so. But if a wholly percentage of Welsh speakers is now 10 per cent. This was because by this bilingual Wales is to emerge that less than 65 per cent. The incursion into time no wards actually recorded values of association will become crucial for the heartland along the Conwy valley less than 5 per cent. As has been noted, without it an essential dynamic in has long been recognized, but it is the minimum value for all wards was 6.3 language maintenance will be lacking. evident that the process of Anglicisation per cent, for St Mary’s in Monmouthshire. that has typified the area has continued. Faced with this issue most policy Critically, values of less than 60 per cent The results of the 2001 census have makers retreat, concerned with the now apply in the wards such as prompted considerable debate among passion it generates and alarmed at the Caerhun (44 per cent), Trefriw (50 per those concerned with the future well- possible destruction of the good will cent), Eglwysbach (54 per cent), and being of the language. Some have towards the language carefully built up Betws-y-Coed (56 per cent). used the data to paint an optimistic over the last quarter of the last century. picture. Others have looked with In the end, however, the imperative of In 1991 across the central regions of foreboding at the trends unfolding and language survival will demand that the Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire large have questioned the sufficiency and dilemma be faced. 58 areas could be identified where the efficacy of prevailing language policies. proportion of Welsh speakers was These matters have not been broached • John Aitchison and Harold Carter are between 65 and 80 per cent. By the 2001 here, for they would require more Emeritus Professors of Geography at census just three wards could match lengthy and careful deliberation. All the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

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cross the centuries the words An integral part of the mechanism of ‘Welsh’, ‘language’ and ‘crisis’ sustainability is the cultural activist. have formed a natural Each and every Welsh-speaking aassociation. Counter-balancing the community has its current and resurrection myths of Arthur and historical pantheon of activists – those Glyndwr are reference upon reference to who ensure that the creative drive of ‘threat’ and ‘loss’ in terms of people and the individual is harnessed to the power community. But the crisis now being station of the cultural co-operative, the faced by Welsh-speaking communities is energy produced being pumped back different from the historical crisis which into the community (and beyond). Until generation upon generation of Welsh- the arrival of the New Crisis this model speakers faced up to across the was remarkably resilient. However, centuries. The historical crisis was one coping with a fragmenting base as well that they perceived from the comparative as trying to sustain the historic levels of safety of their own communities. Welsh cultural regeneration means that the speakers may have been looking task of the (pre-dominantly voluntary) apprehensively at an approaching threat, community activist is becoming very but that ‘threat’ was ‘out there’ difficult indeed. In a nutshell: more and somewhere. And the watchtower they more effort is demanded of a shrinking were using was well within their own base of activists. territory, built on the secure base of their euros lewis reflects on own, separate, culture. It is against this background that Y Ffwrwm was formed. Its 15 members the heartland’s The current crisis – which we might well may be eclectic as regards ethnicity, age call the New Millennium Crisis (the roots and profession. But they are all ‘invisible’ identity go back much further, though its full effect community activists. They all have first- has only become evident during the last hand experience of playing a pivotal role crisis few years) – has shattered the mould. No within the powerhouse mechanism that longer is the crisis ‘out there’ or sustains Welsh-speaking communities. ‘encroaching’. Now it is now within, eating With the stated aim of standing back its frighteningly subliminal way through from the crisis – of securing precious time the cultural security zones of old. And as for honest discussion and developing the cultural base fractures the complex rigorous research – the formation of the infrastructure of community fragments. group was in itself a radical act.

That is the context in which we must The aim was to break the catch-22 of see this crisis. Losing the heartlands of crisis-response-crisis. Being a language means losing meaningful community activist in a 21st. century communities of people. Over the Welsh-speaking community seems akin centuries these communities have – to to working on an emergency ward, varying degrees – developed providing superficial medication in the mechanisms of sustainability based on face of a baffling array of symptoms; 59 the principal products of a dynamic of but never having the time nor the evolution: knowledge, creativity and opportunity to operate on the root trust (or belonging). causes; or even to discuss them.

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cultural activists

Y Ffwrwm was formed in 1999 under the auspices of Theatr Felin-fach in rural Ceredigion. The original group included the artist and Brith Gof director Cliff McLucas, who died in 2002. His influence was central to the determination of the group. In the words of the late Edward Said, they became determined to: “... introduce a longer sequence of thought and analysis to replace the short bursts of polemical, thought-stopping fury that so imprison us.” Y Ffwrwm has 15 members:

• Dilwyn Jones Development Officer with Cered, the Ceredigion Language • Gareth Ioan Executive Director of Cwmni Iaith Cyf., the NewCastle Emlyn Initiative. A former Primary School Head and trainer of several youth soccer and Colwyn Bay based Language consultancy. Has written numerous plays teams in rural Ceredigion. and community theatre scripts. Author of the Ffwrwm’s manifesto.

• Cen Llwyd Housing Officer with the Cantref Housing Association. • Margaret Ames Born in Southampton. One of the founders of Dawns Ceredigion County Councillor and an ordained Minister with the Unitarians. Dyfed, the community dance company that has animateurs in One of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s most prominent members. Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. Presently its Artistic Director. Contributed extensively, as performer and movement director, to • Huw Emlyn Architect, stage and television actor and stage and radio the work of Brith Gof. director. He lives in Aberaeron, Ceredigion. • Dylan Iorwerth Journalist and Managing Editor of Golwg. One of the • Menna Elfyn Author of eight volumes of verse. Her most recent work was founders of the first Welsh language Sunday paper, Sulyn. Former BBC Wales co-editing (with John Rowlands) the Bloodaxe Book of Modern Welsh Poetry lobby correspondent. Has a regular column in the Western Mail. (Bloodaxe Books). • Gudrun Jones A registered Art Therapist. Has worked in psychiatry, • Robyn Tomos National Eisteddfod’s Art and Crafts Officer. Regular oncology and palliative care. For the last 11 years has worked as an Arts contributor to the Western Mail and Golwg. Well known as a ballad singer. Therapist in these contexts for the Pembrokeshire and Derwen Health Trusts. Originally from the Neath valley now lives in Talgarreg, Ceredigion. Has a special interest in language choice for patients. Organized a water- shed conference at Felin-fach on 'Language Culture and Psychiatry' in 2000. • Llinos Dafis A former Welsh for Adults tutor-organizer (the first to be appointed). A founders of Cwmni Cyfieithu Trosol (a translation company). • Emyr Hywel Former Primary School Head. One of the founders of the Co-ordinator of the Bilingual Joint Working Committee in Dyfed. Founder Cnapan Folk Festival. A prominent member of the pressure group Cymuned. and first Managing Director of Cwmni Iaith Cyf. Now a freelance translator. One of Wales’ most experienced second language tutors, both for children and adults. • Marian Delyth Graphic designer and well-published photographer. One of the founders of Gweled and of the Ffotogallery in Cardiff. Winner of the Tir • Dwynwen Lloyd Raggett Head of Theatr Felin-fach. Born in Tregaron, na n-Og prize. Ceredigion, she has worked as a drama teacher in Gwent as well as a special needs teacher in New Zealand. As part of her work she writes and directs for • Dr. Roger Owen Lecturer in Drama at University of Wales Aberystwyth. theatre, radio and film, all in a community context. His work can be read in State of Play (Gomer, 1998) and Llwyfannau Lleol (Local Stages) (Gomer 2000). Has numerous papers and articles in the • David Hedley Williams Born in Dorset and educated at Auckland process of publication at the moment including: ‘A Powerful Simplification: University, New Zealand and Central School of Speech and Drama, London. Theatre in Wales in the 1990s and beyond’ in the Cambridge History of Has been an actor, writer and teacher. Director and Project Leader at the British Theatre Vol. IV, Cambridge University Press, 2004. Community Education run Theatr y Gromlech, Crymych, Pembrokeshire.

• Euros Lewis Former Lecturer in Charge at Theatr Felin-fach. Now works as • Daniel Nettle received his PhD in Anthropology from University College a producer-director for Wes Glei cyf. (a community based production London. His work has been concerned with linguistic, cultural and biological company), and as a freelance writer and director in the context of youth and diversity in the human population. Pursuing these themes, he published community education. Born in Treherbert, Rhondda. 'Linguistic Diversity' (Oxford University Press, 1999), and, with Suzanne Romaine, 'Vanishing Voices: The Extinction of the World’s Languages’ (Oxford • Dr. Lisa Lewis Senior Lecturer at the University of Glamorgan. Previously University Press, 2000). He conducted fieldwork on an endangered minority Lecturer in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Wales, language of Northern Nigeria. He currently reaches at the Open University. 60 Aberystwyth, 1991-2002. Has worked extensively as director of mostly site- He is a fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute and is on the editorial specific theatre projects. Has presented papers on Welsh Performance and board of the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. Culture in Wales, England, Europe, and the USA.

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Proof of the seriousness of the internal mountain of community infrastructure, releasing energy; and promoting a discourse developed by the group is based on a common culture. To the meaningful inclusiveness. At root it the fact that it took three years to bring insider it is self-evident. To the outsider means working with the enduring the discussion to a public platform. The it is invisible. It does not exist. And feature of Welsh-speaking time was spent questioning what does not exist – so the outsider communities, that is their propensity assumptions regarding strengths and stipulates – needs to be created. towards ‘cyd-weithio’ (working weaknesses, threats and opportunities. together); ‘cyd-lawenhau’ (enjoying The debate brought us to an together); ‘cyd-ymdeimlo’ understanding that one of the main root (sympathising together); and ‘cyd- problems facing these communities is ddathlu’ (celebrating together). their invisibility. One has only to look at the paucity of Community First areas in The frequency of the prefix ‘cyd’ in our Welsh-speaking Wales to realise that vocabulary is symptomatic of the ability there is no true recognition of the of the culture to create and sustain an socio-economic crisis which most of environment of belonging. And the these areas are facing. A quick look at history of our dynamic, ever evolving, the indices of need used in designating never static communities shows us that these areas confirms the view that the that belonging is inclusive, rather than outsider looking in (in this case, the exclusive. The mechanisms are there. Assembly Government) is using the So is the challenge. wrong pair of spectacles. The Arian Byw / Live Culture Indeed, even when need is recognised conference held recently at Theatr the help offered (or parachuted upon Felin-fach, Ceredigion, effected the them) is almost always the wrong type beginning of this process of change. of aid, spoken of in the wrong type of The aim was twofold. First, to develop language (both literal and the self-awareness of Welsh speaking- metaphorical). One often hears officials communities regarding their strengths of ‘outside’ agencies venting their and positive attributes. And, second, to bafflement in the face of the apparent support a new approach on behalf of apathy of the Welsh-speaker. On the those agencies whose work impacts part of the Welsh-speaker the upon Welsh-speaking communities, bafflement is with officials who talk of wherever they may be based. ‘regeneration’ (which, in Welsh Taking the view that translates as ‘adfywio’ – ‘bringing back such wholesale assumptions on the The very weight of the crisis, and the to life’). The use of such language part of people outside the experience of inability of the ‘outside’ world to see reveals that the outsider has no belonging to these communities is the urgency of the situation, will ensure understanding of the vibrancy of these misguided rather than predatory, the that the politics of protest and pressure communities. At the same time it Ffwrwm sees the need for a sustained will have to continue. That scenario of confirms the negative attitude of the programme of education through crisis management only gives added common perception – that is to say, that discussion; so as the otherness of these impetus to the need to focus on these living communities are dying, if fringe communities is openly positive responses, based on thorough not, in fact, already dead. Any hope of recognised rather than air-brushed from research, rigorous and academic developing self-confidence within that the picture, and the potential which discourse and a determination to community has been lost at the outset. they harbour can be released, rather engage in an inclusive and an than repressed. informative dialogue at local, national It is no surprise – in such and international levels. The challenges circumstances – that the majority of Working towards such a radical shift facing the Welsh-speaking communities active respondents in any public has no relationship whatsoever to of the west and north of Wales are the meeting to discuss ‘the regeneration of measures of conservation or challenges facing fringe, or deviant, your area’ will be incomers. They may protection. It is all to do with communities throughout the world. well have come to some sort of terms developing models that are 61 with the language. But only a small appropriate; that invest in the treasure- minority will have realised that that trove that is local knowledge and language is only the visible tip of a creativity; boosting confidence; • Euros Lewis is Chair of Y Ffwrwm.

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language special iii

Welsh had the advantage over many Together with the daily newspaper of other minority languages of relatively the Slovenian minority in Italy we co- high levels of literacy at an early date, organized the first conference of daily and the late nineteenth century saw a newspapers in minority languages, thriving publishing scene, including the which led over a number of years to publishing of newspapers in Welsh. But the formation of an association. This they were weeklies, often confined to now plans collaborative projects in ned thomas argues particular parts of the country, or had a which Wales can play no part unless religious affiliation. This reflected on and until we too have a daily paper in that the time is ripe the one hand the geography of the national language. communications (which also ensured for a Welsh-language that London dailies were more easily As a former journalist I enjoyed visiting distributed throughout Wales than the newspaper offices, reading those daily newspaper Wales-based English-language papers), papers which were within my capacity and on the other the confinement of to read, and talking with editors and Welsh to a cultural and religious journalists. Standards vary, but some “The commerce of the country is ghetto. Welsh periodicals are still excellent papers are produced on not done in the language, no heavily skewed towards the cultural relatively small budgets. The world is business house uses it, there is no sector but a daily newspaper has to awash with raw information today, and system of shorthand adapted to the cover all areas of a community's life the quality of selection and language. The language does not and of course requires more resources. interpretation is all-important, finding possess words and terms for the It is an industrial product, closely what is relevant to your audience. But Arts and Medicine, etc, it has never related to the economy as well as to increasingly I found myself asking possessed either literature or author culture. As speakers of Welsh became questions of the management: about of international fame, neither does it increasingly bilingual, the commercial costs, staffing, how subscriptions were possess a daily newspaper...”. press and advertisers found they could collected, how distribution was reach them without the additional organized, what grants (if any) were he language referred to is Welsh expense of publishing in Welsh. Like obtained and from whom. The point and the words appeared in a many others I had come to think that in came at which I thought we should do letter to the press from a certain the absence of a philanthropic systematic research on the possibility tS. Barnes at the time of the proposal to millionaire, a Welsh-language daily of establishing a Welsh-language daily. drown Tryweryn in 1957. We have come was not a starter. Broadcasting was We were fortunate to obtain funding some way since then. There is less another matter. It had grown up in the for the research, mainly from the ignorant prejudice, there is more use of public sector and broadcasting policy European Union and the WDA. Welsh in business, writers in Welsh tour was open to political pressure. the world and are translated into many In our research, which there is no languages. I seem to remember seeing What made me rethink the possibilities space here to cover in detail, we had a Welsh shorthand primer. But a Welsh was getting to know over twenty access to the accounts, structures and daily newspaper? Barnes had a point. A editors and publishers of European strategies of European models ranging daily newspaper is a fairly central minority-language dailies (see panel on from small to very small in their institution in any self-respecting culture. opposite page ). Our Mercator Centre circulation. None of these, of course, is 62 In Jan Morris's words “A daily at Aberystwyth runs a number of transportable in its entirety, but we newspaper to my mind is critical to the European projects, all connected with learnt some very fundamental things well-being of a language and the smaller languages in the field of press, about operating in a minority language confidence of a culture.” media, publishing, and the Internet. context as well as gathering a great

winter 2003/04 culture and communications many practical tips. The scale of the operations made things much more minority language daily newspapers in europe 2002* transparent than is the case where Minority Group Number of speakers Daily Newspapers Circulation daily papers are subsumed in large Swedish in Finland 300,000 10 5,000 – 60,000 groups. But most of our work took Catalan 7,500,000 5 4,000 – 90,000 place within Wales: researching the Italian in Slovenia and Croatia 13,500 1 5,000 market, the likely number of readers German in the Südtirol, Italy 290,000 2 10,000 and 56,000. and their categorization by age, social German in Denmark 20,000 1 3,000 group and so on; also the advertising German in Belgium 100,00 1 13,000 potential, distribution questions, and Romansh in Switzerland 60,000 1 5,000 technology of various kinds. The work Sorbian in Germany 45,000 1 2,500 was divided between outside Slovene in Italy 100,000 1 11,000 consultants/market research companies Galician in Spain 2,400,000 1 5,600 (particularly the quantitative work) and Danish in Germany 50,000 1 7,500 ourselves, who concentrated more on Basque in Spain 560,000 1 17,000 the qualitative kind – what did our Breton 300,000-600,000 0 0 target group want and expect in a Frisian in the Netherlands 350,000 0 0 newspaper? Welsh 575,000 0 0 * An Irish-language daily was launched in April 2003 but is not included since we do not yet have The research was carried out over established circulation figures. There are also one or two papers that are not members of the eighteen months up to Christmas 2002 Association and a few that appear only three or four times a week. These are not included. at which point we felt sufficiently confident of our findings to convert the provision of other services. We expect to We see this as a national undertaking for project into a limited company and our employ as many as 40 people, of whom which we are the facilitators. M.Wynn research into a business plan. Though not more than 16 will be journalists. We Thomas, Jane Aaron and others have there is a great deal still to do we are shall need small offices in north, south and demonstrated in the field of literature now saying that publication before the the centre of Wales as well as a network of interesting patterns of interaction end of 2004 has moved from the realm free-lance local correspondents. between the two cultures of Wales. of possibility into that of probability. In Distribution will be through the usual Planet's initial backers were very largely the near future we shall begin looking newsagent channels, with subscribers Welsh-speakers, I remember, and the for pre-publication subscribers and receiving a voucher redeemable against a Arts Council supported the magazine by enough private investment by regular supply over a given period. We analogy with what was already being individuals to keep control in Wales. found that about five per cent of our likely done in Welsh. Who knows what audience lives out of daily reach of a shop interesting developments may not follow We have a title – Y Byd – and the aim is that sells newspapers of any kind.This is the creation of a Welsh daily? This is not to publish Monday to Friday inclusive, the result of the closure of village shops, simply a matter for speakers of Welsh. leaving room for other Welsh weekly and in those areas we may need to resort publications. We do not intend to be to direct distribution. The research exercise brought to light printers .The format will be tabloid but many things that are perhaps of wider mid to upmarket tabloid more like some People often ask us which daily in English interest. Several people told us that they continental papers and without the our project most resembles. The answer is would like to see a very popular kind of connotation of tabloid in Britain. We none. Where there is only one daily Welsh daily paper, but all our objective cannot rely simply on casual sales. Like newspaper in a language, it has to be seen findings suggest that at the most every minority language newspaper we as belonging to all, a meeting place, not popular levels – though more in some shall need a core of subscribers – people aligned with any one political party or regions than others – there are problems who will take the paper every day – and movement – which need not, of course, of literacy in Welsh. While the paper will are confident of achieving 5,000 in the prevent campaigns on particular issues. still need to bridge a fairly wide first year with a further 2,000 casual sales, Early on we secured support from spectrum of readers, its appeal will have and a total of 10,000 in year two. A ceiling members of all parties in the Assembly to be across the mid-market and up- will probably be reached at 15,000 or and, more recently, endorsements from a market sectors. The actual language possibly 17,000. However, our model is wide range of public figures in most areas used will also need close attention. based on heavy use of information of Welsh life, several of whom do not Despite the education system, standard 63 technology which will allow output from themselves speak Welsh. We are also in written Welsh is not so well established a content management system into the process of establishing support groups as we would like to think, or as it different media, making possible the outside Wales and indeed outside the UK. perhaps once was. One of the long-term

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turn needs as much coverage as it can get. Newsgathering within Wales and worldwide has become simpler and cheaper with the Internet, and while newspapers are no longer the main source of hot news, they are important as investigative setters of the agenda, and as providing immediate steer and discussion of the fast moving news.

Institutional bilingual policies ensure that large sums are spent on advertising in Welsh but at present this goes mainly to English language publications – which has a symbolic value but does little for Welsh in economic terms. Attitudes to Welsh have much improved among people who do not themselves speak Welsh but whose children perhaps go to Welsh schools. We shall count on their support too, since Welsh culture is not a static package which you opt for but The first generation to have a daily newspaper in Welsh. Photo: Arvid Parry Jones something made and remade and hopefully expanded in each generation. functions of a daily paper in Welsh will people complaining that their locality We expect some element of public be to reinforce that standard through the was ignored in the press or media – it grant-aid, though channelled in ways daily creation of original material in a did not translate into a majority view in that safeguard editorial independence. flexible, accessible, yet standard idiom. favour of having different editions. This After all, the UK government undertook was just as well since the cost-benefit to support a newspaper in Welsh when Just as there are Welsh-speakers who analysis of editions made them a non- it ratified the European Charter of are less than confident about reading starter. We had the impression that our Regional and Minority Languages and Welsh, so there are learners of the target audience was more mobile and cannot be content to be at the bottom of language who are happier reading more various in employment patterns the European league in this respect. Welsh than holding more complicated than we had perhaps assumed. They conversations in the language. Good wanted news from different areas – A further consideration which has learners have stressed to us that while a where they had grown up, where they driven us to act now is that if a Welsh daily paper would strengthen their worked, and where they had previously daily cannot be established when there knowledge of Welsh on a daily basis, worked and had friends. More than once is substantial support for business start- they want to read for content and not be the point was made to us that as Welsh- ups and job creation in Objective One patronized by ‘easy Welsh’ sections or speakers became more dispersed and areas, it will probably never be done at vocabularies, though something of this found themselves more often in minority all. Which does not mean that we shall kind could be done outside the paper situations, a daily newspaper could help not also have a substantial presence in itself, say on the Internet. In other words give them a sense of keeping in touch or near Cardiff. Welsh-speakers in the we are in a time when it is too simple to and belonging. But the corollary of that capital and its surrounding areas in fact speak of people as either ‘speaking is that the paper will need to reflect the show the highest proportional level of Welsh’ or ‘not speaking Welsh’. There is many different communities and interest interest in the paper. a spectrum of language skills, and groups in which Welsh-speakers today increasing bilingualism from the find themselves. English-speaking end can work in favour • Ned Thomas is Academic Director of of a Welsh paper just as increasing Ideas become facts when their time has the Mercator Centre at University of bilingualism from the Welsh end come. Many factors are now Wales Aberystwyth. He is a former 64 worked against a press in Welsh. favourable to the establishment of a journalist with Times Newspapers and daily paper in Welsh. The Assembly was founder-editor of Planet Although we encountered strong local provides a focus – though still a weak magazine.He can be contacted at feeling – this most often took the form of one – for political discussion, and in [email protected]

winter 2003/04 culture and communications culture versus commerce

shape of the Office of legislation was the relationship alun davies reports on Communications (Ofcom) is between Ofcom and the nations of the slowly emerging from the United Kingdom. A sustained argument the establishment of tcommunications legislation, which was made for national representation became law in July 2003. It has been on the main Ofcom board. This was Ofcom created by merging the five existing opposed by the Government which broadcasting regulators: the preferred a ‘lean’ board. It sought a Independent Television Commission, functionally based organisation that the Radio Authority, the Office of could take decisions quickly. It certainly Telecommunications, the Broadcasting did not want it to become a forum for Standards Commission, and the debates between competing interests. Radiocommunications Agency. Against this the National Assembly not only argued for national representation Ofcom has a distinctive and radical on the board but also additional philosophy and approach which will be structures that would give voice to challenging for many in Wales. Its Welsh concerns throughout the new emphasis on the market and a light- Ofcom framework. touch approach will be shocking for those more comfortable with a more At least in part, the structures of prescriptive approach to regulation. accountability and representation that have been established are a response The Communications Act demands that to this debate. Ofcom’s main board will Ofcom establish an office in Wales and be advised by two bodies, a Content this is being achieved through the Board and a Consumer Panel. Wales merger of the existing ITC and the will have a representative on both. Sue Radiocommunications Agency offices. Balsom has been appointed to the The new physical presence will be led Content Board and the place on the by the new post of Director, Ofcom Consumer Panel has been advertised. Wales. How this structure relates to the In addition, a Welsh advisory National Assembly and communities committee will be established. This across Wales will determine Ofcom’s concession, made by government at ability to regulate the market while Third Reading in the House of Lords, delivering on its commitment to secure will lead to a wider debate and scrutiny “diverse and high-quality TV and radio Ofcom’s decision-making in Wales, ... through less formal regulation”. In strengthening its legitimacy. If Ofcom Wales we are lucky that two key figures fails to accept the advisory committee’s who have close links to the country advice on any major issue, it will be and a breadth of experience of Welsh required to justify itself. issues have both been appointed to the main Ofcom board. Professor Ian Although Ofcom regulates functions Hargreaves, former Director of the which are not devolved, the whole of Centre for Journalism at Cardiff Ofcom’s activities will impact upon the University, and Ed Richards, former National Assembly and many of its advisor to Number Ten who has been sponsored bodies. The most obvious appointed as Senior Partner, Strategy impacts are in culture, economic and Market Developments. development and education. In addition, 65 Sue Balsom, managing partner of FBA, the the extension of broadband networks is Aberystwyth-based communications company, has been appointed to Ofcom’s board responsible for One of the most controversial aspects fundamental to a whole range of content. of the parliamentary debates on the government policies. Taken together, all

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this means that very few of the Assembly ensure that the public service Government’s functions will be requirements will continue to be met unaffected by decisions taken by Ofcom. whatever the ownership regime.

The practical requirement for a These immediate policy issues will be relationship of shared understanding addressed within the context of wider between Ofcom and the Assembly is and more long-term issues such as, for reinforced by a wider political instance, the digital switchover. The imperative. This is because reality of this policy in Wales will raise broadcasting is a political issue in serious questions for policy-makers. Wales to an extent that it is not in any The same is true of one of Ofcom’s other part of the UK. There are echoes most eye-catching and radical of the popular campaign to establish responsibilities – to promote media S4C in the National Assembly’s interest literacy. In a country where many in broadcasting. For instance, it people still achieve only very low levels regularly calls both regulators and of educational attainment and where broadcasters to give evidence during high levels of poverty have inhibited inquiries into cultural policy. It also the growth and public adoption of new debated the communications technologies, this will be an important legislation in detail in both committee question. Here again Ofcom will need and plenary sessions. Professor Ian Hargreaves, former director of the to respond to a different policy Centre for Journalism at Cardiff University is a member of Ofcom’s main board. environment in which the National By placing a far greater emphasis on Assembly Government has created a this area of policy than the Scottish very different educational system with Parliament, the National Assembly gave different structures, a different syllabus a renewed emphasis to the complexities and different examinations. of accountability and public policy- making in post-devolution UK. Whilst broadcasting is always able to grab the headlines, in terms of overall The first, and arguably the most workload it may be in the field of important issue on Ofcom’s agenda will telecoms that Ofcom faces some of its be its statutory review of public service most difficult tasks. New and different broadcasting. Certainly the National forms of technology mean that the Assembly can be expected to goalposts are constantly changing. For contribute forcefully to the review, instance, broadband access is especially in view of Ofcom’s considered by the Assembly commitment to cultural diversity in the Government to be essential. However, UK and the role of public broadcasters only about 40 per cent of the homes in reflecting that diversity. The National and businesses in Wales can access Assembly can be expected to demand broadband through ADSL technology a far greater visibility for Wales on the and cable modems. This compares with UK networks alongside increased a UK average of about 70 per cent. investment in those services provided Ofcom will need to determine how the primarily for viewers in Wales. Ofcom’s growth that is needed can happen in review will take place in parallel to the Ed Richards, former advisor to Tony Blair at No.10 is Ofcom’s Senior Partner, Strategy and Market Wales, given the country’s difficult separate and independent DCMS Developments. geography and population distribution. review of S4C that will probably be It will also need to recognise that underway at the beginning of 2004. It is light will now create a wholly new Assembly Government investment inconceivable that Ofcom’s conclusions context for the Channel 3 licence- makes the debate on regulatory issues will not impact upon either this or holder. The public service remit of ITV around broadband access in Wales very influence the BBC’s Charter renewal is likely to be at the centre of a different from other areas of the UK. 66 process as it impacts upon Wales. rigorous and thorough debate especially since the legislation also The news that the merger of Granada enables ITV to go into foreign • Alun Davies is Director of Corporate and Carlton has been given the green ownership. It will be Ofcom’s job to Affairs with S4C.

winter 2003/04 social policy physicians cure thyselves

tark messages have been and least disruptive system. However, delivered to the Assembly it is important to recall that Wanless Government by the Wanless acknowledged that there were sreport it commissioned a year ago on difficulties with this choice. the future of health and social care in Wales. The messages were put Because the systems in other western together by a high-powered team European countries are diverse and made up largely of the Assembly funded by various mechanisms, it is Government’s own officials. Despite much easier to introduce or maintain this, in the response to the report competition and choice in those published in early November these systems than in our health service. That messages have yet to be turned into should not be the crucial argument but concrete proposals for action. it should make us consider what mechanisms we can employ that will Tackling the long-term difficulties of the provide sufficient responsiveness in our Welsh health service, and especially our health system. That is why the Wanless rising waiting lists, will be very difficult. report argues for a rigorous and regular It will require taking on a range of vested audit to ensure value for money. jon owen jones interests. But unless we face up to the task, so clearly set out by the Wanless People are being asked to give a vast assesses the Assembly report, the standard of service people in amount to the health service through Wales receive will drift further apart taxation. Opinion polls show that they Government’s from the improving standards that are are glad to give. Nonetheless, they being experienced in England. want to see that the money is being response to the used wisely and delivering the goods. In considering the Welsh Wanless Wanless review of report it is worth reminding ourselves The Welsh Wanless report was also of its provenance, which is bound up commissioned by the Finance Minister health and social care with the UK-wide Wanless report. In – in this case Edwina Hart. However 1999 the Prime Minister committed his unlike Gordon, Edwina has not government to matching European remained in post and her successor levels of funding for the National Sue Essex did not respond to the Health Service. The Chancellor Gordon report, as Gordon Brown did in Brown then commissioned the financial Parliament. I do not know why a report expert Derek Wanless to see how best commissioned by the Welsh Finance this expansion could be managed. Minister was not presented to her successor. However, I suspect if it had, The interim report discussed the great the significance of key messages would public expectations for the health have been heard more clearly. service and the difficulties involved in raising sufficient resources. It also dealt The purpose of both the Welsh and UK with problems of choice and possible Wanless reports was to ensure that charging in the service. vastly increased resources result in increased output, improved The final Wanless report then prepared performance and modernisation of the arguments around funding, on the service delivery. The Welsh Wanless 67 basis of which which the Government report concluded (i) that the current decided that direct funding through position is “unsustainable”; and (ii) taxation was the most cost effective that, in comparison to England, Wales

winter 2003/04 social policy

does not get as much out of its 4) “Trusts that are not able to deliver 4) not have anywhere near the spending as it should. the treatments and balance their optimal mix of beds; over 3,000 of books have frequently received these are in community hospitals Driving through reform against the short substantial additional funding… in and are less effectively used than term vested interest is always going to other words failure has attracted they might be, while acute general be a political challenge. For a new more rewards than success.” hospitals are struggling to meet institution this is particularly true. Under demand. In March 2003 over 5,000 pressure from their coalition partners This policy should be replaced by one Welsh residents had been waiting and the media the need was for quick where: more than 18 months for inpatient wins and the avoidance of local or day-case hospital treatment, unpopularity. Meanwhile, acute hospital 5) “Incentives and sanctions, which whereas in England nobody had activity declined from a peak of 151,182 reward success, give greater been waiting that long.” patients seen by consultants in March freedom to good performers and 1999 to 134,707 patients seen in are supported by the way in which This problem is compounded by a poor September 2002. resources flow.” throughput of patients. Too many patients are referred inappropriately Wanless made it clear this performance and far too many remain in acute care could not continue and delivered a “Policies beds when they should have left series of stark messages, some of have been hospital for more appropriate care. which I highlight here: advanced 8) “In 2001-02 there were an average 1) “Policies have been advanced without being of 806 delayed transfer of care at without being costed, which makes any one time, and fifty-seven per it impossible to know their cost- costed, which cent of patients were delayed for benefit, or whether their Derek Wanless makes it social care reasons arising from implementation is affordable.” difficulty in arranging funding for impossible to know their cost- care packages. By early 2003 the A number of health commitments were benefit, or whether their delayed transfer figure exceeded made with little or no evidence to 1,000 – or more than twice the suggest they were cost effective in implementation is affordable.” number of acute beds or bed terms of health gains. Although as early equivalents which were needed.” as 1999 I raised the need to reconfigure Although Wales has more than a third services to better separate elective and more beds per capita than England it The Assembly Government’s response acute care, this has yet to be uses those beds with less efficiency and to these stark financial and managerial implemented as it inevitably involves therefore carries out less treatment. In messages has been downplayed and some locally unpopular decisions. part this is a result of having the wrong there are very few clear commitments types of beds in the wrong places. to action. Incredibly, the clearest 2) “The Assembly should stop funding evidence of problems in delivery, the deficits.” 6) “The current configuration of the waiting times, are not mentioned in the Health Service places an response. There is no indication or Similarly, deficits have continued to be insupportable burden on the acute target given as to when elective funded, creating perverse incentives to sector and its workforce.” treatment times will be improved. managers to avoid difficult decisions and Wanless calls for an “exploration and rely instead on an Assembly Government As with the funding of deficits for commissioning of out-of-Wales options bail-out. Health authorities that did not Health Authorities, there is a general to reduce unacceptably long waiting control their budgets were underwritten problem of rewarding success, or rather times”. The report recommends year on year, while authorities that the lack of it. The UK Government has sanctions should be applied by practised prudent management were tried to approach this problem through requiring organisations to purchase the penalised – their budgets top-sliced to the star status system, leading to services for the patient from elsewhere fund the deficits of others. foundation hospitals. in the UK, EU or private sector.

68 3) “Health funding is not connected at 7) “We have just over 11,000 general Some or all of these options will have all closely to performance or level of and acute hospital beds in Wales. to be applied at least in the short term activity. GP’s remuneration is This is 37 per cent more per head of if waiting times are to be addressed. largely related to their list size.” population than England. But we do The Assembly Government may find

winter 2003/04 social policy itself forced by the courts into this action unless it takes it willingly. The Health Service in Wales may be approaching the point where it funding becomes legally unsustainable.

The health Minister’s response is also silent on Wanless’s specific fog recommendations to deal with delayed discharges. Wanless suggests four options: 1) Hypothecating the level of revenue Government to provide resources for support grant to be spent on social education. It is also likely that the historic care. perception of the Welsh population that 2) A single, integrated budget for older to be Welsh and to be well educated is peoples services held by the local synonymous may have generated health boards complacency about resourcing. 3) Joint consideration of health and social care budgets locally and Whatever the explanation, a national nationally expenditure pattern that takes money 4) Placing a responsibility on local david reynolds says away from the educational sector, to authorities to pay the NHS the cost spend on others, needs public of delayed transfer of care. education spending is justification. As yet, no such justification has been produced by the Assembly The fourth option is about to be losing out Government. Furthermore, at local employed in England and the threat of it education authority level no additional seems to have significantly decreased education resources are being allocated bed blocking. However, none of these ducation funding has become a to combat social and economic options is mentioned in the initial matter of increasing disadvantage. This is in marked contrast response. This suggests oversensitivity controversy over the last three to the situation within the rest of the UK. eyears. Is Wales spending as much per to the views of powerful vested interests. pupil as England? Can we see through At the same time it is much to the credit It should be obvious that any what has been labelled a ‘funding fog’? Is of the Assembly Government that from organisation whose funding has gone the rapid pace of educational change in 2000-01 Wales actually caught up with up from £2.5 billion in 1999-2000 to the United Kingdom being facilitated by England in the amount per pupil that £3.8 billion in 2003-04, an increase of what are increasingly distinctive policies was spent on education. In 1999-2000 50 per cent, and which in response for the funding of schools in Wales? the average budgeted spend per pupil in produces large deficits and increased England was £2,710, that is 2.6 per cent waiting lists, is in urgent need of In 2000-01, the most recent year for above the Welsh figure. By 2002-03 the reform. The general conclusion that which relevant data is available, total average spend per pupil in England and Wanless reached is that funding must identifiable managed expenditure on Wales was the same in both countries. be linked to activity; productivity public services in Wales was 13 per However, this progress appears now to should be rewarded; and failure and cent higher in Wales than that in be at risk. Total education cash budgets inefficiency penalised. England. Yet, in the most recent year in Wales for 2003-04 (including local for which we have data, 2002-03, authority raised revenue, National The descriptions given of many present average pupil spend in Wales was not Assembly funding and ELWa grants) are practices illustrate the culture change 13 per cent more than in England but forecast to increase by 9.7 per cent that is needed. The patient isn’t the same, at £3,377. compared to a forecast 11.6 per cent incurable but must have faith in the increase in England. physician and his prescription. Quite why educational expenditure is so much less per pupil than total public Quite what is now happening to offset expenditure is unclear. It is likely that high the progress in relative resourcing 69 health expenditure and above average between 1999 and 2002 is unclear. It is • Jon Owen Jones is Labour MP for rises on culture, media and sport have possible that the recent headline- Cardiff Central. restricted the capacity of the Assembly grabbing crises in Welsh health and

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social services provision have resulted comparison with England will be put at why the more advantaged Neath Port in some further redistribution of risk. Indeed the Welsh Local Talbot authority (at £3,698) spends more resources away from education. It is Government Association shows the than the more disadvantaged Rhondda also possible that the enhanced English scale of the issue in its estimates that Cynon Taff authority (£3,423). expenditure reflects the additional £17 million in 2003-04 and £44 million resources associated with the in 2004-05 are required merely to stand These variations are extreme when workforce agreement (of approximately still in terms of the increased resource compared with England. It is possible to £300,000 per secondary school of requirements of workforce reforms. argue that they exist because of the average size) that has at the time of exercise of the local democratic writing no Welsh parallel. This may be Another issue is that the variation of processes. This may be true. It may also beginning to generate disparities in education spending per pupil between be true that they reflect the distribution expenditure again. The expenditure local authorities in Wales greatly of population and resources at the time allocation of £21 million for 2003-04 to exceeds that in England. In 2002/2003 the former eight counties were 2005-06 that has been re-labelled as the range in Wales was between £3,051 dissolved into 22 new authorities in being related to the workforce in the Vale of Glamorgan to £3,981 in 1994. If that is the case they represent agreement in Wales was in fact Ceredigion, a gap of £930. In England the position of a Wales of a decade ago. contained in pre workforce agreement in the same year the range was only expenditure plans in Wales. £339, with London excluded, or £1,389 Whatever the explanation, it remains if it was included. Across all local the case that in England the Standard All that we can conclude is that if there education authorities there is no doubt Spending Assessment régime provides is no specific additional workforce that variation in per pupil expenditure a degree of territorial justice for pupils resource available in Wales and if there is much greater per pupil in Wales than that has no Welsh equivalent. Based is in England, all the good work of the in England, even though the upon sophisticated formulae that relate Assembly Government in moving heterogeneity of English society would resource provision to need, the SSA in towards equality of resourcing in have predicted the opposite. England gives each local authority an estimate of what it should be spending The likelihood of this situation upon education. Additionally in school spending per pupil continuing has been increased by a England the SSA is combined with in the 22 welsh counties, number of the actions of the Assembly central government power to force 2003-04 Government. Eighteen months ago the local authorities to spend up or down 1 Ceredigion £4,119 then Finance Minister Edwina Hart, to a centrally determined level. In 2 Carmarthenshire £3,829 announced that the recommended Wales the Assembly Government is 3 Anglesey £3,818 ‘notional spend’ per pupil was to be involved only in default circumstances. 4 Powys £3,766 abolished, giving local authorities 5 Neath Port Talbot £3,698 unfettered and unadvised freedom to It is possible to argue that the democratic 6 Merthyr £3,676 spend as much or as little as their local ‘empowerment’ of Welsh local 7 Gwynedd £3,675 democratic processes suggested they authorities is worth the territorial 8 Pembrokeshire £3,657 should. There is no evidence that injustice that Welsh pupils face. Such 9 Blaenau Gwent £3,608 spending disparities between local empowerment may be argued to be 10 Torfaen £3,549 authorities have widened since then. revitalising local democracies, engaging 11 Conwy £3,510 citizens and generating a better match 12 Swansea £3,501 Nevertheless, there are grounds for between service provision and local Wales average £3,499 concern that Welsh spending patterns needs. However, all one can conclude at 13 Wrexham £3,424 present a lottery in which where you live the moment is that this case is unproven. 14 Rhondda Cynon Taff £3,423 determines your chances of educational It must be set against the case that 15 Newport £3,417 achievement, assuming a link between across Wales pupils are exposed to an 16 Caerphilly £3,410 the amount spent per pupil and the unfair variation in the resources that are 17 Monmouthshire £3,409 achievement of pupils. If one looks at behind them as they start their lives. 18 Cardiff £3,362 expenditure per pupil, it is difficult to 19 Bridgend £3,349 understand why in the current year • Professor David Reynolds is Professor 20 Denbighshire £3,242 (2003-04) the more disadvantaged of Education at the University of Exeter 70 21 Flintshire £3,203 authority of Newport (£3,417 per pupil) and an adviser to the DfES in Whitehall. 22 Vale of Glamorgan £3,185 spends more or less the same as the This article is based on research Source: National Assembly Education Committee more advantaged authority of Cardiff commissioned by NAHT Cymru, proceedings, July 2003. (£3,362). It is also difficult to understand published in September 2003.

winter 2003/04 social policy we bought a mountain

However, if you look closer, and think opportunity that might bring real harder, you will see that Moelyci, improvement and well-being. derived from Moel Lleuci – ‘Lucy’s Hill’), is more than a mountain. It has heath, Instigators of the project set up a mire, wetland and woodland, together management company and made an with fields of improved grassland that offer to purchase the whole farm and provide diverse habitats for a range of mountain on behalf of the community, animals and plants. It also has a which the Estate accepted. To convince nineteenth century farm-house and the banks that buying the farm for the buildings, as well as ancient settlements community was a viable proposition, providing evidence of occupation dating business plans had to be written and back some 3000 years. community support secured. With the help of the local Regeneration Officer, More especially, rooted in these 350 community meetings were held in the acres of rich and privileged land is a villages of Tregarth, Rhiwlas and Mynydd vision of community land ownership, Llandygai that encircle the mountain. linking shareholders of the Moelyci Industrial and Provident Society. The community centres were full to Slowly, and not without difficulties, bursting, barely containing the some 260 members, with more joining response. This ranged from triumphant all the time, are following the vision of enthusiasm to a scepticism not a commonwealth of re-localised social, altogether unsurprising in an area environmental and economic where the results of feudal traditions catrin ellis jones opportunity that will help spark are etched in the landscape, regeneration to create a healthier consciousness and memory of reports on a venture community with a sustainable future. indigenous residents. Nonetheless, that is breathing life Until November 2001, Moelyci was a traditional into upland Wales farm with 600 Welsh mountain ewes. However, the tenant, who was born he way you see a mountain on the farm and had depends on your perspective. struggled over the previous Turn off the A55 expressway years to make a living, tpassing southwards into Snowdonia decided with much and the alluring beauty of Elidir Fawr, heartache to relinquish the Pen-yr-oleu-wen and the Caerneddi farm. The Penrhyn Estate, might easily distract you from the one still in possession of I’m talking about. significant tracts of land in this area despite having Compared with those heroic summits it devolved assets to the National Trust, Some of the 260 members of the Moelyci Industrial is merely a wave of heather on a dark intended to capitalise on the change. It and Provident Society who are buying the mountain. hill. Equally, Moelyci’s unassuming planned to sell the land off in blocks popular opinion was far more positive grace and its status as a Site of Special and convert the farm buildings into than negative. A structure to ensure Scientific Interest” may not be of holiday accommodation. Rather than stakeholders an equal say in the 71 interest. Neither may be the resigning ourselves to an accelerating enterprise was created in the form of an increasingly disadvantaged and and irreversible crisis, local residents Industrial and Provident Society, a co- dysfunctional villages on its slopes. have chosen to view these events as an operative with exempt charity status.

winter 2003/04 social policy

Shareholders understand they are education for all, regardless of age, ability, within two years. A further £500,000 making a social investment. Any profit economic status, through our activities, will be required for renovation and made by the company is ploughed back where value is added by the contributions development. Within three years, the into its activities. Owners are entitled to of our bilingual membership. Currently project aims to be financially self- one vote, regardless of the size of their these activities range from poetry sustaining through the sale of shares shareholding. When the future of the workshops in liaison with local schools, to and income from its activities, venture is more secure, arrangements days of conservation and study with supported initially by grants. will be made for people on low ecologists and naturalists, and traditional incomes or young people to be part of crafts using natural materials. People join At the first Land For People Conference the society by working for an agreed at a level with which they are comfortable held in Wales, in Gregynog in number of hours. Directors are unpaid and then move forward, empowered by September 2003, delegates discussed and elected by the membership to take these new opportunities and challenges, the acute problems threatening responsibility for everyday decisions. in turn contributing more to the venture. increasingly marginalised communities in Wales and rural Britain more Our vision is to provide a centre and A grant from Co-op Action has enabled generally. These included: supporting infrastructure, including a the Society to create a part-time • Exodus of rural population due to business centre, workshops, café and manager post, and with volunteers’ lack of employment opportunities. crèche, and an exhibition and help we have created two offices and a • Demographic change exacerbated by performance space, created from the meeting room in the farm house, thus in-migration. sympathetic restoration of the historic improving considerably • Lack of affordable housing and farm buildings. These spaces will communication both within and community cohesion. benefit local families, children, people without the membership. • A significant proportion of children with disadvantages, and people seeking and the elderly living in poverty. employment and training opportunities • Tensions arising between sectors that in traditional rural crafts, organic champion economic growth and those agriculture and food production, that give priority to environmental and therapy gardens, equestrian activities, cultural protection. recycling schemes and other sustainable enterprises. Once these We heard how local initiatives income-generating activities have a contributing to sustainable rural secure financial base they may become development began in Scotland, with independent co-operatives, feeding the purchase of the Lochinver Estate by skills and capital back into the society. the Assynt Crofters in 1993. Now the achievements of residents of Gigha, Eigg Already started are horticultural and Durness add to the inspirational activities, with chemical-free vegetables examples of those who, through the produced by volunteer efforts on sale to purchase of land, have taken a greater members and in local outlets. There is a degree of control over their own thriving tree nursery which was funded Bug hunting at Moelyci Farm. destinies. They have pioneered by Cydcoed (a Forestry Commission pragmatic solutions to the problems of managed fund in Wales). Broadleaf The Moelyci Project is the first attempt social and economic exclusion by woodlands are being planted, with made by a community in Wales or making their own villages and towns improved access for users in the form England to buy a significant area of more attractive places to live and work. of new paths and bridleways. There is a land from traditional or estate positive knock-on effect for the local landowners in order to protect and These successes are supported very economy, as local contractors are enhance local amenities and achieve a efficiently by the Scottish Community carrying out all works. We are range of economic, social and Land Unit (Highlands and Islands developing a Gelli Barddoniaeth – a environmental objectives. The greatest Enterprise), the Land Reform (Scotland) spinney of poems encompassing single challenge we face at present is Act 2003 and millions of pounds from medieval to contemporary works that to raise capital for the Society to buy the Scottish Land Fund. There are up to celebrate the union of our rich literary the farm. We need some £480,000, with 100 per cent grants available for 72 tradition with the natural environment. the banks – Triodos and Icof, a feasibility studies and business plans. community development institution Also available are single grants for land Despite very limited financial resources, that invests in areas of deprivation – acquisition of up to 75 per cent of the we are weaving an essential pattern of stipulating that the loan must be repaid valuation, not normally exceeding £1

winter 2003/04 Iwan Llwyd taking a poetry workshop with local primary school children visiting Moelyci Farm. million, with additional funding Objective One funding is an option for uplifting to read in Llais Ogwen (our available in certain regions. There are our proposed business centre and papur bro, community paper) that it isn’t further generous grants to invest in the mosaic of local, sustainable just doom and gloom. Whilst chapels management of natural resources and enterprises. But again, with just one and churches are closing, schools infrastructure, not to mention the all part-time employee and our own clock threatened and so on, there is an important guidance that can expedite ticking, as well as the 2006 deadline for upsurge in community and voluntary the difficult processes of land purchase West Wales’ eligibility to the European sector action towards local solutions. and project development. Social Fund we are feeling the strain. Moelyci is part of this innovative However, in Wales and England It isn’t easy following a multidimensional culture. The project is unique, it is initiatives with holistic solutions to vision. Nevertheless, the Moelyci project Welsh, and its appeal and objectives community issues, such as the Moelyci is providing an impetus for a very are universal. Recent writings such as project are being hindered, with diverse group of people to come Graham Day’s Making Sense of Wales funding generally available only for together. They include gardeners and and Jane Aaron’s The Welsh Survival discrete parts of a project. paragliders, quarry-workers and Gene argue that Welsh communities, university lecturers, shopkeepers and firmly rooted in the land and by their Consider the example of a farmers, civil servants and students, sense of kinship, display an inherent permaculture of community allotments. artists and geophysicists, carers and dry- tolerance not dominated by material This entails growing organic stone-wallers. Previously they might possessions. Instead, they are inspired vegetables to be distributed locally, the never have talked to one another despite by an instinctive and spiritual wisdom fields fed by compost generated by the being neighbours. Now they discuss our that allows us to survive despite all the recycling of green waste from aspirations for the land, the significance odds. Are we not then, all of us community households, who in turn of its cultural and natural heritage and gwarchodwyr cynnaladwyedd receive training in rural land how new initiatives might contribute to (stewards of sustainability), the natural management and are encouraged to increased local well-being for everyone. leaders of the gentle, enduring adopt zero waste life strategies. Yet to regeneration that must begin soon in achieve this we shall have to apply for Sustaining us are other stories of Wales, before the decay is irreversible? at least four separate funds. Each success of local initiatives established on application is a laborious and lengthy plots of land of just a few acres, and of • Catrin Ellis Jones is a doctor of procedure. It is unlikely that any fund buildings bought to develop community geochemistry, recently returned from will contribute to our capital costs for facilities/services. Examples include South America to her Welsh birthplace. land purchase. And in the end they Antur Waunfawr, Menter Fachwen as She is part-time manager of the 73 may reject our applications on the well as a string of national co-operatives Canolfan Amgylcheddol Moelyci grounds that the land is not secure – providing a network of mutual support Environmental Centre Catch 22! and partnership opportunities. And it is www.riel.bangor.co.uk/moelyci

winter 2003/04 environment

dislocated icon

But as I have watched the present crisis coffin. Apart from the fact that prior william wilkins unfolding I have become aware that administrations forced the creation of many of those participating in the the garden by voluntary effort, what suggests a way debate either do not know, or have difference is there between the forgotten, the principles on which the National Museum and the National forward for the Garden was founded. In these Botanic Garden? Structurally, there are circumstances my views may now be obvious solutions to this problem. National Botanic helpful. For reasons which I don’t entirely Garden First, the Garden was always seen as a understand, the original master plan botanic garden. In turn this meant that, has been partly modified and partly by virtue of its unique site and design, abandoned. No doubt money has here are three principal threads it would draw sufficient visitors to run played a part in this, but the to the discussion of the crisis itself and support two posts over and consequences have indubitably been now facing the National Botanic above the operational staff. These damaging for the garden’s revenue tGarden. Where did it go wrong? How posts, the director and one other, if I account. The great cascades, designed do we put it right? What should be the remember rightly, were expected to by the internationally renowned Welsh Assembly Government’s attitude raise the revenue funding required for landscape architect Hal Moggridge, to towards financial support? research and educational activities descend from the Great Glasshouse to through programmes which they the Upper Lake have gone. The Everyone knows that something went developed. In short, the garden was restoration of the spectacular 18th wrong. The simple answer is thought expected to raise both public sector century Great Lake with all its to be that visitor numbers are not what was predicted. But why not? Were the and private sector revenue funding. attendant cascades, bridges and walks predictions wrong, is the marketing However challenging this may seem, it has never taken place. These were key poor, or does the garden not live up to was accepted by the great array of factors, together with the complete expectations? It has also been pointed scientific, business and civil servant restoration of the double walled out that other predicted sources of consulted as being possible. garden, in the calculation of visitor income have not developed, for figures. Many other changes have been example grants for research and It is worth bearing in mind that the made, no doubt for what seemed good educational work. creation of a national institution during reasons. However, the net effect is of a the Thatcher era was, in itself, seen as garden with greatly reduced public My involvement with the Garden a somewhat challenging idea. Three appeal. ended seven years ago with the Secretaries of State for Wales presided, successful application for £21 million to more or less neutrally, over the If a product is not right no amount of the Millennium Commission and development of the project, though the marketing is going to make it work in almost half the match funding raised. inclination of the last, John Redwood, the long run. Not only does the Garden There were, of course, master plans was clearly to leave the task entirely to lack a number of its key original and business plans in place. It has not the voluntary sector. It is therefore features but it has also lost one of its seemed proper for me to either ironic that the rightly lauded initiative unique selling points. The original plan 74 interfere or comment in the succeeding of the Welsh Assembly Government to was for outstanding modern design to years as I would not know all the create free entry to the National be sensitively and imaginatively related circumstances leading to particular Museums and Galleries of Wales has to the great late 18th century decisions. put a further nail into the garden’s conception. Architectural excellence

winter 2003/04 environment and landscape excellence were to create something which existed nowhere else in Britain and hardly anywhere else in the world. The combination of a complete Norman Foster development, in a landscape whose restoration and development was controlled by Hal Moggridge, would have been of outstanding long term value to both the garden and Wales.

The Great Glasshouse started to achieve iconic status, travelling the world as an exemplar of the spirit of the millennium in a British Council exhibition. But it is now isolated, neither philosophically nor physically as integrated with the Garden as it should be.

“Putting the garden right” is not just Sketch of the Great Cascades by the landscape architect Hal Moggeridge that were to have descended about providing it with money from the from the Great Glasshouse to the Upper Lake. This vision was never implemented. public purse. Neither is it about trying to “sell out” to the commercial sector. the Welsh Assembly Government could financial stringency requires it, and it It is a complex problem which requires non-controversially make needs confidence. sophisticated solutions. At the moment representations to Whitehall for no clear solution seems in view. Yet, at support for the funding of suitable Without confidence in a programme of the risk of stating the obvious, the scientific work at Middleton. work which, year after year will deliver management and mid term funding new, high quality features to the garden, issues have to be addressed. They can No solution that does not go back to no marketing campaign is going to work. only be addressed if all sides develop a the original principles of the Garden is The features in themselves may be quite good understanding of the core going to work, either in financial terms modest: one or two new slip gardens, proposition and also understand and or for the reputation of Wales. Delivery one cascade at a time if necessary. But, respect the interests of the other of a successful Garden does not there has to be an agreed programme to parties. However, it does appear that require large injections of money at allow good marketing to develop public there is already a strong case to be this point. It needs steady, sustained interest and confidence that season on made for joint action in relation to support. It needs planned season, year on year, the Garden will be Whitehall. There can be little doubt that development, over the next ten years if more interesting.

With a programme which will see the cascades coming on stream, the walled garden fully restored, the lakes and walks, historic cascades, “Woods of the World”, all starting to contribute to the variety and beauty of the place, there is no reason why the National Botanic Garden of Wales should not be a credit to the nation and deliver good value to the economy.

• William Wilkins, founder of the National Botanic Garden, went on to direct the 75 restoration of Aberglasney Gardens, Thomas Horner’s 1815 view of the Great lake at Middleton Hall. In the original plans for the National and is the founder and chair of the Botanic Garden this would have been re-created. Artes Mundi Prize for international art.

winter 2003/04 environment DNA database

anthony campbell unveils a project to survey the marine organisms of Pembrokeshire

wrote with Maurice Young. I still use criteria the Darwin initiative has mine, tattered and warped as it is by identified for a flagship project based wetting at the rock pool surface. in Pembrokeshire: • It takes natural history into natural Our aim is to develop a modern science in the great Darwin tradition. database at Pembrokeshire’s new • It has a vision for science, the economy Darwin Centre of all the marine and Wales in the 21st century. organisms around the Welsh coast, • In the way it exploits the cutting edge starting with Pembrokeshire. By of molecular and cellular technology, modern, I mean that it will develop it addresses some of the big crucial information about the molecular problems in science– biodiversity, and cellular biology of the organisms, evolution, global warming, and supplementary to their natural history. revitalising science education. Some natural history data is already • It is sustainable over many decades. available from the pioneering Dale Fort • It has huge economic potential Fauna, and more recent reports • It will attract international scientists, triggered for example by the Sea teachers, students, and industrialists Empress spill. What is now needed is to to Pembrokeshire and Wales. take such fauna, including cliff and • It is potentially fundable from a raft ales has an inspiring record coastal organisms, marine flora and of sources – Research Councils, over nearly four centuries microbes, into the 21st century. We Wellcome, medical charities, the of brilliant naturalists taking need to study their DNA (chromosomes, pharmaceutical industry, small naturalw history into natural science – size, and sequences); their structures; business initiatives, and philanthropy. Edward Lluyd, Thomas Pennant, Philip the proteins they produce; their cell • It can bring together scientists, medics, Gosse, T.H. Huxley, and of course biology, electrical activity and life cycles; industrialists and teachers through a Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel the interesting small molecules they project not a committee. The Darwin Wallace are obvious examples. Without produce, for example toxins; and how Centre is run by a board, with a steering Wales, where Darwin learnt his to keep them alive. group for the festival, and local and geology and Wallace learnt to identify international advisory panels for peer species, their concept of natural Pembrokeshire is one of the most review. In just three years, supported by selection might have had to await a beautiful areas in Wales. Yet its a fund raising programme of some century or more to be uncovered. economy is in dire straits. It desperately £300,000, we have. needs a flagship project that is in • Established one of the top five science One lesser known naturalist is John sympathy with the county’s heritage festivals in the UK, the Pembrokeshire Barrett. For some 40 years he lived in and which has the potential to revitalise Darwin Science Festival, uniquely Pembrokeshire, establishing Dale Fort its community and economy. We running throughout the year. as one of the leading field study believe the Darwin Centre is such a • Developed an innovative science centres in Europe. Many young people, project, initiated through the education programme, through a including myself, some years ago, have Pembrokeshire Darwin Science Festival partnership with Pembrokeshire 76 reason to thank him for the inspiration as part of the Millennium Festival. The College, recognised this year with of one of the classic natural history Centre is a charitable trust and a prestigious Beacon award, the first books of the 20th century, The Collins company limited by guarantee. The time this has come to Wales for Field Guide to the Sea Shore that he Fauna database project fits the key science education.

winter 2003/04 Walkers on the Pembrokeshire Coast path above Marloes beach south of St. Brides Bay make their way through some of the National Park’s rich fauna and fauna – a source for the proposed DNA database.

• Created a natural history programme, our tides, gives us a head start over most The DNA revolution has already had a including glow-worm hunts and other marine areas in the UK and huge impact on biology and medicine. beach days. Europe. After all you don’t have to go to Yet in isolation DNA is completely • Achieved several international links, the Galapagos Islands to see Darwin’s sterile. To be active DNA has to get into including the DaVinci-Linnaeus-Darwin finches. What else are the puffins, a living cell. The last century may have initiative linking Italy, Sweden and guillemots and razorbills but the Darwin appeared to be a great success Wales and funded through the EU. finches of Pembrokeshire? This project is medically. But in fact we only • Built a road-show programme to take consistent with the great naturalist eradicated one disease – smallpox. around the schools of traditions of Gosse, Huxley and other Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, lung Pembrokeshire. The bioluminescence Victorian naturalists, who were inspired disease, and diseases of the brain are project – Dr Darwin’s Curiosity Shop by the rock pools of Pembrokeshire. still scourges. And in spite of the huge – was originally funded by COPUS. A Emma Darwin brought her children to success of antibiotics, our success at development from this was ‘How to stay with her aunts, the Allens, still based developing really affective substances genetically engineer a Rainbow’, at Creselly. And, of course, there is the to treat viral disease has been poor. We selected to exhibit at the prestigious marvellous recent tradition set by Dale still can’t cure a cold. These are some Royal Society Summer exhibition in Fort and Orielton Field Study centres, led of the challenges in the 21st century. 2002, and voted the best exhibit. by people such as John Barrett. • Inaugurated school projects through The John Barrett project lives up to the the CREST national scheme, and an What we need now is the formation of inspiration of a man who was one of annual presentation day – Science a team involving all the key players in the founders of my subject, Aglow Pembrokeshire, and Wales, to design a biochemistry. His name was Frederick • Produced intellectual property clear ten-year plan for the John Barrett Gowland Hopkins (1861-1947). He through spin outs registered in fauna project, together with a strategy began his scientific career as a curious Pembrokeshire, in partnership with to fund it. An essential component of naturalist. When elected President of the Pembrokeshire Business Initiative. any science programme in the 21st the London Natural History Society in • Initiated a programme linking the arts century, absent in past centuries, is to 1936 he declared in his inaugural and religion to science. ensure that it is developed through a speech, “All true biologists deserve the • Made links with several university two-way dialogue with the community. coveted name of naturalist. The departments and research institutes in Public engagement is what is needed. touchstone of the naturalist is his Wales, the rest of the UK and the But it should genuinely be two-way. abiding interest in living nature in all USA. Professional scientists need to be its aspects.” • Begun a programme for international challenged by the public, whose taxes conferences. pay most of their salaries, to explain • Put in place a ten-year why we do what we do, what benefits bioluminescence research programme. our science will have, and how have • Anthony K. Campbell is professor in 77 we addressed the safety and ethical Medical Biochemistry at the National The Dale Fort fauna, together with the issues. The Darwin Centre has been School of Medicine, Cardiff University, special marine life of Pembrokeshire and established as a vehicle to achieve this. and Director of the Darwin Centre.

winter 2003/04 environment sustainable future

carys howell and sylvia davies examine proposals to extend the role of our National Parks

Cwm Eidal in Snowdonia

he first review of our National Authorities have a duty to foster the could easily become the source of Parks since 1991, commissioned social and economic well being of their conflict because of the different by the Welsh Assembly areas. interpretations attributed to it by tGovernment, will be published shortly. different sectors. At a superficial level, the consultants’ The initial findings of the review initial recommendations for the review proposed that ‘sustainable What is needed is a Vision Statement sounded sensible: giving the National development’ should become an for the National Parks of Wales. This Parks a ‘sustainable development additional statutory purpose. should clarify the role of all the purpose’, introducing elections to the stakeholders, not just the National Park National Park Authorities, and tackling Charging the National Parks to deliver Authorities in bringing about local exclusion. sustainable development is highly sustainable development, and it should commendable, but is adding a new be adopted across the whole of the On the other hand, a closer look at statutory purpose the best way to Welsh Assembly Government and its each of these recommendations achieve this? Statutory purposes need sponsored bodies. reveals that some lateral thinking is to be clear, concise and specific. On needed. Achieving the sought-after the other hand sustainable The National Parks Review has looked aims of sustainable development, development is not specific and is at whether the National Park better governance and accountability, invested with a variety of meanings. Authorities should take on the delivery and social inclusion is not as Without an attendant explanation of of economic development. The Council straightforward as it might appear. what it means in practice, a new for National Parks and others have ‘Sustainable Development Purpose’ argued that they should not, because The Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire would be difficult to implement. It the WDA, local authorities and others Coast and Snowdonia national parks would create greater confusion and are better placed and are already being cover a fifth of the land of Wales. Over panel 1: sustainable funded by the Assembly to deliver 80,000 people live within the Welsh development in practice economic development across the Parks’ and millions come to visit every whole of Wales. year At present they have two statutory • The National Parks Sustainable Development purposes: Fund supports innovative partnership projects, However, such agencies, by and large, • To conserve and enhance the natural including: do not recognise the purposes of beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage • The Beacons Bike Bus connects pedestrians and National Parks. This needs to be of their areas. cyclists from towns and cities across south Wales addressed. Firstly, Welsh Assembly • To promote opportunities for the to the Brecon Beacons National Park, providing Government Ministers should ensure publics enjoyment and understanding opportunities for car-free visits to the that each Assembly sponsored body 78 of the Parks special qualities. countryside. and the local authorities fulfil their • Harnessing the power of tidal streams in responsibilities to the National Parks In addition, whilst working to achieve Pembrokeshire. as is required by the 1995 Environment these two purposes, National Park • Llyn Tegid Compost in Snowdonia. Act. Secondly, the National Park

winter 2003/04 environment authorities should be given a co- ordinating role to help economic agencies become true partners in delivering appropriate development in the National Parks, as exemplified in Panel 2.

There are several ways in which the governance of Park Authorities could be improved. These include training of all authority members, strengthening links between the authorities and key agencies in Wales, including the Wales Tourist Board and the Welsh Development Agency, and establishing genuine and regular liaison with local communities.

However, rather than addressing these issues fully, the review has jumped The Beacons Bike Bus connects pedestrians and cyclists from towns and cities across south Wales to the ahead to recommend that direct Brecon Beacons National Park, providing opportunities for car-free visits to the countryside. election of National Park members should be introduced. This has not met Blaenau Ffestiniog, would be if the National Parks had a social with widespread support. There are disenfranchised. inclusion role at all, it was confined to concerns that a harmful political people living within their boundaries. element might be introduced and that Since their designation over 50 years This makes an unhelpful division the electorate would be confined to ago, National Parks have, in the main, between residents and visitors. The National Park boundaries. In that event, catered for white, middle class, car- real division is between those who people who are affected by the owning visitors. It is now being have the opportunity to benefit from National Parks, but who live outside increasingly recognised that other the National Parks and those who do their boundaries, for example in audiences have been unintentionally not. National Parks were created for the excluded and have not been able to nation as a whole – rich and poor, panel 2: impact of national benefit from the National Parks. Work resident and visitor. parks on economic has been done to address this: development • The Council for National Parks, In planning for the future it is vital to together with the Black Environment recognise that threats from • The Pembrokeshire Coast National Trail Network, is making opportunities inappropriate developments will makes an annual contribution of at least available for ethnic community continue, so the Parks must continue £14 million to the Pembrokeshire economy. groups who live near the National as planning authorities. National Parks For every £1 the National Park Authority Parks to become involved in the are designated to protect some of the spends on managing the path, around £57 protection and management of most beautiful landscapes in the is returned to the local economy – National Parks. country. At the same time we need to making it a very cost-effective asset within • The National Park Authorities are ensure that they are maintained as the Park. supporting local communities in and living landscapes, supporting vibrant • The marketing of premium Brecknock Cheviot around the National Parks through communities and a strong local Lamb was made possible by a grant from the the Sustainable Development Fund economy. Sustainable Development Fund in the Brecon and are working in partnership to Beacons. increase understanding and widen • The voluntary sector also plays a vital role: participation. a partnership including the National Trust has secured £1.8 million from Objective 1 funds for Our National Parks were created from a • Sylvia Davies is Senior Policy Officer work on upland footpaths in Snowdonia, which movement driven by a passionate and Carys Howell a consultant with the 79 will contribute to sustainable tourism. belief in social inclusion. It is Council for National Parks in England Sustainable tourism reaps longer visits and higher disappointing therefore that the and Wales, the voluntary sector voice spend by tourists. Review’s initial findings suggested that on National Parks.

winter 2003/04 endpiece harri webb’s budgies

political pointers to be found a chimera. Individual yet look like a statesman and amidst this seeming politicians, therefore, can no so, with some cunning, he confusion. Clearly Lembit longer rely on mantras and has opted for the tactic of has cottoned on to the fact shibboleths; they have now closely associating himself that there is no difference to invent their own issues. with the Prime Minister. He is between the ways in which currently busy editing and entertainers and politicians In all of this the Great Lembit preparing for publication Mr are now perceived by the has led the way. We love him Blair’s speeches and public. His party leader, because we all know that the memoirs and, of course, Charles Kennedy, won his only reason he appears on learning valuable lessons all position by using the panel every radio and television the while. game/talk show route and show, in every gossip obviously Lembit hopes to column as well as on every Meanwhile, there is much to peter stead follow in his wake. page of WoS is that he wants be learned from looking at to alert the world to the the ways in which our most Further reflection on these danger of us all being killed able MPs stake out their was fascinated by the polls reveals how the whole by comets. Other MPs have territory. Adam Price has recent BBC Radio Wales context in which MPs had to work a little harder to brilliantly illustrated that the survey that asked operate has changed. When define their identifying issue post-industrial experience of ilisteners to name the person Harri Webb wrote his great and to find their niche. Ann Wales still needs to be they regarded as the best poem in which he noted that Clwyd might well have been examined at the highest Welsh MP. Of course, Lembit his Budgie, a futile and one of the anonymous levels of British politics. Opik came first with 64 per squawking bird, possessed budgies left only to rue the Britishness is also the key to cent of the vote, but more many characteristics demise of coal had it not the politics of Paul Flynn and surprising was the list of suggesting that it would been for the fortuitous rise of Kim Howells. I think of them runners-up. Siân Lloyd with make ‘a perfect Welsh MP’, Saddam Hussain. And who both as Celtic wise men sent 30 per cent was second, he was thinking largely of would have heard of the two amongst the people to point followed by Owen Money (4 the old lobby fodder Labour Swansea MPs, Alan Williams out the absurdities and per cent) and Bob Humphrys stalwarts, a breed, the poet and Donald Anderson, had it myths that stifle our national (2 per cent). In a separate conceded, that had not been for excessive debate both at Westminster poll listeners were asked to essentially given up the spending by the Royals in and in Cardiff. name the actual Prime ghost in 1966. Since ‘the the case of one and the need Minister of the United days of the budgies’ what to research the validity of Air The BBC flagship Kingdom. Tony Blair duly has changed most is the Miles schemes with the programmes are always the won but only with 60 per degree to which individual other. best pointer to the political cent of the nominations. MPs can no longer take future, and that would Peter Hain did incredibly well refuge, and even disguise It was quite brilliant of Peter suggest that it is Kevin with 30 per cent thinking that their own anonymity, within Hain to realise that the Brennan who has the best he was in No.10 already. He the broad identity of their quickest way to the top is to chance of climbing to the top came ahead of Andrew Marr particular parties. Essentially pretend that you are there of the greasy pole. It is (5 per cent), Rhodri Morgan Parties have collapsed. already. Paul Murphy had essential that Wales (3 per cent) and John Ideology has long been tried the same trick and competes with the rest of the Humphrys (2 per cent). dead, spin and image rule, surely would have been even UK, and especially Scotland, and the only problems that more successful had he at that level. There were, of Basically what all of this really matter, health opted for religious rather course, glorious moments 80 proves is that most people provision, pensions and the than secular politics, or had when we threatened to run give the media less than half railways, are essentially been available to replace the whole show, but of their attention. However, intractable whilst reform can Cardinal Wolsey in an earlier tragically they were there are several useful never be anything more than era. Chris Bryant does not squandered.

winter 2003/04