Press Releases - 2007
November
MP Calls for Wider
Clean Air Campaign (23/11/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has praised community campaigners and local
councillors for the way they conducted the recent Biomass campaign.
MP Support for
Remploy Workers (20/11/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, recently visited the Baglan Remploy factory
where he expressed support for the high standard of work being undertaken
by the staff.
MP seeks meeting
with Energy Minister (21/11/2007)
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has announced
that planning permission has been granted to construct and operate a Biomass
generating station at Port Talbot.
Local MP Supports
Christmas Saving Scheme (19/11/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has welcomed a new Christmas Club, which
is being launched by the Post Office following last year's collapse of Farepak
and the HM Treasury's Christmas Saving Scheme Review.
Afan Valley River
Project Goes From Strength to Strength (12/11/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has recently visited a project making great
improvements in the Afan Valley.
October
Local MP Visits
Outstanding Pupils (29/10/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has visited Glan Afan Comprehensive School
to congratulate two of its pupils on their outstanding achievements.
MP Welcomes Son
of Paul Robeson (02/10/2007)
Aberavon's MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has arranged a visit for the distinguished
writer and lecturer Paul Robeson Jnr to Wales.
September
MP Receives Petition (18/09/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, officially received a petition of over 6000
signatures last Saturday at Port Talbot Civic Centre.
MP Backs Epilepsy
Campaign (18/09/2007)
"I was very pleased to give my backing to the local branch of the
Epilepsy Support Group in its awareness raising campaign in Morrison's Supermarket
in Port Talbot."
August
MP Congratulates
Successful Pupils (24/08/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has welcomed the outstanding GCSE and A Level results
of pupils in Neath Port Talbot.
Aberavon MP Congratulates
Young Athlete (17/08/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has recently congratulated Ffion Edwards,
age 9, a young athlete from Cwmavon, Port Talbot on her success with the
Welsh Under-11's Girl's Relay Team.
Aberavon MP
Backs Young People (17/08/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, is supporting young people in Aberavon by
highlighting the concerns of the majority of young adults in the UK who dismiss
negative stereotypes and the lack of recognition for the positive things
they do.
Aberavon MP Supports
New Housing Plan to Help Families and First Time Buyers (16/08/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the Government's ambitious national
plan to build more affordable, better designed and environmentally friendly
homes to help families and first time buyers in Aberavon.
Aberavon MP Calls
on Government to Give Children a Sporting Chance (15/08/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis is today calling on the Government to provide
more tax relief for sports clubs that provide sporting activities for children.
July
Aberavon MP Dr
Hywel Francis calls for increased access to medical technology available
on the NHS (25/07/2007)
New and emerging medical technology is at the forefront of creating a modern,
effective NHS that responds to the needs of patients, but increasing the
uptake of the latest technologies needs to be prioritized.
Aberavon MP Dr
Hywel Francis joins the fight against muscle disease (24/07/2007)
Local MP Dr Hywel Francis has joined the fight against muscle disease and
signed a House of Commons Early Day Motion calling on the new Government
to pay more attention to young adults with disabilities, who often face difficulties
when transferring from children's to adult's services - the 'transition'
phase.
Sustrans' plans
for more cycling and walking routes get boost from politicians (13/07/2007)
Efforts to get people out of their cars have received the backing of Aberavon's
MP and AM.
MP Lobbies Ministers
on Biomass Plant (12/07/2007)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has been lobbying Government Ministers in London
over the last two months over local concerns relating to the Biomass Plant
in Port Talbot.
Prime Minister's
speech welcomed (11/07/2007)
Aberavon's MP Dr Hywel Francis has today warmly welcomed Prime Minister
Gordon Brown's statement on the Queen's Speech as a major democratic advance
towards more open government for the people of Wales and Britain.
Local MP Congratulates
Healthy School (10/07/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has recently visited Brynhyfryd Primary School
to congratulate the school on achieving the 2nd Year Award of the 3 year
Healthy Schools Scheme.
Local MP Congratulates
Bryn Primary School (06/07/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has visited Bryn Primary School to congratulate
them on their success in being awarded the 3rd Quality Mark for achieving
and maintaining high standards in the basic skills across all key stages.
MP learns how
to stay safe in the sun (02/07/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis met with Cancer Research UK's SunSmart team
recently to learn about skin cancer and how to stay safe in the summer sun.
June
New Free Cash
Machines to be Installed in Port Talbot (22/06/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, today welcomed news that new free cash machines
will be installed in Port Talbot following a long campaign to increase the
number of non-charging machines in the area.
Aberavon MP Visits
Young Baglan Bookworms (19/06/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, recently visited Baglan Primary School to
mark the official opening of the school's new library.
Aberavon MP Calls
for Progress on Anti-Social Behaviour (11/06/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has called for an end to anti-social behaviour
in the Aberavon Constituency, after receiving numerous complaints from residents
who are becoming fearful for the safety of themselves and their property.
Local MP
backs campaign for UK's six million carers (11/06/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, sponsor of the Carers Equal Opportunities
Act - 2004 has pledged his support for Carers Week 2007.
Aberavon MP Supports
Glyncorrwg Campaigners (08/06/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has lent his support to Glyncorrwg residents
fighting plans for a new wind farm near their homes.
MP welcomes carers'
report (06/06/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis MP marks the start of 'Carers Week' with the launch of
a new report which looks at carers in Neath Port Talbot.
Local MP Backs
Plans to Improve Support for Disabled Children (04/06/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has backed a new package of policies that
will improve support for disabled children and their families in England
and has called for the measures to be introduced in Wales.
May
Local MP Presents
Veterans Badge to New Zealand Visitor (10/05/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, recently presented the Veterans Badge to
New Zealand resident, Mr Lyn Thomas.
Aberavon MP Asks
Local Workers 'Are You Being Treated Fairly?' (01/05/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis is urging workers across the constituency
to tell him if they have suffered poor treatment at work because they are
an agency worker.
April
Diamond date (04/04/2007)
Aberavon MP Hywel Francis and his wife Mair recently paid a visit to a Port
Talbot couple, Barbara and Cled Phillips of Tanygroes Street, who are celebrating
their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.
MPs pay tribute
to Czech Village, Lidice (02/04/2007)
Swansea East MP Siân James and Aberavon MP Hywel Francis recently visited
the Czech village of Lidice, which was destroyed by the Nazis in 1942 as
a reprisal following the Partisans assassination of Nazi leader Heydrich.
March
Dr Hywel Francis
MP Supports Respect for Shopworkers Campaign (29/03/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has recently visited the Tesco store in Port
Talbot to view the new posters in store to promote respect for shopworkers.
Fairtrade supported
by Tesco Port Talbot (28/03/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, and AM, Dr Brian Gibbons, have visited the
Tesco Store in Port Talbot to find out about the work they are doing to promote
Fairtrade goods in their stores.
MP Welcomes Brown's
last budget (23/03/2007)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed Gordon Brown's 'outstanding' budget
and called for Labour MPs to back him as Prime Minister when Tony Blair stands
down this summer.
MPs Praise James
Hook (20/03/2007)
Welsh rugby star James Hook has won praise from MPs of all political parties
for his 'outstanding and sublime' performance last Saturday.
Dr Hywel Francis
MP urges people in Aberavon to keep personal details secure (16/03/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has urged constituents to remain vigilant
with their personal details following the announcement that fraud on UK cards
in Wales increased slightly in 2006.
Dr Hywel Francis
MP Welcomes the Government's Blueprint for Tackling Climate Change (16/03/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has welcomed the draft Climate Change Bill and accompanying
strategy that sets out a framework for moving the UK to a low-carbon economy.
MP Welcomes Rise
in National Minimum Wage (09/03/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has welcomed the announcement that more than
a million workers, two thirds of them low paid women will benefit from a
rise in the National Minimum Wage from £5.35 to £5.52 an hour from October.
Local MP Encourages
Young People in Aberavon to bid for a Save the Children 'Here to Help'
award (05/03/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has encouraged young people in the Aberavon
Constituency to apply for a Save the Children 'Here to Help' award, funded
by British Gas.
February
MP calls welcomes
new deals for carers in England and urges Wales to follow (22/02/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis MP today welcomed a multi-million pound package of support
for carers unveiled today by Ivan Lewis, Minister for Care Services in England
and called on the Welsh Assembly Government to follow England's lead.
MP calls for long-term
steel investment at Port Talbot (21/02/2007)
The MP for Aberavon, Dr Hywel Francis said in a House of Commons debate
on the British Steel Industry that he welcomed the good work done in the
run-up to the Tata takeover of Corus by the Corus management.
MP to Visit Local
Ambulance Station (13/02/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has had discussions with local residents
concerning the future of Cymmer Ambulance Station.
Local MP Welcomes
Fairtrade Plans (05/02/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has congratulated Council Leader, Cllr Derek
Vaughan, on plans to make Neath Port Talbot a 'fairtrade' county borough.
January
Local MP Encourages
Veterans to Apply for Badge (31/01/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has urged veterans to apply for a badge marking
their service in the Armed Forces.
MP and AM meet
residents on Biomass Plant (24/01/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis MP and Dr Brian Gibbons AM invited local residents to their
Constituency office recently to discuss concerns over the proposal for a
biomass plant at Port Talbot docks.
Welsh Affairs
Committee Inquiry - Globalisation and its impact on Wales (23/01/2007)
The Welsh Affairs Committee has agreed to undertake an inquiry into Globalisation
and its impact on Wales.
Aberavon MP Views
Facilities at Local Pharmacy (19/01/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis, MP for Aberavon, recently visited the Lloyds Pharmacy
in Morrison Road, Sandfields, Port Talbot, to discuss the substance misuse
services available in his Constituency with the Pharmacy Manager, Zoë Ann
Ridd and Professional Development Manager, Steve Ridd.
Aberavon MP Congratulates
Celtic Community Leisure on Recent Success (18/01/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis, MP for Aberavon, recently visited Cymmer Swimming Pool
to learn about Celtic Community Leisure's recent success from their Head
of Operations, Mr Paul Walker.
South Wales
boat show (18/01/2007)
After the huge success of the first show in Margam Park last year, Aberavon
MP, Dr Hywel Francis, was delighted that for the first time ever in the running
of any boat show in Wales the "South Wales Boat Show" will be returning to Margam Park.
600 women
in Aberavon stand to gain from fairer pensions deal voted this week (18/01/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis MP was this week voting for the Labour government's pensions
proposals that could see around 600 more women between 46 and 56 in Aberavon
get a full basic state pension in the years ahead.
Local MP puts
saving for children in the spotlight during Child Trust Fund Week, 15th-20th
January 2007 (17/01/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has welcomed the first ever Child Trust Fund
Week which runs from 15th -20th January and aims to raise awareness among
new and expectant parents of the benefits of opening and saving in a Child
Trust Fund account.
Aberavon MP Supports
Crackdown on Employers not Paying the Minimum Wage (16/01/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has welcomed new powers announced recently
that will mean that employers who refuse to pay the National Minimum Wage
can end up with a criminal record and a £5,000 fine.
Local MP Welcomes
Proposals for Extra Holiday Entitlement (16/01/2007)
Dr Hywel Francis, MP for Aberavon, has given his backing to new proposals
published by the Government recently for extra holiday entitlement for workers.
Local MP Meets
Young Life Savers (15/01/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, recently visited Traethmelyn Primary School
to meet the 28 pupils from year 6 who have passed the Heartstart Wales emergency
CPR certificate.
Local MP Joins
in 100 Year Birthday Celebrations (02/01/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has visited one of his constituents to wish
her many happy returns on her 100th birthday. Mrs Edith Arnold, a resident
of Morfa Afan Residential Home, celebrated her centenary year on 29th December
2006.
MP pays tribute
to Long-serving Rotarians (02/01/2007)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has congratulated Mr Glyn Heycock for his
45 years service to the Rotary and Mr Vince Thomas for his 40 years service.
