Press Releases - 2008
December
Aberavon MP Welcomes
New Year Cash Boost for Local People (19/12/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed a new cash boost for his Aberavon
Constituents as part of the Labour Government's financial help for 15 Million
people.
Aberavon MP puts
spotlight on specialist care (12/12/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis this week put the spotlight on NHS care for
people living with rare conditions in Wales, as the All Party Parliamentary
Group for Muscular Dystrophy launched an Inquiry into specialist services.
"Drive
Safe this Christmas" says Aberavon MP (05/12/2008)
As the holiday season approaches, Dr Hywel Francis MP is urging people in
his Aberavon constituency to ensure that they leave their cars at home if
they plan to drink this Christmas.
Aberavon MP welcomes
new flexible working rights for parents (04/12/2008)
Families in Aberavon received a big boost today with the news that a new
right to request flexible working will come into force.
November
Aberavon MP, Dr
Hywel Francis welcomes 'It's your call' minimum wage campaign (20/11/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis this week welcomed the Labour Government's new campaign
to boost awareness of the national minimum wage (NMW) and help expose cases
of underpayment throughout his Aberavon consitituency.
Aberavon MP Welcomes
Post Office Reprieve (13/11/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis MP has welcomed the Government's announcement
today that the Post Office will retain its £1 billion five year contract
to distribute benefits to 4.3 million claimants.
Aberavon MP Supports
National Writing Competition (06/11/2008)
Local MP Dr Hywel Francis has called on teenagers in Aberavon to take part
in a thought provoking national writing competition.
Temporary workers
rights welcomed (04/11/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the European Parliament's decision
to give equal treatment for temporary agency workers.
October
Dr Hywel Francis
MP joins the fight against muscle disease (30/10/2008)
Aberavon Dr Hywel Francis, joined forces with families, clinicians and Assembly
Members at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's Welsh Conference to call for
improvements to access to specialist care for families with neuromuscular
conditions living in Wales.
Aberavon MP
welcomes Older People's Commissioner's document 'Coming of Age' (30/10/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon has congratulated Ruth Marks, the Older
People's Commission in her new role as Commissioner at the presentation of
her document 'Coming of Age' at the Wales Office in London.
Extra Cash for
Workers in Aberavon this Autumn (02/10/2008)
The National Minimum Wage is going up again.
September
Special US guest
at local school (11/09/2008)
Children at Crymlyn Burrows Primary School, Jersey Marine, recently welcomed
a very special guest from the United States.
MP Hails Afan
Valley as UK Bike Capital (09/09/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP recently welcomed Wales Office Minister to the Afan Valley
to discuss the important cycling advances made by the locality in recent
years.
August
Aberavon MP backs
report on carers (29/08/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis Labour MP for Aberavon and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary
Group on Carers has warmly welcomed the Works and Pension Select Committee
report published today on a radical improvement on benefits for unpaid carers.
MP praises exam
results (28/08/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has sent his congratulations to all pupils
in his constituency who have obtained their A Level and GCSE passes.
Minister to
Visit Beautiful Afan Valley (15/08/2008)
A Welsh Office Minister will visit the Afan Valley next month.
MP Praises
Cricket School (15/08/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has praised the efforts of Port Talbot Town
Cricket Club in encouraging local youngsters to take up cricket.
Afan Valley World
Heritage Site (15/08/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis is considering nominating the Afan Valley,
from Cwmafan to the Cape as a World Heritage Site.
Post Office
Closures: The Fight Back (11/08/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis is deeply concerned by the closures of three
Post Offices in his constituency.
Bright Future
for Afan Valley Says MP (11/08/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis is optimistic about the future of the Afan
Valley in his constituency.
NHS Foundation
Remembered on 60th Anniversary (01/08/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis recently met with former Labour leader, ninety-five year
old Michael Foot to record his memories of Aneurin Bevan, the Health Minister
in 1948 who founded the National Health Service.
MP calls for Windfall
Energy and Supermarket Tax (01/08/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has called for an immediate on-off windfall
tax on energy companies.
July
MP supports National
Celebrate Breastfeeding Week (23/07/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis and his wife Mair were happy to give support to parents,
mums-to-be, community groups, health visitors and midwives from the Bridgend
and Neath Port Talbot areas in the Port Talbot event that celebrated this
year's National Breastfeeding Awareness Week.
June
Hywel Francis
MP and Usdaw welcome new Carers Strategy (14/06/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP joined with Usdaw, the trade union at the forefront
of campaigning for working carers, to welcome the new Carers Strategy.
Local MP supports
fight to improve services for vulnerable patients (03/06/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Carers
for Aberavon met with local campaigner Ray Thomas whose family is affected
by muscular dystrophy.
May
MP supports Mencap
Project (30/05/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis recently held discussions with Mencap Cymru
on ways in which better support could be given by Parliament to young people
with learning difficulties.
Hywel Francis
MP Exercises for Lung Health (15/05/2008)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, helped the British Lung Foundation to raise
awareness of the importance of healthy lungs at the House of Commons on Wednesday
7th May.
Local MP supports
fight to improve services for vulnerable patients (15/05/2008)
On Wednesday 14 May Dr Hywel Francis MP and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary
Group for Carers for Aberavon met with local campaigner Ray Thomas whose
family is affected by muscular dystrophy.
MP says new
flexible working rights are a 'big boost for busy parents' (15/05/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis Labour MP for Aberavon welcomes the opportunity for families
in Aberavon to request flexible working rights.
April
MP praises local
college report (25/04/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has written to the Principal of Neath Port
Talbot College, Mr Mark Dacey on its recent inspection report.
MP praises local
schools rugby tournament (24/04/2008)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis recently attended a local schools rugby tournament
at the Aberavon RFC ground.
Croeserw welcomes
Amazon (22/04/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis recently met with residents of Croeserw in
the Afan Valley to explain the opportunities provided by the Amazon Development
in Jersey Marine.
MP praises pride
in community building (18/04/2008)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis recently visited the Communities First project
in Briton Ferry where he praised the work of community workers and local
residents for their work in reviving a local neighbourhood.
MP hails Amazon
as biggest Welsh job boost in a decade (16/04/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the opening of the Amazon distribution
centre in his constituency of Aberavon as the biggest boost for jobs in Wales
in over a decade.
MP on Child Mobility
Fact-Finding mission (04/04/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon has added his support to a campaign by
national children's mobility charity Whizz-Kidz to improve the wheelchair
services for disabled children and young people.
Claim the
tax credits you're due", says Dr Hywel Francis MP (04/04/2008)
On Sunday 6 April the rates of tax credits are increased and Dr Hywel Francis
MP is encouraging local low-paid workers to claim, even if they don't have
children.
Carers Win Census
Battle (02/04/2008)
The Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Carers Group, Dr Hywel Francis
MP has been informed by the Government that the campaign to ensure that a
carers question will be in the 2011 Census has been won.
Praise in
Parliament for local council (02/04/2008)
The Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy MP today praised in Parliament
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council's recently launched 'Clean Air Charter'.
MP Welcomes Internet
Safety Proposal (01/04/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon has welcomed the Government's publication
of a review entitled 'Safer Children in a Digital World'.
March
Local Transport
Bill (28/03/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon has welcomed the Government's introduction
of the new Local Transport Bill.
Local MP Supports
Government Opposition of the Canadian Seal Hunt (27/03/2008)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has supported the Labour Government's opposition
of the Canadian Seal Hunt.
Aberavon MP backs
Clean Air Charter (25/03/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon who was the first to sign the Charter with
Council Leader Derek Vaughan.
Aberavon MP welcomes
Alistair Darling's first Budget (13/03/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon welcomes a 'careful' Budget that focuses
on tackling child poverty and climate change and providing extra help for
pensioners.
February
Local MP marks
Holocaust Memorial Day (15/02/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis showed his commitment to Holocaust Memorial
Day recently by signing a Book of Commitment in Parliament to honour those
killed in the Holocaust and individuals that risked their lives to help those
being persecuted.
Local MP Welcomes
Launch of Post Office Christmas Savings Club (13/02/2008)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the recent launch of the Post
Office's new Christmas Club, which is now available at all 14,000 Post Office
branches nationwide.
Local MP Visits
Fire Museum (12/02/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has recently paid a visited to the Museum of Fire in
Skewen which is run by The Welsh Area Fire Engine Restoration Society, W.A.F.E.R.S.
MP welcomes clean
air investment (04/02/2008)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed a large new investment by Corus
as a significant contribution towards air quality in the town.
MP welcomes European
carers decision (01/02/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis Member of Parliament for Aberavon and Chair of the All
Party Parliamentary Carers Group has welcomed the decision made at the European
Court of Justice in support of Sharon Coleman who as a carer of a disabled
child suffered "discrimination by association" by her employer the London law firm Attridge Law.
January
Three Year Plan
Aims to improve the lives of Carers (30/01/2008)
A new strategy which maps out future plans to support carers in Neath Port
Talbot was launched on Friday at the Aberavon Beach Hotel.
Is the Best UK
Business in Aberavon? (28/01/08)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, is urging local firms to enter the battle
for 'Best UK Business' at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers' Manufacturing
Excellence Awards (MX) 2008.
MP awarded national
recognition for local community work (24/01/2008)
Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon has supported New Sandfields Aberavon a Community
Development Trust for the past 10 years and has regularly attended as a guest
speaker at events.
MP calls on all
surviving Bevin Boys (14/01/2008)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon is asking all surviving Bevin Boys to come
forward to claim a unique veterans badge as a tribute to their sacrifices
during and after the Second World War.
