Myfanwy and Jill Evans MEP fight for answers on cockle-deaths and flooding in Europe

Following a request by Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate, Plaid MEP Jill Evans will meet with representatives of the European Commission on Wednesday (1st July). Recent figures show that cockles are continuing to die in large numbers putting the future of Llanelli’s cockle industry at risk. Last week a packed meeting called by a National Assembly Committee also heard accounts by people across Llanelli who had been victims of flooding.
Myfanwy is concerned that the existing flooding problem is being made considerably worse by the effects of more extreme weather but also by insufficient attention given by government agencies to the impact of some large-scale housing developments on draining surface water and on over-used sewage facilities.
Myfanwy has recently backed calls for independent scientific research to explore the reasons for the cockle deaths so that action can be taken while there is still a fishery to protect.
Ms. Evans will question the representatives of the Commission on where responsibility lies for calling for environmental impact assessments to assess the full impact developments will have on our environment. She will also ask officials about potential sanctions where for organisations have not called for these assessments where risks to the environment such as flooding have followed. Ms Evans will also request details of investigations into events similar to the cockle deaths elsewhere in Europe and will ask for these reports to be made available to Welsh scientists, cockle pickers and campaigners.
Ms. Evans said:
“Flooding in Llanelli is becoming much more severe and more frequent. This is partly due to the more extreme weather but it is a cause for concern that many new developments in the area that involve concreting over land that would drain water have not been subject to proper environmental impact assessments. I am not against new houses where they are affordable and needed, but we must make sure that new developments are properly assessed and that sensible measures are built into them to allow water to drain and to prevent flooding elsewhere”.
“I have been supporting the fishermen’s campaign to find out what is killing the cockles for a number of years. It is sad and frustrating that we are no nearer to getting real answers while the fishery risks being destroyed. There is no substitute for rigourous scientific research into this, and I will use my meeting with the representatives of the Commission to gather evidence on similar events in other places.”
Myfanwy said:
“I am delighted that Jill Evans has been able to organize a meeting with representative of the Commission so quickly. Our communities are suffering from severe flooding on a much more regular basis than was previously the case. The Assembly’s meeting last Friday confirmed to me the importance of making sure that new developments along the estuary do not effect flooding elsewhere. Jill Evans is also intending to raise the issue of the cockle deaths. We urgently need to know what is killing the cockles so that we can act to preserve the fishery and the livelihoods that depend on it.”

Myfanwy and Helen Mary fight to save Llanelli Bingo Clubs

Myfanwy and Helen Mary slam Gordon’s Bingo Tax
Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate and Helen Mary Jones Llanelli’s Plaid AM have spoken out against the double taxation on bingo clubs that MPs voted on last week. Myfanwy has accused Gordon Brown’s government of placing Llanelli’s bingo clubs at risk.
The warning comes after Welsh Labour MPs defeated a Plaid-backed SNP motion to reverse the increase in the rate of duty from 15% to 22%. Other forms of gambling such as casino or online poker will remain taxed at 15%.
Myfanwy said:
Bingo clubs are an important part of social life in Llanelli. They provide safe entertainment and are places where women in particular come to meet their friends. This is a tax hike on bingo, when duty on other forms of gambling will remain the same. This is entirely unfair.
She warned:
“Bingo clubs may have to close in Llanelli over the next few weeks. Along with Helen Mary Jones, I will be supporting customers and staff at Llanelli’s bingo clubs who are very concerned about the situation”.
Helen Mary said
“There is widespread support for bringing down the rate of Bingo duty from 22 per cent to 15 percent in line with the tax rate for every other form of gambling. This is about fair play for one of the most popular pastimes enjoyed by people in all communities."
Myfanwy and Helen Mary will be talking to staff and customers at Bingo Clubs in and around Llanelli over the next few weeks.

Myfanwy's Open Letter on Royal Mail privatisation

Plaid Cymru Llanelli
Ty Bres,
Heol Bres
Llanelli
SA15 1UH

June 2nd, 2009

Nia Griffith MP
6 Queen Victoria Road
Llanelli
SA15 2TL

Dear Ms Griffith,

I have heard that the Government intends to announce the privatisation of part of the Royal Mail in the course of the next few days. Along with postal workers and many people in Llanelli, I am outraged by this foolish and reckless step. No sensible government would sell off this vital public service, particularly so during the deepest recession we have seen in our lifetimes. The disastrous Tory years taught is that brutal job cuts follow privatisation. We cannot afford to loose any more jobs in Llanelli - least of all through the intentional action of the UK Labour Government.

The Hooper Report commissioned by your Labour Government says that the Royal Mail should be partly privatised to release funds to enable it to modernise. The report claims our Royal Mail is not as efficient as other European postal operators. But the evidence it offers to support this is misleading and inconclusive. For example, it confuses pricing and operational efficiency. It fails to take account of the different domestic markets. It ignores the negative effects of our Royal Mail being an established operator. Worst of all, the report does not explore how Royal Mail could modernise by other means and does not even suggest how much money would be needed to support that process. Many people suspect that the whole process has been biased in favour of selling off this national asset to continental competitors such as DHL or INT.

The privatisation of the Royal Mail on the basis of this flawed report would be nothing short of an act of vandalism. The consequences will be felt first by loyal Royal Mail workers but very soon I fear we will all be suffering a decline in service and a jump in prices. This is the lesson of previous Tory privatisations.
I urge you in the strongest possible terms to vote against these measures when they come up for debate. People in Llanelli want the Royal Mail to remain in public hands and it is right that they demand the support of their MP to help protect it.

Yours faithfully,





Dr. Myfanwy Davies
Plaid Cymru Westminster Candidate, Llanelli.