Brecon and Radnorshire Liberal Democrats

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, has called on the Welsh Labour Government to take immediate action to tackle huge NHS physiotherapy waiting lists.

Statistics released today reveal that the number of people waiting over 14 weeks for physiotherapy care increased to 2,755.

The maximum wait for access to specified diagnostic tests is 8 weeks and for specified services is 14 weeks. Today's statistics show that 8,420 patients have been waiting longer than 8 weeks for diagnostic services, while 3,516 patients have been waiting over 14 weeks for therapy services.

WILLIAMS WELCOMES QUEEN'S SPEECH

Brecon and Radnorshire Liberal Democrat MP, Roger Williams has welcomed the Queen's speech that was delivered today to both houses at the state opening of Parliament. The speech, which sets the programme for the Governments year ahead, had economic growth as its main priority. There was also a commitment to introduce a Grocery Code Adjudicator, reform of electricity markets and the water industry.

Brecon and Radnorshire Liberal Democrat MP, Roger Williams has welcomed the Queen's speech that was delivered today to both houses at the state opening of Parliament. The speech, which sets the programme for the Governments year ahead, had economic growth as its main priority. There was also a commitment to introduce a Grocery Code Adjudicator, reform of electricity markets and the water industry.

Eluned Parrott AM has questioned the Welsh Government's competency after it has been indicated that hundreds of jobs in Cardiff that had been touted as new are in fact mostly jobs that will be transferred from other parts of Cardiff.

Following his trade trip to India, the First Minister had spoken of hundreds of jobs coming to Cardiff thanks to investment by the Indian-owned call centre Firstsource. However, it has emerged that the majority of staff will actually transfer from another call centre operator in the city with the company stating that there has been a "misunderstanding" and the Welsh Government might have been a bit "over-enthusiastic".

Responding to the Health Minister's 'remarkable achievement' claim regarding the financial position of Welsh LHBs, Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat said:

"I am absolutely flabbergasted that the Health Minister can call this a 'remarkable achievement'. What's remarkable is that the Health Minster thinks that this is an achievement.

In the Senedd this afternoon, Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, challenged the First Minister over his Government's record on stroke treatment in Wales.

The first recommendation of the Assembly's Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee's report, which was published over two years ago, was for the Welsh Government to develop a stroke strategy. Since then, the Welsh Labour Government has ignored these calls, refusing to make steps towards a comprehensive stroke strategy.

Jenny Willott, Cardiff Central's Liberal Democrat MP, has welcomed the passing into law of the Protection of Freedoms Act, which received its Royal Assent today, as a landmark moment in the fight for civil liberties.

The Act, which the Lib Dems called for in opposition, will roll back some of the worst abuses of power by the Labour Government. Changes in the legislation include preventing schools from finger-printing children, stopping councils using anti-terrorism laws to snoop on people, and ending the storage of DNA from innocent people.

Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Chief Whip and South Wales West Assembly Member has today criticised the Labour Government for shelving legislation that ensures healthy eating is promoted and supported in schools across Wales.

The Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Measure, introduced by former Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Jenny Randerson, was the first piece of legislation to be given Royal Assent under the National Assembly's new legislative powers in the third Assembly term

William Powell, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, has given his backing to the National Assembly for Wales' Environment and Sustainability Committee report into the business case for a single environment body for Wales.

William Powell, Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales and Welsh Liberal Democrat representative on the Committee, said:

William Powell, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, has given his backing to the National Assembly for Wales' Environment and Sustainability Committee report into the business case for a single environment body for Wales.　

William Powell, Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales and Welsh Liberal Democrat representative on the Committee, said: