29/01/2013 BBC Wales Today


29/01/2013

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In Wales Today: She looks after her elderly mum and two children who

:00:07.:00:11.

need special care. Will a new law give Sylvia the help and support

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she needs? I am absolutely exhausted now from caring. I'm just

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trying to the they today. It is a struggle. -- trying to live day to

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Carys spent the first four months of her life at Glan Clwyd Hospital.

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Nurses and doctors say moving the neo-natal unit to England would be

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a mistake. They don't have the choice of delivering nearer to home

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and they will have to be transferred. That will only be a

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bigger problem all round. More could be done for our brightest

:00:58.:01:00.

pupils according to a new report, as the Welsh government confirms

:01:00.:01:06.

it'll keep GCSEs., Chasing the crowds. Will cheaper tickets help

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fill these seats at the Millenium Stadium?

:01:09.:01:13.

It's tempting high street shoppers again. One year on since closure,

:01:13.:01:23.
:01:23.:01:25.

Good evening. Caring for sick or elderly relatives at home can often

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be a hard job, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Changes in the

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law could now help out.The Welsh Government says its Social Services

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and Wellbeing Bill will transform the way people are looked after.

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Charities have called for more detail on who will be eligible for

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what kind of support. Here's our political reporter, Adrian Browne.

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Sylvia Penny looks after her 28- year-old daughter Michelle every

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hour of every day. She has severe ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome,

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and at the moment is house-bound. She also cares for her mother,

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who's 90 next week, and her 30- year-old son who was Asperger's

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syndrome. Despite caring full-time for all three members of her family,

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Sylvia says she receives no help from the state. The Welsh

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Government says extra funding won't be needed, but Sylvia and others

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want to know whether this will squeeze budgets further at a time

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:02:26.:02:26.

when the population continues to age and budgets get tighter. They

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is no mention of money, whether the Welsh Assembly on them to put extra

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money into their local authorities, whether they will room thinks money

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for carers -- ring-fence money for carers. It does not come in until

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2016. That is three years away! I need help now! It is the big ask

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and we are calling for an honest debate about what is affordable in

:02:53.:03:03.
:03:03.:03:03.

the car and climate. -- in the The Social Services and Wellbeing

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Bill will consider if carers want to work or take part in education.

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It could result in workers stepping in to give carers time off, help

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around the home or garden, or a direct payment so carers can decide

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what help they need. It also aims to make it easier for social

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workers to enter homes and speak to vulnerable adults. We have 150,000

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people accessing social services at the moment. It is about making sure

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there is not a postcode Lottery and that people are able to access the

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best services for their particular needs. Meanwhile in Wrexham,

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checking Harry takes all his tablets is part of Sylvia

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Prankard's daily routine as a carer. She thinks it's important carers

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are treated in the same way as the people they look after. A lot of

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people don't recognise us as being unpaid carers for a start. They

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seemed everybody that is a carer does get paid. The statutory

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services do not take that much notice of what we are asking for.

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We seem to be secondary to the cared-for person. A requirement in

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the bill for all carers' needs to be assessed replaces an existing

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law which says carers must give "a substantial amount of care on a

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regular basis" before they are assessed. The eligibility criteria

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are set at three levels, high, moderate and low. Should the world

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government decide to set it at high, it means many, many disabled people

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will be excluded. Scope recommends it should be set at a moderate

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level. For carers like Sylvia, the stage by stage process by which

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legislation is scrutinised before becoming law means they're still in

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for a wait before benefiting from some welcome relief.

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I'm joined in the studio now by Ros Williamson from Carers Wales. A lot

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of people watching that report will relate to it. Will this change

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Silvio's case? I sincerely hope it will help them. There are a lot of

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people in Wales who of Cayman over 50 hours a week. There has been a,

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at 100,000 people caring for over 50 hours a very weak. Many of those

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trying to hold down full-time jobs as well. The thing about the old

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legislation was, you had to be providing substantial and regular

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care, which is a very good definition but does not meet the

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needs of lots of people. Will they be eligible for this change?

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good thing about a new Bill is that I think they will have much greater

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access to social workers and social services talking to them about what

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they need before they start to ask the eligibility question. Will the

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funding been there? -- B there? People need help now. That is the

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big question. Carers want very little, be want to know there is

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somebody there to provide the back- up when they needed because most

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people want to do the bulk of the caring themselves. Some carers card

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because they don't live in the same place. But they still need help and

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they still need information about what help might be available in the

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person's local area. Are you concerned about the uncertainty?

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Before it becomes into operation? And concerns about assessments?

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Carers have been waiting a very long time for substantial help, so

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yes. The longer they have to wait, the more difficult it is for them.

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But I still think this new pill is a step in the right direction.

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Whether the reality matches the words we don't know yet.

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Police are investigating the sudden death of a soldier whose body was

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found on the Brecon Beacons. The man, named as Captain Rob Carnegie

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of the Royal Signals, was discovered at the weekend on Corn

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Du near Storey Arms. He's thought to have been out training on the

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mountain range when he died. A man who tried to murder his

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retired neighbours in a row over noise has been jailed for life.

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Sean Tierney, who's 66, stabbed Nigel and Marjorie Gibbs at their

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flat in Llandudno in August. The judge at Mold Crown Court said

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Tierney posed a significant risk to the public and must serve a minimum

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of 15 years. "It's time to reconsider - that's

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what patients in north Wales deserve". That's the message from

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nurses, midwives and doctors who are calling on the Betsi Cadwaldr

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Health Board to change their minds about sending newborn babies who

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need intensive care to hospitals in England. The Board insists this

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will give them the best care possible. Here's our health

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correspondent Owain Clarke. This is a row about how to care for the

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most sick and vulnerable babies born in North Wales. Whether they

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should continue to get treated at two Welsh hospitals or, as managers

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have decided, to move care to this hospital on the Wirral. Coming-

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together today for the first time ever in Wales, groups representing

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doctors, midwives and nurses joined forces to call on the health board

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to abandon its plans. The air is no evidence that the services provided

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in the Wirral will be any better than those provided in North Wales

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currently. The members in North Wales passionately believe that

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this is the wrong decision and they feel that up to date, their real

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voices have not been listened to. But health bosses say only around

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36 babies a year ago need to be treated across the border, even

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though that figure was disputed today. 760 less severely ill babies

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would continue to be cared for in North Wales. They say more than a

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million pounds a year would be needed to get the North Wales units

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up to scratch. Budgets and staff shortages mean that is unrealistic,

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they are cute. This baby was born three months early. She would not

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have survived with a specialist care. Luckily the baby intensive

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care unit was only 20 minutes away from home. We have an older child

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as well. I don't know how we would have done it. I repeat pity anybody

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who will be in this situation in the future who hasn't got the

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access to the hospital that we were lucky enough to have. The aim today

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was to get health bosses to rethink and if necessary, take the fight to

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the Health Minister. But it is not only the plants in North Wales that

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could be challenged. So too could be a vision for West Wales. Both

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plants could end up on her desk here in Cardiff Bay. -- plans.

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Footballer Craig Bellamy has been banned from driving for six months

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after admitting failing to declare he was the driver when his car was

:10:13.:10:17.

caught on a speed camera. The Wales and Cardiff City striker already

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had nine penalty points for three previous speeding offences. He was

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also fined �900 and �400 costs.$$NEWLINE The Welsh

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government has confirmed that it will retain GCSEs and A-levels as

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the key school qualifications. It means further differences between

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Wales and England where GCSEs are being phased out in core subjects.

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The announcement came on the day the schools inspectorate for Wales

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says it's concerned, not enough is being done to get the best out of

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our brightest pupils. Here's our education correspondent, Arwyn

:10:44.:10:53.
:10:54.:10:56.

For these children near Prestatyn, they are clearly enjoying today's

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lesson. It might not seem structured but hours of planning

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has gone into how these children are taught. We analyse the data

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very thoroughly to ensure that the programmes of learning are suitable

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for all children. Not only those who have problems but those more

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able and talented. In its annual report, Mort schools should emulate

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this. But not enough do. They say the brightest pupils do not make

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enough progress and in a quarter of schools, low expectations by staff

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mean that pupils do not achieve as well as they could. It is the

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concern in Wales and it is a reason we are not getting the top grades

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we should be getting and we estimate that 20% of children in

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any given cohort are more able and talented and they do need that

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level of differentiation. For older children like these in

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Pembrokeshire, the Welsh Baccalaureate is praised for giving

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a firm foundation but here too there are problems. Standards are

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lower elsewhere. Inspectors want to see the Baccalaureate graded to

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achieve a fairer reflection of the range of learning outcomes. I will

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be fully supportive of grading the Welsh Baccalaureate. I think it is

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important. I think universities would look favourably at degrading

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system that would be similar to that awarded to A-levels, where you

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have top grades down to a great teeth. Inspectors say they are also

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plenty of challenges, truancy, reading, writing and maths, that

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continue to cause concern. As does the standard of some teachers. The

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World governments says it was working hard to improve the areas

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that needed attention and the opposition parties said the report

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made sad reading about the state of education in Wales.

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Arwyn joins us now from the National Assembly. You mentioned

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the Welsh Bacc in your report. That's going to form one aspect of

:13:05.:13:15.
:13:15.:13:26.

the new qualifications confirmed We heard from the deputy Education

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Minister but they don't want to cause that upheaval in Wales. They

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like A-levels and GCSEs at although they don't want to tweak them.

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There is a danger, they say, of Wales been left behind as England

:13:42.:13:45.

moves on with a new qualification. That is why they have launched a

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communications strategy to launch a qualifications in Wales in the UK

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and nationally so that employers and universities know what is on

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offer in Wales is still valid as the different parts of the UK go

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their own weight in terms of education policy. How will it work?

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There will be four new GCSE exit -- GCSE exams, new Welsh and English

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First Language exams and nuke maths -- you maths exams. A-levels and

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AS-levels, we will have to wait for the details, but in terms of polyp

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-- vocational qualifications, there will be fewer but they will be

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beefed up. The idea is that it is not only what is best for Welsh

:14:31.:14:34.

pupils but the Welsh economy. The opposition say they will welcome it

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if it is done properly. Thank you. Plans to close two primary schools

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and open two new "superschools" have been backed by Powys council's

:14:43.:14:45.

ruling cabinet. Supporters opposed to the closure of Carno and

:14:45.:14:55.
:14:55.:14:58.

Llandinam primary schools held a protest outside the council meeting.

:14:58.:15:00.

An informal consultation process will now start, but the schools

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could close next year. Plans were also backed to create superschools

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in Machynlleth and Llanidloes for four to 18-year-olds.

:15:06.:15:10.

Breaking news: 12 people have been taken to hospital after a coach

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collided with a car in Carmarthenshire on the A 483, close

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to the M4 junction 29. Our reporter is at the scene and joins us on the

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phone. And no details are sketchy, but what can you tell us? -- I know

:15:26.:15:30.

details. As far as we know, this accident is believed to have

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happened around 4:30pm. It involves a coach and a car. The coach is

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understood to have been travelling from Carmarthenshire along the A

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483, having head of the roundabout towards Ammanford. As far as we can

:15:45.:15:50.

see, the road is cordoned off on both sides, but we have managed to

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get down the slipway and we can see from an embankment just above the A

:15:55.:15:59.

483, the bus, through the trees. What they could make out was that

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it was facing the wrong way on the carriageway towards Ammanford, and

:16:03.:16:07.

appeared on the verge of the embankment. From what we have told,

:16:07.:16:10.

of the latest reports is that there -- that are that there are

:16:10.:16:17.

casualties, but they are minor. 12 had been taken to Wasdale, seven to

:16:17.:16:21.

Carmarthen and five to Prince Philip Hospital -- taken to

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hospital. I have been here for the last hour and the weather is

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atrocious. It has been raining all day as it has in most of Wales.

:16:28.:16:33.

There are high winds and strong Wayne -- rain, and it is unclear if

:16:33.:16:38.

that was a factor, but that certainly adds context. If there

:16:38.:16:43.

are any Updates, we will print them to you in the bulletin at 8pm.

:16:43.:16:45.

Still to come: Carving out new careers - the

:16:45.:16:48.

workers who lost their jobs a year ago when Peacocks went into

:16:48.:16:53.

administration. And after another day of heavy rain

:16:53.:16:57.

and flooding, a warning of more to come tonight. I will have a full

:16:57.:17:05.

forecast for you in a few minutes' There are just four days to go

:17:05.:17:08.

until this year's Six Nations. Wales host Ireland in the

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Millennium Stadium on Saturday. The match is a sell-out, in stark

:17:12.:17:16.

contrast to some of the autumn internationals. Now the WRU has

:17:16.:17:24.

announced tickets for two of next The Union's hoping to attract more

:17:24.:17:26.

fans to the Stadium. Cemlyn Davies reports.

:17:26.:17:28.

As Leigh Halfpenny looked up through the posts before kicking

:17:28.:17:31.

this conversion against Samoa last November, he saw only rows upon

:17:31.:17:36.

rows of empty seats. Just 44,000 people turned up for Wales' second

:17:36.:17:41.

autumn international at the Millennium Stadium. That's why the

:17:41.:17:47.

WRU's reducing its prices for next year's Six Nations home games.

:17:47.:17:50.

Tickets for the Italy match will range from �25 to �65 - a reduction

:17:50.:17:55.

of 18% on this year's prices. The most expensive ticket for the

:17:55.:17:57.

The most expensive ticket for the Scotland game will be �70 - down

:17:57.:18:02.

12% from this year. The top price for the France game

:18:02.:18:10.

The top price for the France game will be held at �80.

:18:10.:18:17.

, we have sat against the six nations but we have had tough times,

:18:17.:18:22.

so we must be smart. -- sell out games. We need to ensure the Bill

:18:22.:18:26.

the stadiums and have that same passion and engagement for the

:18:26.:18:30.

Games in Wales. The tickets will be distributed to local rugby clubs

:18:30.:18:32.

this year. At Aberaeron RFC, they've noticed it's been getting

:18:32.:18:35.

more difficult to offload tickets in recent years. A we all remember

:18:35.:18:40.

years ago, there was a black market in tickets.

:18:40.:18:44.

You could ask anything for a ticket. But nowadays it is far more

:18:44.:18:49.

difficult. It all adds to the general concern in Welsh rugby at

:18:49.:18:51.

the moment. For rugby fans living in this part

:18:51.:18:54.

of Wales and further north, of course, the price of a match ticket

:18:54.:18:57.

is just the start of it. There are also travel and accommodation costs

:18:57.:19:01.

to think about, so given that, what do people here think is a fair

:19:01.:19:05.

price to pay to watch Wales in the Millennium Stadium?

:19:05.:19:15.
:19:15.:19:16.

I would say about �45, �50. About �35 to �45. I wouldn't pay more

:19:16.:19:20.

than �45. It's good that prices are going down, it's nice to see them

:19:20.:19:24.

thinking about the fans Mork. I think slightly dropping the price,

:19:24.:19:30.

it needs a bit more of a hefty drop. The WRU will say they've done their

:19:30.:19:33.

bit to draw supporters to the stadium. It's now down to the

:19:33.:19:37.

players to show why the fans should still pay to watch them - a win on

:19:37.:19:47.
:19:47.:19:48.

Saturday would be a good start. More on that game a little later.

:19:48.:19:51.

UK Government plans to cut the number of Welsh MPs by a quarter

:19:51.:19:54.

have been killed off at Westminster. Liberal Democrat MPs voted with

:19:54.:19:56.

Labour against their Conservative coalition partners and delay any

:19:56.:19:59.

changes until after the next general election. It means Welsh

:19:59.:20:02.

voters will still send 40 MPs to Westminster at that election. Our

:20:02.:20:04.

parliamentary correspondent, David Cornock, is there now. David, a

:20:04.:20:14.
:20:14.:20:15.

pretty emphatic vote. An emphatic vote, ADS, and an

:20:15.:20:18.

important vote for Wales, because these changes would have affected

:20:18.:20:23.

Wales more than any other part of the UK. At the moment, Wells seats

:20:24.:20:27.

tend to have fewer voters than English ones, and the government

:20:27.:20:32.

thought that was unfair and wanted to cut the number of Welsh MPs from

:20:32.:20:37.

40 to 30. Howls of outrage from Labour as you might expect. A lot

:20:37.:20:42.

of uncomfortable unhappiness on the Conservative benches. Glyn Davies,

:20:42.:20:46.

the Montgomeryshire MP, decided not to vote with the government for the

:20:46.:20:50.

first time today. But the reason for the defeat is that the Liberal

:20:50.:20:53.

Democrats piled into vote against their coalition partners, among

:20:53.:20:57.

them the MP for Cardiff Central, Jennie Willett, who is due to give

:20:57.:21:03.

birth in three days but turned up today to vote against the coalition.

:21:03.:21:07.

This also has a knock-on effect, because it means plans to change

:21:07.:21:12.

Assembly boundaries are to be a election are dead in the water.

:21:12.:21:15.

Thank you. It's been a terrible start to the

:21:15.:21:18.

year for the high street with names like HMV and Blockbusters getting

:21:18.:21:20.

into difficulty. A year ago, the Cardiff-based retailer Peacocks was

:21:20.:21:23.

dealing with the same problem when it went into administration. It was

:21:23.:21:26.

the biggest corporate collapse in Wales for many years. Our business

:21:26.:21:29.

correspondent Nick Servini looks back on how the company's name and

:21:29.:21:38.

Welsh HQ survived the crisis. It the new promotions are going up

:21:38.:21:43.

at Peacocks's flagship store in central Cardiff. 12 months ago, it

:21:43.:21:48.

was a very different story, when this door, alongside more than 200

:21:48.:21:52.

that this nationwide, was closed down by the administrators. It has

:21:52.:21:56.

since reopened, but what about the rest of the business, and those

:21:56.:22:01.

most affected? Steven Bell started up his own furniture business last

:22:01.:22:07.

year in the garage of his home at Margam near Port Talbot. He used to

:22:07.:22:11.

travel the world as a childrenswear buyer for Peacocks. But it all came

:22:11.:22:16.

to a dramatic end when he was among the 250 made redundant when the

:22:16.:22:20.

administrators were called in. just think, what an earth is going

:22:20.:22:26.

to happen, will I lose my house? What about other things I have, not

:22:26.:22:31.

so much credit cards and loans but how will I live and pay the bills?

:22:31.:22:35.

How will I support myself? That is the concern, that is the biggest

:22:35.:22:39.

concern you have. Obviously you come home and speak to people and

:22:39.:22:44.

friends and they say, it's not that bad, but it is. And then there is

:22:44.:22:49.

the current staff. They now work for Edinburgh Mall it melts --

:22:49.:22:52.

woollen mill, which bought the company out. They say Christmas

:22:52.:22:56.

trading this year was profitable for the first time in six years,

:22:56.:23:01.

and plans are underway to resume international expansion. It has

:23:01.:23:05.

just worked out fantastically for myself, anyway, and the colleagues,

:23:05.:23:09.

and the customers, because the comments we have had, we have a

:23:09.:23:13.

presence, chocolates, flowers. knew Peacocks would be bought

:23:13.:23:17.

because we are a great brand, I knew that. I didn't think it would

:23:17.:23:21.

expand as rapidly as the plans are all have as much investment.

:23:21.:23:25.

Experts say the main reason for the collapse of Peacocks a year ago was

:23:25.:23:28.

the huge debt, but some also believe that in the run-up to the

:23:29.:23:33.

problems, it had become too expensive and lost sight of its

:23:33.:23:41.

core customers. From what I can tell, Edinburgh Cabot -- Edinburgh

:23:41.:23:46.

Woollen Mill focused on things more associated with Peacocks rather

:23:46.:23:52.

than trying to be a Top Shop copy or anything like that. The current

:23:52.:23:56.

batch of administrations on a high street is a reminder of the huge

:23:56.:23:59.

uncertainty surrounding his business exactly year ago. With

:23:59.:24:04.

that in mind, Edinburgh Woollen Mill taking control has to be seen

:24:04.:24:08.

as a positive outcome. Nearly a quarter of the stores shut at the

:24:08.:24:13.

time had been reopened, and more than 1000 staff had been taken on

:24:13.:24:18.

around the UK. The current owners believe in time there is scope far

:24:18.:24:21.

hundreds of new stores. Delivering those ambitions in a highly

:24:21.:24:27.

competitive and ever-changing high street is another matter.

:24:27.:24:29.

Up back to sport. Ireland have recalled four players

:24:29.:24:32.

after injury for the Six Nations opener against Wales at the

:24:32.:24:34.

Millennium Stadium on Saturday. Brian O'Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Rory

:24:34.:24:37.

Best and Sean O'Brien reclaim their starting places. The experienced

:24:37.:24:40.

quartet missed the entire autumn schedule through injury, but return

:24:40.:24:42.

at outside centre, full-back, openside and hooker.

:24:42.:24:45.

Danny Graham is in Swansea City's squad for tonight's game at

:24:45.:24:48.

Sunderland. That's despite speculation he's about to move to

:24:48.:24:51.

the club after requesting a transfer for personal reasons. The

:24:51.:24:57.

Swans have yet to beat Sunderland in the Premier League.

:24:57.:25:00.

Former Sunderland striker Frazier Campbell says manager Malky Mackay

:25:00.:25:03.

was a major influence in his switch from the Stadium of Light to

:25:03.:25:05.

Cardiff. In the Blue Square Premier, Wrexham

:25:05.:25:07.

face Southport, but Newport County's match with Braintree has

:25:07.:25:09.

been postponed. Following an early morning inspection, the pitch at

:25:09.:25:12.

Rodney Parade was deemed unplayable. Let's have a look at what the

:25:12.:25:22.
:25:22.:25:24.

It's pretty rough out there this evening.

:25:24.:25:27.

We could do with long dry spell, but no sign of that. There is more

:25:27.:25:31.

heavy rain to come this week. Strong to gale force winds as well,

:25:31.:25:34.

but also some sunshine. Now, what a difference a week makes. Last

:25:34.:25:36.

Tuesday, we were shivering - the temperature in Hawarden just above

:25:36.:25:39.

freezing, but today, 14 Celsius or 57 Fahrenheit was recorded. Seven

:25:39.:25:42.

degrees above average, and the warmest day since November. So the

:25:42.:25:46.

air is mild, but wet and windy. The highest wind gust today - 60mph at

:25:46.:25:48.

Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire. There is a heavy rain warning in force

:25:48.:25:51.

valid until 6:00am tomorrow. The rain heaviest in the south and west.

:25:51.:25:55.

Another 50mm - two inches - of rain on high ground on top of what we've

:25:55.:25:59.

had today. So rivers are rising. At the moment, there is one flood

:25:59.:26:03.

warning in force in the Lower Dee Valley, and 22 flood alerts. Up --

:26:03.:26:07.

three flood warnings. Tonight, further outbreaks of rain, heavy at

:26:07.:26:10.

times. The strong wind slowly easing with lows of five to eight

:26:10.:26:15.

Celsius. Tomorrow, the wind is set to increase again. A warning has

:26:15.:26:19.

been issued. Some minor travel disruption possible, particularly

:26:19.:26:22.

for high-sided vehicles. So tomorrow, a few places will start

:26:22.:26:24.

dry, otherwise some rain and showers first thing, especially in

:26:24.:26:31.

the north. Hail and thunder possible, and windy. Strong winds

:26:31.:26:38.

on many coasts and hills. During the day, it will brighten up. A few

:26:38.:26:43.

scattered showers, but some dry weather and sunshine as well. Top

:26:43.:26:46.

temperatures nine or 10 Celsius, but feeling colder in the strong to

:26:46.:26:52.

gale force wind. Gusts 45 to 60mph. Tomorrow evening, dry and less

:26:52.:26:55.

windy, but another spell of heavy rain will follow during the early

:26:55.:26:58.

hours of Thursday, accompanied by strong to gale force winds.

:26:58.:27:02.

Thursday windy with a few heavy showers. Some dry weather and

:27:02.:27:06.

sunshine as well. Friday colder. Potentially wet and very windy with

:27:06.:27:11.

perhaps some sleet and snow on high ground. This will clear, leaving

:27:11.:27:15.

Saturday cold and windy. A few wintry showers, but otherwise dry

:27:15.:27:24.

with sunshine. Our picture tonight is from James Francis, flooding on

:27:24.:27:28.

the road in Pontypridd. At the moment, it's looking dry in Cardiff

:27:28.:27:31.

for the rugby on Saturday. On Sunday, though, it's all change

:27:31.:27:37.

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