26/01/2017 BBC Wales Today

"The only viable way to secure the future."

Unions recommend Tata steel workers accept the pension deal on offer.

A call for a ban on selling flavours like bubble gum and candyfloss

for e-cigarettes that could appeal to children.

And his job was to protect the rights of patients in Wales -

now questions over why Tony Rucinski was suspended.

Unions at Tata Steel have recommended that workers

at its plants in Wales accept the company's pension deal.

Up until now, the three unions had said the decision was a personal one

But tonight, they admitted it was the "only credible and viable

A ballot on the offer is expected to go ahead on Monday.

After continued uncertainty and disagreement unions have changed

their position on a deal which could secure the future of Tata steel

Following meetings with Tata all three unions recommend to

their members they should accept the deal which would mean

In a joint letter to steelworkers unions say they don't

take this decision lightly, and that the offer isn't

They say while they understand the concerns around the pension scheme

it is their view, supported by independent experts, that this is

now the only credible and viable way forward to secure the future.

The unions previously said they would

leave the decision to Tata's 6000 steelworkers, but there was

significant unhappiness about the proposal.

The BBC understands there has since been clarification

Tata did put a deal on the table to give reassurances

about their future commitment but it was asking a lot

of people close to retirement, workers in their 50s who would have

taken a big hit had this deal gone through.

I've been pushing, as have others, for Tata to listen to the feedback.

Workers still have a choice to ignore the advice of the union

representatives and reject the offer.

One former steelworker says it's never going to be an easy decision.

When they first started in the works,

they understood, that is what the pension scheme would be.

To move the goalposts after they've worked there,

that's what makes it difficult.

It's not only the steel industry, but other companies.

It's a difficult decision to move the

You knew what your future pension was going to be,

Ballot papers will be posted to workers on Monday

Public health officials have called for a ban on the sale of flavours

for e-cigarettes that could appeal to children.

They say flavours like bubble gum and candyfloss are an attempt

to encourage young people to start vaping.

They also want tighter controls over advertising,

a register of retailers selling e-cigarettes, and restrictions

Starting the advice young, not to smoke.

It's hoped these 12 and 13 year olds from Hawthorn High School

in Rhondda Cynon Taff will then be peer advocates and spread

the message about the health dangers of smoking.

But Public Health Wales, who are running these sessions,

are now toughening up their message about e-cigarettes too.

The concern is they're currently seen as safe,

could re-normalise smoking, or could even be a gateway

for young people and children to start smoking tobacco.

Younger kids want to buy them because they are more attractive.

When I walk past in my local town I see them in cool shapes

I think they are aimed at young people.

Public Health Wales say the nicotine in e-cigarettes is damaging

to the adolescent brain, so a no-go for children

But for those struggling to give up traditional cigarettes,

a 100% switch to vaping would be less harmful.

We wouldn't want to see advertising of electronic cigarettes

or the production of confectionery-like flavours.

You can buy bubble gum, candy floss, jam doughnut flavour,

they are only aimed at one audience, and that about recruiting

Celtic Vapours in Llansamlet have spent around ?150,000 having

30 flavours tested for things like emissions and toxicology to

They argue that e-cigarettes can have a huge role to play

in helping people quit smoking, but the rules are currently

so strict, they're unable to market their products at all.

I'd like to be able to market it as the product it is.

That's how we should be able to market ourselves.

We are not nicotine replacement therapy, we are not smoking,

we are an alternative to both and should be able to

They attract a broad range of customers at

their six stores across south Wales, with the traditional tobacco

and menthol flavours by far their best sellers.

I was spending about ?200 a month on cigarettes,

so the costs and the health implications as well.

I've been using it for around six months, I've never smoked,

With a cigarette you know what you're going to get,

With this you can have a different flavour every time you fill up.

The market for e-cigarettes, like the devices themselves, has

And research into the health benefits and harms continues.

A man from Swansea has appeared before Westminster Magistrates

26-year-old Lee Edward Griffiths is accused of having

bomb-making manuals, and instructions on

He's charged with five counts of possessing information which may

be useful to someone who commits, or prepares acts of terrorism.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey next month.

More inmates killed themselves in Parc Prison in Bridgend

and Swansea Prison between 2015 and 16 than in any other year

There was a record number of suicides in prisons in England

The UK Government says they're investing ?100 million

into the prisons estate and hiring 2500 more officers.

One of the last major army units based in Wrexham will move

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Battalion

at Hightown Barracks is being relocated.

The Army says it'll help staff transfer to alternative

But a campaign has been launched following concerns about how

We are its family, they are our family.

And it's like losing something from...

It's been depleted over the years, this, to me,

Opposition parties are demanding a full explanation as to why

the assembly was not told about the suspension of the man

who heads the patients' watchdog - the board

The Welsh Conservatives are accusing the Welsh Government of keeping

assembly members in the dark about what's happened to Tony

I'm passionate about making things happen.

That's what I see this new job, the new chief exec has been put

into place to make those things happen, to be a much more proactive

That's Tony Rucinski on the eve of becoming chief executive

of the body that describes itself as the independent

But seven months later he was suspended.

There was no announcement at the time, and nothing was said

publicly on the matter in the 11 months that followed,

by the board, the Welsh government, or Tony Rucinski.

We still don't know the reason for his suspension.

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives wants

the Health Secretary to explain why AMs here weren't told the board

It's hugely concerning that the chief executive, the most senior

official had been suspended for 11 months and there's been nothing put

The community health councils relied on

The Minister hasn't acted in the best interests,

the chair hasn't acted on the best interests

We don't know the reason for Tony Rucinski's suspension

but sources say there was tension between him

I've seen e-mails that show Tony Rucinski

raised concerns before his suspension that he was being stopped

He suggested the chair may have been influenced by

a meeting with a Welsh government minister.

Mutale Merril says she doesn't believe the content

and can't comment while due processes being followed.

It says Tony Rucinski's suspension is an internal matter.

11 months and there's no indication of when the problem

at the top of the patients watchdog will be resolved.

A film-maker inspired by migration and religious persecution has been

announced the winner of the coveted Artes Mundi contemporary arts prize

John Akomfrah was chosen for his "substantial body

of outstanding work" over a number of years, including his latest video

Born in Ghana, but now based in London, he says it's important

to have arts prizes outside the UK capital.

I wouldn't have done this if it was in London.

The whole point of being at Artes Mundi is

It started here, it's a space which says these questions are

important for us and we all come, this isn't my first time,

Tomorrow night we'll be catching up with Welsh boxer Lee Selby

as he prepares to defend his IBF world featherweight title

The 29-year-old from Barry fights Jonathan Victor Barros at the MGM

Speaking after his first public work-out, Selby says it's been

a dream of his to fight in the Mecca of boxing and he's fully focused

They follow me all around the country and the UK.

You know, they flew out to Vegas to support me.

They come to the pinnacle of the sport, we've worked

All we've got to do now is win on Saturday night.

Is this cold snap going to ease at all, Derek?

Yes, it will turn less cold in the next few days, eventually milder but

bitterly cold today for most of us, freezing in Tredegar. Up to seven

Celsius on Anglesey and stunning on Snowdonia, lots of blue sky and

sunshine. Most places dry tonight, patchy cloud, freezing fog on higher

ground, frosty in parts of the North West, stayed above freezing in

Pembrokeshire. Tomorrow this fog will let, the odd snow grain mixed

in but otherwise dry. It will brighten up, sunshine likely in

parts of Gwyneth and Conway. We have a warning of icy patches for

south-east England and East Anglia in the morning, the best sunshine in

Scotland, elsewhere brighten places but cloud increasing, rain spreading

into southern and western countries and temperatures will rise up to

nine in Plymouth. Dry for a time in Wales tomorrow but cloud increasing,

rain on the way in the afternoon, and misty and murky, part of the

North may stay dry until evening and temperatures a few degrees higher

than today. Tomorrow evening looks wet but that rain will clear after

the night, leaving one to showers, then on Saturday we have some dry

weather but showers as well, some heavy with hail and thunder possible

and a little snow on hills and mountains. There is a threat of rain

on Sunday but some uncertainty. It all hinges on this frontal system

which could be further south so turning less cold over the next few

days, milder next week but with some wind and rain on the way.

We'll be back in Breakfast with updates from around 6:25am tomorrow.