16/04/2014 BBC Wales Today

Korean ferry capsized. That's all

Welcome to Wales Today. Our top story.

This nursery is doing good business - as unemployment falls again in

Wales, what's the big picture when it comes to the jobs market?

There aren't many jobs around. This was an opportunity of a lifetime

here. I had to snap it up. The UK and Welsh governments both

claim credit for the improved jobs figures - we're in Wrexham to see if

people here are optimistic about the labour market.

Our other headlines. Food for hungry families - the

number of people receiving emergency food from food banks has more than

doubled this year. Malcolm Green would probably have

lived had it not been for a breach of duty by medical staff at

Withybush Hospital. They come for our castles - the

number of tourists coming here on holiday from the rest of the UK is

on the up. I am in Tenby taking the temperature

of the tourism industry ahead of the big Easter getaway.

Good evening. Unemployment has fallen again in Wales, but there are

concerns that the jobs being taken are low paid, offering too few

hours. According to the latest figures, over 100,000 people here

are out of work. That's 6,000 fewer than the last quarter. That means

6.8% of us are unemployed - lower than the rate across the UK. That

stands at 6.9%. The UK and Welsh governments have welcomed the news

but unions say the labour market here is far from healthy. Our

business correspondent Brian Meechan is in Wrexham this evening.

This is the Wrexham Lager Brewery. It was started up two and a half

years ago and has just taken on a new employee. It has huge expansion

plans and it hopes to be taking on even more employees. I have spent

the last few days going around Wrexham talking to businesses.

Wrexham has a higher rate of implement than both the UK and Welsh

averages but when it comes to pay, it is similar to the rest of Wales.

Workers earn around ?4000 a year less than the average employee in

the UK. It has been a tough few months for the Wrexham economy. 230

people lost their jobs at First cat promo in October. December saw

another blow with the news that another 600 jobs would go at the

electronics manufacturer, Shark. They were 140 under threat at the

start of the year at Kellogg's. Local people in Wrexham say job

losses affect the whole town. Lisa Howard manages a nursery in Wrexham.

We are lucky that none of our parents work for any of the

companies that have closed down because that would have an impact on

us as a provider of childcare. It is taking on new staff. The competition

for jobs is tough. Misery had fully qualified teachers applying for

minimum wage jobs. There has not been many jobs around so when this

opportunity came, an opportunity of a lifetime, I had to snap it up

because there is nothing here. I am pretty grateful. The concern has

been that many of the manufacturing jobs being lost will be replaced by

lower skilled, poorer paid, less secure work. The trend is for Wales

to be in the service sector. There are over a million people employed

in that sector. But we have got very buoyant tourism, leisure. Unions

have also raised objections to people being offered zero hours

contracts with AI not guaranteed work and under employment with

people have jobs are not doing as many hours as they want or need. A

lot of employers talk about the need for flexibility. If you have a new

contract which requires you to produce 107 more product next week

or next month than you did last month, you need to increase your

workforce very rapidly. But that might not be sustained work going

forward. As with much of Wales, Wrexham has traditionally relied on

manufacturing, but it is now usually cheaper to make goods abroad so if

they can't be the cheapest, they have got to be the best. The Wrexham

-based Moneypenny employs 250 people providing telephone reception for

businesses. When it advertised for further job it had a thousand

applicants. You have got to continue to change. The people and the

economies that have really benefited are the ones that have accepted that

change is going to happen and they roll with it. A new employee is one

of those who has changed careers. Have the strength to do it and the

belief in yourself that no matter how long you have been working in

one type of career, you can have a change and still be successful in

that career. Some of the themes we often hear

talking to businesses about the economy and how it is changing. For

example, we hear that there has got to be an upscaling. People have got

to be willing to train for different careers. But they also have to have

support from the Welsh government, they also need support from

businesses who need to be investing in order to delivering the

manufacturing we still can deliver. But also embracing other parts of

the economy and other sectors of the economy, for example services.

Last week the Prime Minister called Wales the UK capital for jobs

growth. This is what the UK and Welsh governments had to say about

today's figures. We know that this confirms a trend

that has been in place for some months now and it shows that Wales

is outperforming the rest of the UK. Lower unemployment than England and

historically that has been very unusual. It shows that what we are

doing as a Welsh government is helping. A year ago, when Wales was

lagging badly behind the rest of the UK, they blamed the UK government

entirely and said it did nothing to do with us. Now Wales is doing well,

suddenly they are rushing forward to take the credit. The truth of the

matter is, we are working well in partnership, the two governments

must work together in partnership in order for Wales's economy to

succeed. David Blackaby is a Professor of

Economics at Swansea University. We've just heard the politicians'

views there. Who should we credit? It is confirms that create jobs. Bad

policy can destroy jobs. We know in Wales in terms of labour market

policies, we have the jobs growth fund which has been very

successful. The work programme in the UK has been less successful.

These programmes usually only make small differences but the Welsh

government seems to make a positive impact on the Welsh economy. We have

heard concerns from the TUC that there are concerns about zero hours

contracts but if you are 22 and you want a job, a job is a job is a job.

We know you've unemployment is still over 20% which is far too high. It

is important that we get unemployment down. It has economic

costs but also social costs because people's health are affected, heart

disease, mental health are all badly affected. It is important that we

get people into work. In Wales we have people in low jobs which is a

concern and that may be the next policy we need to introduce. We have

just seen the picture in Wrexham and lots of well, high-end manufacturing

jobs lost. The concern is that those kind of jobs are not being replaced.

We have been losing manufacturing jobs since the 1970s so it is

nothing new. We still have more people employed in manufacturing in

Wales than in the rest of the UK and the recent increases are probably

related to manufacturing jobs. These jobs have grown over the last year

more quickly in Wales than the UK but there is a downward trend in

manufacturing. A major business park near Bridgend

which is home to Sony has been bought by the Welsh government in a

bid to attract new businesses and jobs. Several other life science and

technology companies are also located in Pencoed Technology Park,

which is just alongside the M4. It's been sold for ?12.3 million.

Another referral to the food bank. This time a woman who has three

children to feed. It is an emergency. In the last six months,

the food bank has held more than 350 people. 40% of them children. Across

Wales, almost 80,000 received food. That is more than double the figure

for the previous 12 months. All people in need and here they say it

is very often a short term need. The majority of our clients don't come

back more than once. They might come back once or twice until their

problem is sorted. It is not to meet a long-term situation. We don't want

to encourage a dependency culture. James works as a volunteer and

recently he has had to look for help himself. I put in for a claim of

benefits eight weeks ago and I have had one payment in the eight weeks.

For six weeks I have not had any money whatsoever. It came to a point

on Friday where I had been ill and suffered depression where I came

back to the Salvation Army and use a food bank. If you speed to those who

run food banks, the word you keep on hearing is crisis. For so many

people, any financial cushion they have had disappeared during the

recession so when a problem strikes, even buying essentials can become

impossible. At the cathedral, they run another of the food banks now

open in Wales. They find many to return for help time and again. The

biggest cause is welfare changes. The bishop is among those speaking

out today. We need to ask why there are so many people dependent on

others. We need to look at the way the welfare system is running. There

are lots of things that are feeding into the crisis. That word crisis

again. A crisis for those in need, certainly, although the UK

government questions today's figures. It says the numbers are

falling. A businessman from Haverfordwest who

died at Withybush Hospital following a routine operation would probably

have survived had it not been for a breach of duty, an inquest has

heard. Malcolm Green passed away in 2012. The Hywel Dda Health Board has

already apologised to his family and says an investigation has been

carried out. Cemlyn Davies reports. Malcolm Green was a fit 82-year-old

businessman who was awarded the MBE for services to the community. He

died at Withybush Hospital a few days after undergoing a routine

operation to remove a tumour from his: . Today his sons heard how

their father would probably have lived had it not been for what was

described as a breach of duty. His operation took place on June 26,

2012. Buying for 30 AM the following morning, there were indications

something was wrong. His blood pressure had dropped significantly.

But it was some hours before medical staff realised he was bleeding

internally and he was prepared for emergency surgery. That operation

did not get under way for another three hours. He died three days

later. This morning, this independent expert said he thought

the death was more likely than not aggravated by gross failure to

provide basic medical attention in the face of obvious need. The

professor of surgery told the inquest he believes that if Malcolm

Green had undergone surgery to stem the bleeding before 1015, the

multi-organ failure he suffered would have been avoided and he

probably would have survived. The Hywel Dda Health Board has

apologised to the family, acknowledging that on this occasion

the level of care provided fell below the acceptable level. The

health board says steps have already been put in place to ensure these

failings do not happen again. The coroner will deliver his inclusion

in due course. -- conclusion. Much more to come before seven

o'clock. Wednesday down the gym - we'll be

investigating claims that a government funded drug-testing

service is being exploited by steroid dealers.

And it's been another beautiful day but there is a change on the way. A

full forecast coming up. The number of tourists visiting

Wales from the rest of the UK is on the rise, according to a nationwide

survey. Figures for last year show that nearly ten million people

travelled to Wales despite a dip in the number of trips across the UK as

a whole. Our reporter Sachin Krishnan is soaking up the sunshine

in Tenby this evening. You join me on a very nice evening

in Pembrokeshire. Just over my shoulder you can see one of the

local tourist attractions. You get a real sense of just how much the

tourism industry is at the heart of much of what happens in this town.

Plenty of people will be interested in the survey which has been

published today and following those results they will be hoping they are

a good sign of things to come. Preparing for another wave of Easter

visitors, this hotel is one of those fixtures of Tenby hospitality. Chris

Osborne is the third generation of his family to run the hotel and in

his time in charge he says he has seen plenty of ups and downs in its

fortunes. There has been a phenomenal change over the last 15

years. They used a bug for a week or two but now it is a day at a time.

The results of the Great Britain tourism survey which looks at people

from the UK visiting other parts of the UK appears to show Wales

punching above its weight. But in a UK trend of falling figures, 9.9

million people came here last year. A rise of 3.4%. And the amount of

money they spent was ?1.7 billion, another rise, this time of 7%. On a

visit to a brand-new leisure and restaurant development in

Saundersfoot, the economy minister said those within the UK tourism

industry had at their game in recent years. The important thing is the

level of quality of experience we now offer in Wales. This is a

beautiful new project, we can look at the quality of the building, the

beautiful views, and this is what people want. A successful tourism

industry does not just affect those who provide the hotel rooms or run

the restaurant. This is a deli in Tenby town centre and a large

percentage of what they sell is produced locally so would be a

success as well as that of their suppliers is very much tied into the

town. Tenby as a whole is just tourist -based. It is very quiet

after season. It comes alive during summer and Christmas and the deli

now is really pushing for the summer trade. As far as tourism goes, Tenby

holds true for many places across Wales. It needs the visitors to come

to be successful and just as important is providing an experience

that means they will come back again and again.

Picking up on that last point, if you have ever driven to this part of

Wales, you will be familiar with the a 47/7, a notorious stretch of road

in the past -- Alpha 427. Today, the hope is that by improving the travel

experience, it will mean people are encouraged to come to praise is like

Saundersfoot and Tenby -- A477. A man who knocked down and killed

two cyclists in a stolen car while being followed by police has been

jailed for ten years. Reading Crown Court heard how Alexander Farrar

Walters, who's originally from Grangetown in Cardiff, was two and a

half times over the drink drive limit. At a previous trial for fraud

in Cardiff, Mr Walters was described as a career criminal who had forged

a fantasy life. Nick Palit reports. This was Alexander Farrar Walter at

18 back in 2001. Here at Merthyr Crown Court, he was sentenced to two

years custody after phoning a bomb hoax to Heathrow Airport. He made

that call just days after the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States.

Not long after he served that sentence and he was back in court

again, this time at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting 15 counts of

fraud and two of theft. He'd tried to fly first class to Australia on

forged tickets and funded other lavish holidays with false cheques.

The judge here at Cardiff Crown Court jailed him for three years and

told him at 21 he'd already forged an interesting career in crime. But

his defence team said his offending was partly due to his upbringing. He

was brought up in a Soviet orphanage before being adopted by a Welsh

vicar. The judge told him he was intelligent enough to do something

better with his life but today he was back in court facing his most

serious offences to date. This afternoon, at Reading Crown Court,

he pleaded guilty to seven counts, including two charges of causing

death by dangerous driving. Cyclists John Morland and Kris Jarvis were

killed in the village of Purley on Thames after Walters ploughed into

them in a stolen BMW convertible. Tonight, this adopted son of a Welsh

vicar is beginning a ten year sentence.

A fire at a recycling plant on the outskirts of Cardiff last month is

being treated as arson. The blaze in Wentloog went on for five days after

more than 2,000 tonnes of plastic and wood were set alight.

The Welsh government has insisted a drug-testing service it funds isn't

being exploited by steroid dealers. Wedinos is run by Public Health

Wales and is designed to tackle the increase in new psychoactive

substances, better known as legal highs. But now there are concerns

steroid dealers are using test results from Wedinos to market their

product. Here's our political reporter, Paul Martin.

Working hard to maintain a Peak physique. This woman has never used

steroids to Elba chinos many who have. I think it is a growing

problem. I train in lots of different gyms all over South Wales

and you can tell by the shape of the people and the size of people. Men

like the thickness of the muscle and that is what it gives them. It is a

quick fix. Anabolic steroids are prescription only. It is not illegal

to possess them for personal use but they are a class C drug so dealing

them is a criminal friends. The maximum sentence is 14 years in

prison. Regular use of steroids can cause serious side effects like

infertility, high blood pressure, heart attacks, aggressive behaviour

and mood swings. Since its launch last year, the Wedinos lab, designed

to test legal highs, has received around 800 samples. Several results

showed steroids have been tested and now there is concern it is being

exploited by steroid dealers. Wedinos is being referred to

regularly on Internet body-building forums as a place to get steroids

tested. One contributor says his dealer told him, we will be sending

in one tab every product we make to Wedinos. And there are other

examples. Another person says he bought a steroid because it checked

out on Wedinos. And this example, I am praying Wedinos test the sample.

It looks as though people are using this to endorse the quality of their

products and that can cause significant harm to those people who

then take those products. Although this website was established with

every good intention, I think it is starting to go fishing. But when

drugs charity is said Wedinos is right to test whatever it receives.

If somebody has been given a substance which they feel they are

using for whatever reason, they should have the same level of access

to test what they are taking. The Welsh government and Public Health

Wales say Wedinos does not report on substance purity and its

accessibility helps get harm reduction messages to those most at

risk. Welsh swimmer Jazz Carlin claimed

her second title of the British Championships in Glasgow last night

as she won the 400m freestyle, having already triumphed in the 800m

freestyle. Carlin, who's based in Swansea, says it was an emotional

night as she bid farewell to her coach, Bud McAllister, who's leaving

to work in Australia. I feel really emotional. It is

really hard to hold back the tears because I feel he has really

developed to me. It is when you have that special relationship with a

coach, you can make magic, you can do great things in the pool and I am

so grateful that I have had him for seven years.

With Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens failing to qualify for the

World Championships, in tomorrow's programme, we will be asking, is

there a crisis in world snooker? Wales was once a leader in the game

but now with a decline in fewer clothes -- close, we will be

investigating tomorrow. The sun is shining. Will it last to

the weekend? Derek's down by the river.

It's a lovely evening. Unfortunately it's not going to be as nice as this

tomorrow. There is a change on the way. Nothing major but you will

notice a difference. A front is heading south and that will bring

cloud, spots of light rain and drizzle. But it's only a blip

because more sunshine is on the cards for Good Friday and Saturday.

This evening, dry and fine with increasing cloud. Late in the night,

thicker cloud will bring drizzle to the northwest. Elsewhere dry and not

as cold as recent nights. The lowest temperature around four Celsius.

Tomorrow will not be as nice as today. A bright start in the

southeast. Elsewhere will be cloudy. A little rain and drizzle dying out

as it moves south-east. Becoming dry and brighter during the afternoon.

Cooler than today, especially on the north and west coast. Top

temperatures of 11 to 15 Celsius with a breeze. Tomorrow evening, the

odd shower in the north otherwise a dry night. The cloud clearing and a

colder night. A widespread ground frost in the countryside with the

odd mist patch. The chart for Good Friday shows a ridge of high

pressure over the UK and that means settled weather. So the forecast for

Friday is good. Any morning mist will clear, leaving a dry day. Lots

of sunshine with a few clouds. Temperatures rising to 13 Celsius

with light winds and sea breezes. Saturday will be another dry day. A

sunny start with cumulus clouds building-up as temperatures rise.

The high around 13 Celsius with a light to mod breeze. Sunday may

start dry and bright in the west but then go downhill with low pressure

and rain spreading west across the country. The wind picking-up as

well, making it feel cold. So, Good Friday and Saturday the best days of

the Easter weekend if you're planning a picnic, BBQ or a trip to

the sea side. It could change but at the moment it looks like an umbrella

will come in handy on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. So, a change

tomorrow, much cloudier with spots of rain dying out. A fine start to

the holiday weekend but the signs are it won't last.

Tonight's headlines. A ferry carrying hundreds of schoolchildren

has capsized and sunk off the coast of South Korea. 164 people have been

rescued by almost 300 are still missing. Five are confirmed dead but

that number is expected to rise considerably.

Unemployment has fallen again in Wales. 102,000 people are out of

work. That is 6000 fewer than the last quarter.

I'll have an update for you here at 8.00pm and again after the BBC News

at 10.00pm. That's Wales Today. Thank you for watching. Have a good

evening.