Press Releases

Press Releases - 2009

December

MP Visits Lido Fire (17/12/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, this morning visited the scene of the Afan Lido fire to thank the staff of the centre and the emergency services for the prompt and professional action they took last night.

MP welcomes Clean Air Decision (15/12/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the European Commission’s decision to refuse extra time for the UK to achieve its anti-pollution targets.

Dr Hywel Francis MP welcomes support for pensioners in pre-budget report (09/12/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon welcomed the Pre-Budget Report and the Government’s continuing support for pensioners and the announcement of a 2.5% increase in the basic state pension.

Dr Hywel Francis MP is a parliamentary friend of The Anthony Nolan Trust (09/12/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis showed his support for those needing lifesaving bone marrow transplants on Tuesday 8 December by becoming a parliamentary friend of The Anthony Nolan Trust.

MP and AM Call for Public Inquiry (08/12/2009)
Aberavon’s MP Dr Hywel Francis and its AM, Dr Brian Gibbons have jointly called for a public inquiry into the plans for the wind farms at the head of the Afan Valley.

November

MP backs British Legion Manifesto (27/11/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has given his full backing to the Royal British Legion’s General Election Manifesto.

MP’s success in rail campaign (12/11/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has claimed a significant progress in his campaign to improve access to Port Talbot Parkway railway station today for people with disabilities and other rail users.

October

Energy Minister Praises Young People’s 'Green' ideas (24/10/2009)
Energy Minister, Ed Miliband MP on a recent visit to Port Talbot praised local young people and the local steel plant for enthusiastically embracing green ideas and green strategies.

Community Hero welcomed in 10 Downing Street (19/10/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis escorted Julie Dawkins from the Gateway Club in Port Talbot to No. 10 Downing street to meet the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown MP and Sarah Brown.

Dr Hywel Francis, Aberavon MP warns: “Don’t write off people with autism” (15/10/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP is backing a National Autistic Society (NAS) campaign to stop adults with autism being written-off by the employment and benefits system.

MP Hails Rail Petition Success (05/10/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has been overwhelmed by the public support for his petition to improve public access to Port Talbot Railway Station.

September

MP Welcomes Child Trust Fund Payments for 7 Year Olds (29/09/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has welcomed the first payments made this month to 7 year olds through the Child Trust Fund.

MP thanks Guardian for its community service (25/09/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has issued a statement thanking the Neath Port Talbot Guardian and its journalists for its service to local communities.

MP welcomes Peace Day (23/09/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the recent International Day of Peace and Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s proposed peace initiative at the United Nations.

MP Demands Better Access to Rail Station (22/09/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis is launching a campaign to improve the access to Port Talbot Railway Station.

MP Praises Local School (22/09/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has recently visited Dyffryn Comprehensive School in Port Talbot and has praised the high standards achieved by staff and pupils.

MP praises Help Centre (18/09/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis recently visited the new Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre in Port Talbot.

MP concerned about the benefits system and carers (09/09/2009)
Aberavon MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Carers’ Group, Dr Hywel Francis has expressed his concern regarding the vulnerable position carers are facing because of the confusing and complex system in accessing state benefits and employment support to which they are entitled.

MP Rejects Government’s Power Plant Decision (04/09/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has expressed his disappointment with the Government’s decision to reject Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council’s request to revisit the planning permission regarding the proposed biomass power plant at Port Talbot Docks.

August

Dr Hywel Francis MP says "Never Again" (03/08/2009)
In the 80s and 90s, long term youth unemployment went up and up. During these tough times Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis is determined that we don't lose a generation of our young people to unemployment or lost opportunity because of the global recession.

July

Changing Places toilets available in the UK (15/07/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP joined Mencap and the 11 times Paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson to call for an increase in the number of Changing Places toilets available in the UK.

MP Visits Local Primary School (09/07/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis recently visited Ynysmaerdy Primary School to talk about his work in Parliament.

MP visits Centenarian (07/07/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis recently paid a visit to Mrs Minnie Aitken of George Street, Port Talbot, who celebrated her 100th birthday.

Aberavon Politicians on Memory Walk (07/07/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis recently attended the Memory Walk on Aberavon Promenade to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.

June

MP welcomes Armed Forces Day (28/06/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the Government’s decision to hold the first ever Armed Forces Day and praised the Prime Minister’s initiative to welcome veterans to Downing Street recently.

MP welcomes carers’ support (12/06/2009)
Vice-President of carers UK Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed a new service for carers in Neath and Port Talbot.

MP praises winning Quins (10/06/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis recently attended the Aberavon Harlequins Celebration Dinner at Dylan’s in Cwmavon to congratulate the Club and all their players on the most outstanding season in their history.

Aberavon MP welcomes the return of the South Wales Boat Show (09/06/2009)
I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone who takes a visit to this year’s South Wales Boat Show at Margam.

Aberavon MP supports Usdaw’s National Spotlight Day: helping working parents claim benefits they are due (05/06/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP today gave support to the shop-workers’ union Usdaw’s National Spotlight Day to highlight the Benefits due to working parents and to give renewed support to the pledge to end child poverty by 2020.

Aberavon MP Calls for Recognition for Local Carers (05/06/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, sponsor of the successful 2004 Equal Opportunities Act, is backing this year’s Carers Week (8-14 June) in support of local carers, who are among the 6 million people in the UK who provide unpaid care for a loved one who is frail, ill or disabled.

Aberavon MP Lends His Support to 'Time to Get Equal Week' (03/06/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis has given his backing to Time to Get Equal Week, Monday 8th - Sunday 14th June.

May

Local MP calls for greater recognition for the UK’s six million carers (22/05/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis has teamed up with TV and radio presenter Jonathan Dimbleby to support this year’s Carers Week (8-14 June), and celebrate the contribution made by those people in Aberavon and throughout the UK who provide unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled.

Aberavon MP Welcomes National Minimum Wage Rise (21/05/2009)
It has been ten years since Labour introduced the National Minimum Wage here in the UK. It is easy to forget how groundbreaking its introduction was.

MP to meet constituents (20/05/2009)
It is my intention to publish all my expenses as early as is legally possible, once the Parliamentary authorities have cleared them.

Aberavon MP Keen to Help Tackle Problems Faced by Mobile Phone Users (19/05/2009)
Local MP, Dr Hywel Francis is working with new consumer rights champion, ‘Consumer Focus’ to challenge problems encountered by mobile phone users.

MPs press Prime Minister on carers' benefits (06/05/2009)
This afternoon a delegation of MPs met Prime Minister Gordon Brown to urge him to make improvements to carers’ benefits. Carers UK also attended the meeting and presented carers’ concerns directly to the Prime Minister.

April

MP supports ten years of the National Minimum Wage (21/04/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP for Aberavon has given his support to the celebration of the tenth birthday of the Labour Government’s introduction of the National Minimum Wage.

MP Praises Epilepsy Group (02/04/2009)
Port Talbot Epilepsy Group has been successful in obtaining a grant of £5,000 from Awards for All (Wales) Fund to help towards a summer holiday for members of the Group.

March

MP Praises Firefighters (27/03/2009)
Aberavon MP Hywel Francis visited the scene of the major fire at the Baglan Industrial Park to thank the firefighters for their prompt and professional action in dealing with what could have been a very serious incident.

Aberavon MP Visits Thriving Kenfig Plastics Company (24/03/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis, recently visited the Plastic Packaging Company, RPC Tedeco-Gizeh at the Kenfig Industrial Estate.

MP claims victory for local visually impaired people (17/03/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has claimed victory in his campaign to get more support to local people who are visually impaired.

MP backs No Smoking Day! (02/03/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis is supporting the National No Smoking Day for March 11th by urging community and individual initiatives to encourage the quitting of smoking.

February

Aberavon MP Backs New Autism Law (25/02/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has brought the first ever autism law a step closer for local people affected by the condition, by supporting a Bill currently going through Parliament.

MP Praises Local Company on Successful Business Contract (17/02/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP recently visited cable manufacturer, Excel Assemblies based at Baglan Moors, to congratulate them on securing a contract to provide complex wiring systems as part of Bombardier's contract for 1,738 new underground cars on the Jubilee Line of the London Underground.

MP Backs Clean Air Charter (13/02/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis, who has campaigned for a local Clean Air Charter, today backed Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council's 'Clean Air Charter'.

MP Visits Successful Port Talbot Company (13/02/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has recently been visiting local companies and businesses to gauge the impact of the current economic downturn.

Aberavon MP Urges Small Firms to Sign Up For Government Contracts (10/02/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP is encouraging small firms in Aberavon to sign up to the Government's Supply2.gov.uk website and to take advantage of the thousands of Government contracts available.

Aberavon MP Calls for Celebration of Community Respect and Tolerance (09/02/2009)
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis, has called on local churches, businesses and community organisations to join a public campaign to celebrate our cultural and community diversity and to oppose racial intolerance.

Aberavon MP Welcomes Support Package for Businesses and Households in Wales (06/02/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP has welcomed the Government's introduction of a number of measures to offer assistance to businesses and citizens in light of the current economic situation.

Aberavon MP urges Community Organisations to enter £6 million award as deadline draws near (04/02/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP is today supporting community organisations in Aberavon by encouraging them to enter a major new initiative for not-for-profit organisations.

January

Aberavon MP Welcomes £60 Cash Bonus for Local Pensioners (29/01/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis today welcomed a new £60 cash boost for pensioners in his Aberavon constituency which will be paid with their pension.

Community Leader at Number 10 (28/01/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has recently visited Number Ten Downing Street at the invitation of the Prime Minister along with a community leader Saifur Rahman of Port Talbot.

Aberavon MP welcomes local Olympic success (28/01/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis who is chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee has congratulated Rhino Doors of Port Talbot on winning an Olympic contract.

MP calls for action to support steel communities (26/01/2009)
Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis has urged joint Government, Employers and Union action to support steel workers, their families and their communities following the announcement of 2500 job losses in the British steel industry.

Aberavon MP signs Holocaust Book of Commitment (16/01/2009)
Dr Hywel Francis MP recently showed his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, in honour of those who perished in the Holocaust.

Aberavon MP asks constituents to 'Stand up to Hatred' (14/01/2009)
Today, Dr Hywel Francis MP showed his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to honour those who perished in the Holocaust.

Aberavon MP Pledges Support for Children's Charity (01/01/2009)
Dr. Hywel Francis, MP for Aberavon, recently joined staff and volunteers of the charity React (Rapid Effective Assistance for Children with potentially Terminal illness) at a drop-in session, hosted by MP Susan Kramer, at the House of Commons in Westminster.

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