The Carwyn Connect event will give local people the opportunity to meet the First Minister and ask him questions on any issues which affect them or their local community.

The session will take place between 6pm and 7.30pm at Pen yr Heol Comprehensive School (Gorseinon, SA4 4FG).

People are encouraged to register their interest in attending the free event: Register your interest.

Questions can be asked in a number of ways – they can be submitted when people arrive at the venue when doors open at 5.30pm, in advance via email cabinetcommunications@wales.gsi.gov.uk or via Twitter using @fmwales with the hashtag #carwynconnect.

First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said:

“Over the past year, I have travelled across the country to hear the views of local communities and answer the burning questions of the people of Wales.

“I am pleased to announce the next event will take place in Gorsienon. I want to see as many people as possible at the event, so if you have a question for me, want to raise issues affecting your community or have a great idea to make your home town a better place to live, come along to the event.

“A wide variety of topics have come up in previous events – from questions about hyper-local issues, to discussions about broad Government policy.  

“This is your chance to meet and speak with me in person. I’m really looking forward to meeting you all.”

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to reports that the
Government is considering taking direct control of Govia Thameslink, said:

“Reports
suggest that the Government is finally recognising what Labour has been saying
for over a year: that Southern is failing passengers and taxpayers and should
be stripped of their franchise.

"It is wrong that passenger fares and taxpayer subsidy that should be used
to improve services and hold down prices are siphoned off to fill the coffers
of train operating companies who are providing a disgraceful service.

"There’s no need for the Government to prolong the suffering of Southern
passengers any longer. Private rail isn’t working: it’s time for the Tories to
admit defeat and take Southern back under public control as a public service.”

The annual report of the Chief Adjudicator, Ms Shan Scott, to the Secretary of State for Education, covering the period 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016, is published today (26 January 2017). The report records the progress made by admission authorities in England in complying fully with the School Admissions Code and on the first year of operation of a new timetable for the determination of arrangements by admission authorities and for making objections to those arrangements.

In her report, Ms Scott states that the new timetable for admissions is to be welcomed and serves parents well.

Concerns about admission arrangements continue to make up the largest part of the work of the Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) and accounted for 200 of the total of 238 new cases of all types referred to OSA.

The Chief Adjudicator has included a number of main findings and recommendations in her report. These take account of the changing school landscape, including the growth in the number of academies and multi-academy trusts. In particular, Ms Scott recommends that the Department for Education consider whether:

• guidance might be provided to admission authorities on how to maximise the benefits of feeder schools in terms of continuity of education and shared work across schools, while ensuring that the selection of feeder schools does not cause unfairness to other local children
• guidance might be provided to multi-academy trusts to ensure that the responsibility for determining admission arrangements is clearly set out and reflected in schemes of delegation to local governing bodies as appropriate
• to bring forward proposals for local authorities to have a duty to co-ordinate all in-year admissions

The Chief Adjudicator said:

In this, my first annual report as Chief Adjudicator, I have been particularly pleased to be able to welcome the benefits of a new timetable for admissions and to recognise some good practice seen by adjudicators in the course of our work as well as having to draw attention to some failures to comply with what the law requires. The number of cases referred to the OSA was lower than in recent years with objections about admission arrangements continuing to form the largest part of our work. More objections came from parents than from any other group.

I am grateful for the work done by adjudicators, our administrative staff and legal advisers, and for their support. The OSA aims to consider each case referred to us impartially, honestly and objectively and in full accordance with the legislation that governs our powers and duties and I am confident that all my colleagues have done everything possible to meet that aim. I am confident too that in their dealings with parents, schools, academy trusts, religious bodies, local authorities and others, adjudicators and OSA staff appreciate how important the matters raised are to those concerned and that they deal sensitively and fairly with all.

1. Read the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/osa-annual-report.
2. Ms Shan Scott was appointed as an adjudicator in 2013 and to the post of Chief Adjudicator on 4 April 2016.
3. There are currently 8 adjudicators, including the Chief Adjudicator. All are part time and paid only for the work they are asked to undertake.
4. Adjudicators resolve differences over the interpretation and application of legislation and guidance on school admissions and statutory proposals concerning school organisation.
   • In relation to all state-funded schools, adjudicators:
     • rule on objections to and referrals about determined school admission arrangements
   • In relation to local-authority-maintained schools, adjudicators:
     • decide on requests to vary admission arrangements
     • resolve disputes relating to school organisation proposals
     • resolve disputes on the transfer and disposal of non-playing field land and assets
     • determine appeals from admission authorities against the intention of the local authority to direct the admission of a particular pupil
5. The Chief Adjudicator can also be asked by the Secretary of State to provide advice and undertake other relevant tasks.
6. The Office of the Schools Adjudicator is a tribunal and until its abolishment in August 2013 was supervised by the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council. Once published, decisions can only be challenged through the courts.
7. Adjudicators do not deal with complaints from parents whose child has not been offered a place at a particular school.

Public Health England (PHE) has today, 26 January 2017, published a comprehensive review of the evidence on the drug misuse treatment system in England. In comparison with other countries and the international research, it shows the system is performing well but some areas need improvement. Some of the findings include:

• 60% of all opioid users are in treatment – among the highest reported internationally
• 97% of all users start treatment within three weeks, which compares favourably with other countries
• there is a very low rate of HIV infection among injecting drug users (1%) in England

The two areas where treatment in England is not doing so well are the number of drug-related deaths, which is estimated to continue to rise, and the numbers continuing to use opiates/heroin after starting treatment.

Although fewer people are using drugs than 10 to 15 years ago, an increase in hospital admissions and drug-related deaths indicate that drug-related harms are increasing. The evidence suggests this increase is largely among a small but growing number of vulnerable, older entrenched heroin users, with poor physical and mental health.

The evidence shows that drug treatment alone is often not enough. Social factors are important influences on treatment effectiveness. Those in decent housing, employment and with good social networks are more likely to recover and remain drug-free. Effective integrated services are important to success.

Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing at PHE said:

Our review highlights the many benefits of drug misuse treatment for individuals, families and communities. But there are challenges ahead.

Local areas increasingly have to meet the complex needs of older long-term heroin users, often in poor health, with other problems particularly housing, poor social-networks and unemployment, which are vital to successful recovery.

Services will also need to be flexible, ensuring appropriate treatment to those seeking help for the first time, particularly with emerging issues such as new psychoactive substances or the problematic use of medication.

With every £1 spent on treatment yielding a £2.50 saving on the social costs of drug misuse, it makes sound sense for local authorities to continue to invest – helping people get their lives back on track and fully contributing to society.

PHE also published the first annual report on individuals receiving specialist treatment for drugs and alcohol misuse in prisons and other secure settings, following the successful implementation of the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) in these estates.

The data will improve our understanding of the way that treatment is delivered in secure settings and will be a valuable resource for policy makers, commissioners and service providers. This data will now act as a baseline against which future activity and performance will be measured.

Sarah Newton, Minister for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism said:

Recovery remains a vital part of this government’s approach to tackling drugs and reducing their devastating impact.

This review shows progress is being made and sets out the benefits to individuals, their families and the communities in which they live of high quality tailored drug treatment, which can help reduce crime.

The government will continue to act to reduce the harms caused by drugs, setting out our approach in our forthcoming drugs strategy.

• Read Evidence review of the outcomes that can be expected of drug misuse treatment in England
• Read Secure setting statistics from the NDTMS 2015 to 2016
• International comparisons found England to be performing well:
  • relatively low rate (0.25%) of all 15 to 64 year olds in the population are injecting
  • the rate of drop out from treatment before 3 and 6 months (18% and 34%) is comparable to the literature (28% on average)
  • The rate of Hepatitis C infection (50%) is lower than several other countries with available data
• Treatment in England is associated with a marked reduction in convictions (47%) among those retained in treatment for 2 years or who successfully completed treatment
• New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) misuse remains a threat, particularly in prisons. New patterns of drug use and health risk behaviour are also becoming established, including injecting NPS and ‘chemsex’, drugs used alongside high-risk sexual behaviour

Official statistics

Review reports

Public Health Matters blogs

For more information contact: