Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen Liberal Democrats

In response to the publication of the Tourism Strategy, Eluned Parrott AM has called for lessons to be learnt from previous failings to ensure that the downturn in tourism numbers is reversed.

Eluned Parrott, Welsh Liberal Democrat Minister for Business and Enterprise, said:

"Wales has seen a significant decline in tourism numbers over the last few years. Therefore it is essential that this new strategy identifies mistakes that have been made in the past. Given the importance of tourism to the Welsh economy and to Welsh jobs, it is vital that our tourism sector is allowed to thrive again.

The first phase of the campaign is a major apprenticeships drive. The party's ambition is to double the number of companies offering apprenticeships from 100,000 to 200,000.

Campaigning 'Action Days' will take place across the country tomorrow [Saturday], with MPs and local parties highlighting the work they and the party nationally are doing to help create jobs and apprenticeships in their local areas.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

Following the Education Minister's Statement on A and AS Levels today, Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for North Wales and Shadow Minister for Education in the Assembly said:

"I welcome the fact that we now have some clarity on the way forward for learners in Wales following the publication of the Review of Qualifications in November last year.

William Powell AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment and Sustainable Development, has used this morning's meeting of the Environment and Sustainability Committee to highlight the substantive gaps in the Welsh Government's progress in tackling the threat of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS), and call for further work to address them.

Responding to the publication of the 'Households below average income' statistics released today, Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Finance Minister, commented:

"These figures reflect the global downturn our nation is currently going through and shows the effect this is having on people living in Wales.

Measures to enhance consumer rights and make them easier to understand, which will boost the economy by £4 billion over the next decade, have been unveiled today by Consumer Minister Jo Swinson.

The proposals, outlined in the draft Consumer Rights Bill, streamline overlapping and complicated areas from eight pieces of legislation into one consumer Bill. They also introduce new rights for consumers and businesses. Currently consumers spend more than 59 million hours a year dealing with goods and services problems. This deregulatory measure will reduce the effort consumers and businesses have to make to resolve problems.

Under the draft Bill consumers will have the right to:

The Local Growth Committee will bring together the Secretaries of State from all the key economic departments, bringing together the ministerial groups previously chaired by the DPM on the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and City Deals. It will provide oversight across the local growth agenda to drive jobs and growth across England.

Potential agenda items include the implementation of the 1st wave of City Deals, signing off the 2nd wave of City Deals and allocation of RGF money. It is also likely to discuss the design and implementation of the Single Local Growth Fund and look at cases where infrastructure policy could impact upon particular localities.

The DPM will chair the committee with Chancellor George Osborne as deputy chair. Other members will include Vince Cable, Michael Gove, Eric Pickles, Ed Davey, Patrick McLoughlin and Danny Alexander. The Committee will meet on ad-hoc basis but intends to meet for the first time before the summer recess.

Nick Clegg will make the announcement at a dinner in Sheffield this evening marking the 100th anniversary of the discovery of stainless steel.

Responding to the news that employment in Wales has increased by 10,000 over the last quarter and that 32,000 more people are in work than this time last year, Eluned Parrott, Shadow Minister for Business and Enterprise, said:

"These figures are good news. As we all know, the economic climate across Europe has made life incredibly difficult, however the labour market in the UK has remained strong. Wales' unemployment rate is higher than England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but today's figures show that things are going in the right direction.

Responding the publication of the 'Wales Infrastructure and Investment Plan for Growth and Jobs', Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Finance Minister, commented:

"Barely a day in the chamber passes without the Welsh Labour Government complaining about the lack of resources available to them. Yet, as this report illustrates, funding from the UK Government is nowhere near as bad as the Welsh Government would have you believe. There is still scope to make a real difference to the lives of the people of Wales.

The long-awaited high quality Express Bus Service from Cardiff to Cardiff Airport, first promised by the Welsh Government in July 2009, will finally begin this August, First Minister Carwyn Jones announced today following pressure from Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Eluned Parrott.

Eluned Parrott AM said;