A report explored what employers and young people in Wales thought were the barriers to, and opportunities for, pursuing careers in non-traditional occupations.
Source: Vanessa Beck, Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin, Employers, Young People and Gender Segregation (Wales), Working Paper 29, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
An audit report said there were generally high standards of financial management by central government in Wales: but changing demands and increasing budgets required further improvements.
Source: General Report of the Auditor General for Wales 2005: Financial audit of central government bodies in Wales, Wales Audit Office (029 2026 0260)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAO press release
Date: 2005-Jun
The Welsh Assembly Government responded positively to a report by a committee of the Assembly on economic inactivity in Wales.
Source: Welsh Assembly Government's Response to the Economic Development and Transport Committee's Report, 'Economic Inactivity in Wales': Cabinet statement, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Response (Word file) | Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
An analysis was published showing public expenditure as a proportion of national income for each region and country in the United Kingdom. The proportion was found to vary considerably between different regions and countries, from 32.6 per cent in the south east of England to 67.0 per cent in Northern Ireland. London had the highest proportionate level of spending on transport, Wales had the highest level of spending on sports and culture, while the north east of England had the highest spending on health.
Source: Douglas McWilliams, How Public Money is Spent in Each Region and Country of the UK, Centre for Economic and Business Research (020 7324 2850)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
The Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act was given a second and third reading, and received Royal assent. The Act unified the ombudsman service in Wales.
Source: Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 4 April 2005, columns 1138-1156, TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 6 April 2005, columns 1511-1519, TSO
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes | Hansard (2nd) | Hansard (3rd) | WAG press release
Date: 2005-Apr
A report by a committee of Welsh Assembly members said that the evidence in support of a people-based approach to problems of economic inactivity was overwhelming, and strongly endorsed it as the basis for helping people into work. It recommended that programmes should focus on overcoming the internal barriers faced by individuals.
Source: Economic Inactivity in Wales, Economic Development and Transport Committee/National Assembly for Wales (029 2089 8429)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Apr
The Welsh Assembly government announced a code of practice designed to protect the rights of new staff joining organizations delivering public service contracts. Not only would staff transferring from the public sector to another organization retain their terms and conditions, but any staff later recruited would also be employed on a package that was overall no less favourable.
Source: Press release 18 March 2005, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: WAG press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs welcomed the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill. It said that the Bill, if enacted, would make significant improvements to the Ombudsman service in Wales.
Source: Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill [HL], Third Report (Session 2004-05), HC 234, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Feb
The Welsh Assembly Government published a new programme of action for improving skills, designed to achieve a high-skill, high-employment economy in which all individuals fulfilled their potential.
Source: Skills and Employment Action Plan for Wales 2005, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2005-Jan