Opinion: Everyone will benefit from proposed new Bills
They include standards for visitor accommodation, a ban on greyhound racing, simplified planning laws and greater accountability for Senedd Members.
Meanwhile, new laws to end profit from the care of looked-after children, and to transform bus services in Wales, have already passed into law.
Sticking with transport, local authorities can now apply for a new £110 million fund to improve local transport.
One of the projects set to benefit is for Llanidloes schools – to make it easier, safer and more pleasant for children to walk, wheel and cycle.
Funding is also available for organisations across Wales to develop Smart Local Energy Systems.
The £10 million Ynni Cymru grant scheme forms part of Wales' ambitious goal to generate 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035.
Wales has the most generous offer for UK learners at £40 a week – to help with costs such as transport and materials. The income threshold has been raised, meaning even more learners will be eligible this year.
In other news, the government has set out plans to help farmers boost nature in our National Parks and National Landscapes.
The £1.8 million Ffermio Bro scheme will provide practical support and dedicated funding for nature-friendly farming.
At the same time, a new scheme aims to build a healthier and more resilient food system for Wales.
The Community Food Strategy will connect Welsh producers with consumers – to strengthen local food systems, support community-led food projects and encourage healthy eating.
Have you seen the video of the wild beaver on the Dyfi? After a 400-year absence, there are now four managed beaver enclosures in Wales, with an unknown number living in the wild. Fantastic!
Of course, the health of our rivers is paramount to these majestic creatures.
At the Senedd, I recently spoke on the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations.
While the causes of river pollution are not limited to any one sector, agriculture remains one of the main contributors.
The latest independent review of water quality in Wales recommends a crack-down on polluting activities, while reducing burdens on low-risk farming, and supporting innovation in farming practices.
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North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Commissioner: Close loophole allowing children to access online pornography
But a spokesperson added there are no plans to ban tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs) despite England's Children's Commissioner describing this as 'absolutely a loophole that needs closing'. VPNs can allow users to disguise their location online and Dame Rachel de Souza, in a new report published this week, has said the Government must ensure children are not able to use these tools to avoid the age-check process. The Government has previously said that while VPNs are legal in the UK for adults, under the Online Safety Act, platforms have a 'clear responsibility to prevent children from bypassing safety protections', including blocking content that promotes VPNs or other workarounds specifically aimed at young users. Dame Rachel de Souza told BBC Newsnight: 'Of course, we need age verification on VPNs – it's absolutely a loophole that needs closing and that's one of my major recommendations.' A Government spokesperson said: 'Children have been left to grow up in a lawless online world for too long, bombarded with pornography and harmful content that can scar them for life. 'The Online Safety Act is changing that. Let's be clear: VPNs are legal tools for adults and there are no plans to ban them. But if platforms deliberately push workarounds like VPNs to children, they face tough enforcement and heavy fines. We will not allow corporate interests to come before child safety. 'This is about drawing a line – no more excuses, no more loopholes. Protecting children online must come first.' Dame Rachel's latest report on the issue of online pornography and young people's access to it found that the proportion of children saying they have seen pornography online has risen in the past two years, with most likely to have stumbled upon it accidentally. Dame Rachel said her research is evidence that harmful content is being presented to children through dangerous algorithms, rather than them seeking it out. She described the content young people are seeing as 'violent, extreme and degrading' and often illegal, and said her office's findings must be seen as a 'snapshot of what rock bottom looks like'. The report, a follow-on from research by the Children's Commissioner's office in 2023, found a higher proportion (70%) of people saying they had seen online pornography before turning 18, up from 64% of respondents two years ago. The other recommendations in her report included that online pornography should be audited to ensure it meets the same content requirements as offline pornography; the depiction of non-fatal strangulation must be 'outlawed comprehensively'; and there should be a recruitment drive for specialist RHSE (Relationships, Health and Sex Education) teachers and support for teachers to deliver the curriculum. The research for her report was done in May, ahead of new online safety measures coming into effect last month, including age checks aimed at preventing children from accessing pornography and other harmful content.
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Commissioner: Close loophole allowing children to access online pornography
But a spokesperson added there are no plans to ban tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs) despite England's Children's Commissioner describing this as 'absolutely a loophole that needs closing'. VPNs can allow users to disguise their location online and Dame Rachel de Souza, in a new report published this week, has said the Government must ensure children are not able to use these tools to avoid the age-check process. The Government has previously said that while VPNs are legal in the UK for adults, under the Online Safety Act, platforms have a 'clear responsibility to prevent children from bypassing safety protections', including blocking content that promotes VPNs or other workarounds specifically aimed at young users. Dame Rachel de Souza told BBC Newsnight: 'Of course, we need age verification on VPNs – it's absolutely a loophole that needs closing and that's one of my major recommendations.' A Government spokesperson said: 'Children have been left to grow up in a lawless online world for too long, bombarded with pornography and harmful content that can scar them for life. 'The Online Safety Act is changing that. Let's be clear: VPNs are legal tools for adults and there are no plans to ban them. But if platforms deliberately push workarounds like VPNs to children, they face tough enforcement and heavy fines. We will not allow corporate interests to come before child safety. 'This is about drawing a line – no more excuses, no more loopholes. Protecting children online must come first.' Dame Rachel's latest report on the issue of online pornography and young people's access to it found that the proportion of children saying they have seen pornography online has risen in the past two years, with most likely to have stumbled upon it accidentally. Dame Rachel said her research is evidence that harmful content is being presented to children through dangerous algorithms, rather than them seeking it out. She described the content young people are seeing as 'violent, extreme and degrading' and often illegal, and said her office's findings must be seen as a 'snapshot of what rock bottom looks like'. The report, a follow-on from research by the Children's Commissioner's office in 2023, found a higher proportion (70%) of people saying they had seen online pornography before turning 18, up from 64% of respondents two years ago. The other recommendations in her report included that online pornography should be audited to ensure it meets the same content requirements as offline pornography; the depiction of non-fatal strangulation must be 'outlawed comprehensively'; and there should be a recruitment drive for specialist RHSE (Relationships, Health and Sex Education) teachers and support for teachers to deliver the curriculum. The research for her report was done in May, ahead of new online safety measures coming into effect last month, including age checks aimed at preventing children from accessing pornography and other harmful content.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Urgent warning to close ‘loophole' within online age checks
England's children 's commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has urged the government to prevent children from using virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass age verification on pornography websites. Her new report reveals a rise in children accessing online pornography, with 70 per cent of respondents having seen it before age 18, up from 64 per cent two years ago. The report highlights that 59 per cent of children and young people encountered pornography online accidentally, suggesting harmful content is pushed by algorithms rather than sought out. VPNs allow users to mask their location, enabling them to circumvent age checks introduced by the Online Safety Act on adult content platforms. While the government states VPNs are legal for adults and will not be banned, it warns platforms that promote workarounds for children will face severe penalties and fines.
