Nick Smith MP – Monthly Report – June 2025

16th June, 2025

Last week’s Spending Review was great news for Wales and the UK. Our Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced billions of pounds to boost our country, to invest in our public services, infrastructure and communities.

Thanks to a record £22.4bn per year settlement for the Welsh Government, we can ensure more money for public services and driving down Welsh NHS waiting lists, one of our core Labour pledges and something voters expect to see.

Among the other welcome news was :

£118m this Parliament to support the vital work to keep coal tips safe.
£445m into Welsh rail to right years of underfunding by previous governments and unleash Wales’ economic potential.
£211m in local growth funding.
£80m to secure the future of floating offshore wind to unlock thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of investment.

I spoke in the House following the Chancellor’s statement to thank her for the coal tip safety funding – being very welcome, particularly in light of the dangerous slip we saw in Cwmtillery last November, something I had previously raised with the Prime Minister. I also asked for the work to continue on putting things right for British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme pensioners.

More widely there were notable announcements around defence, with a £20bn increase in defence spending, a £2bn uplift for our security and intelligence agencies, an additional £280m per year for Border Security and a £30bn investment in the biggest rollout of nuclear power for half a century.

It was also announced that police spending power is being increased by an average 2.3% per year in real terms over the spending review period.

Rachel explained how the announcements were only possible because of the difficult choices that have had to be made.

I’m sure you will have seen the news that the Chancellor has expanded the eligibility of the Winter Fuel Payment so that any pensioner with an income of less than £35,000 will qualify for assistance again this year, after the tough decisions of last winter after inheriting a £22bn hole in UK finances.

The message this week is that Labour’s first budget was to fix the foundations, and now we have delivered a plan for investing in national renewal.

EU deals
In our election manifesto, we promised to deliver an improved relationship with our European partners and we have delivered.
Within two weeks, the Prime Minister secured what the last government couldn’t in eight years, new trade agreements that mean lower food prices, lower energy bills, stronger borders, defence and security and more.
This new deals show the difference a Labour government can make. There is more work to do but this is an important step in our mission to put more money in the pockets of working people and build our long-term stability and security.

New laws to tackle illegal off-roading
Another manifesto promise was our pledge to get tougher on illegal off-road biking in our communities, an issue that has become a menace on our hillsides and, increasingly, our roads and town centres.
Through the regional roundtable group I put together I’ve held many meetings with local police and landowners to discuss new ways to tackle this blight and so I welcome planned law changes that will give police stronger powers to deal with anti-social behaviour on off-road bikes, in cars and on e-scooters.
These include giving police the ability to seize and destroy vehicles after 48 hours instead of the current 14-day period and the power to seize any vehicles involved in antisocial behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning.
A consultation on this legislation is currently taking place, I have responded and I would encourage anyone who is interested in having their say to also respond before July 8: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/amends-to-legislation-on-vehicle-removal-storage-and-disposal

Defence
As a former member of the Public Accounts Committee I know better than most just how bad the previous government’s handling of defence spending was. Just two of the 49 major defence projects overseen by them were delivered on time and on budget.
I asked a question about improving the delivery of communication and defence kit and was pleased to hear the Minister confirm that our reforms will speed up and improve delivery to the front line, a big boost to our defence and security.
I wanted to make this point as General Dynamics is on our doorstep.

Cyber Defence
An absolutely vital element to keeping our country safe is cyber defence.
First class cyber-security is critical. It’s vital that we get talented young people into these roles, through courses such as the one I helped set up in Ebbw Vale, and the wider Cyber College Cymru programme I helped get off the ground. It was good to hear the Defence Minister reiterate our Labour government’s commitment to cyber-force recruitment in response to my question on the issue.
I also met with Coleg Gwent’s cyber course lead Kath Moffatt last week to talk about how we can improve and expand the course in the near future

Health
I was glad to attend the launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty and Wellbeing’s inquiry into UV safety.
There are 16,000 new cases of melanoma skin cancer each year in the UK, with 2,300 people dying from the disease. This inquiry will look at UV safety in the UK, focusing on issues such as the affordability and accessibility of UV products and increasing use and awareness of skin protection and provide recommendations to the Government.
The APPG is also inviting written evidence from the public, organisations, industry bodies and academics, by October 31.
If you are interested in submitting evidence, please email beautyappg@britishbeautycouncil.com for full terms of reference.

Surgeries
I’ve held surgeries in recent weeks in Garnlydan, Beaufort (where I was joined by Cllr Chris Smith) and Abertysswg (with Cllr David Harse).
My next surgery will be in Nantyglo on Friday, June 27 (4pm-5pm). If you would like to make an appointment, please get in touch by calling 01495 313167 or emailing nick.smith.mp@parliament.uk

Banking Hub
It was a pleasure to officially open Abertillery’s new Banking Hub. This is a permanent home for the service that has been operating out of Ebenezer Chapel, bringing together several major banks under one roof and offering services including the deposit and withdrawal of cash, paying bills, talking to an advisor from your bank and more.
A central banking hub is something that constituents have written to me about, and something I have been asking for, so I’m delighted to have this fantastic new facility in Abertillery town centre thanks to others who made this call.
This is one of the 150 plus new banking hubs that have opened so far, with Labour’s ambition being to ensure the opening of 350 over the next four years, to boost town centres and address the loss of high street banking. Now we have it, let’s make sure we use it.

Fochriw Primary
It was great to join Cllr Rob Chapman to meet with staff and student “Changemakers” at Fochriw Primary School to say a big well done on their National Nurturing Schools Award.
This is a testament to the nurturing culture at the school and how well looked after the children are.

Deri community event
What a fantastic event I had the pleasure of being invited to attend at Deri Community Centre.
The Darran Valley History Group unveiled two information boards which will be placed on the site of the former Groesfaen Colliery and there was a special showing of local artist Illtud David’s Groesfaen Saga painting, an important work in memory of all involved with the colliery, that hung in the Wales National Museum for many years.
Great to also see local schoolchildren who took part in a poetry and painting competition attending.

Volunteers Week
For Volunteers’ Week 2025 I popped in to Hilltop Log Cabin, Ebbw Vale to say a big well done to all the volunteers who do such a fantastic job at the One Life Autism Support Group. This is a fantastic place that supports so many families in the area, not just by providing advocacy and support but through its community food cupboard and even pet therapy in its peaceful garden area.
Well done all. This is a great example of the sort of brilliant work being done by volunteers across Blaenau Gwent & Rhymney week in, week out.