Nick Smith MP – Monthly Report – June 2026

Social Media
Questions about children’s online safety and their use of devices and social media have come up so many times in recent years, both nationally and here in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney. It is an issue I hear about regularly, and have taken an interest in asking about during visits to local schools.

This recent consultation on a social media ban for under 16s has been one of the largest of its kind, with more than 100,000 people responding. Among parents, 89% supported introducing a legal minimum age for social media, and of those, 96% agreed it should be set at 16.
This clearly reflects just how widespread concerns have become about the impact that social media and devices have on children and young people.

In response, the Prime Minister has today announced plans to ban social media companies from offering services to under-16s, alongside wider protections to limit children’s exposure to harmful content and features.

Keir Starmer spoke about what many parents are already saying: that children are being drawn into “a cycle of endless scrolling” which displaces time for play, sleep and family life, and can have a real impact on their mental health.

These measures build on earlier proposals requiring technology companies to strengthen safeguards on devices, including blocking children from accessing or sharing explicit content by default, while still allowing adults to do so through age verification.

As a former Campaign Manager for the NSPCC, this is an issue I take a particular interest in. I have been listening carefully to views locally.

I know this isn’t a black and white issue and I have also heard directly from young people about the positive role the online world plays in their lives, whether through socialising, gaming, learning or organising activities with friends.
But it is clear that something needs to be done to address the fast moving world of social media and technology and the impact it is having on our children. They deserve to feel safe and happy, away from the pitfalls of constant scrolling, online bullying and social media pressures.

Getting Young People Into Work
This month, we began the next phase of rolling out our Jobs Guarantee, a major programme designed to help more young people into employment.

Across the UK, around one million young people are currently not in education, employment or training. In response, UK Labour is investing

£2.5bn in employment and skills support to help young people access new opportunities and build successful careers.

Here in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, we have already seen the introduction of new Youth Hubs, providing tailored advice, training and support to help young people prepare for work.

The expanded Jobs Guarantee builds on this by offering eligible 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit, and actively seeking work for 18 months, a guaranteed six-month paid job.

Alongside this is also the Youth Jobs Grant which will provide employers with £3,000 for every eligible 18 to 24-year-old they take on, with participants receiving ongoing support to help them succeed in their roles and hopefully move into sustained employment.

Too many young people have been left behind with no way of getting a foot on the ladder. This investment from UK Labour will help ensure more of them can gain valuable experience, develop their skills and secure the jobs they need to build their future.

Businesses interested in taking part can find out more at business.gov.uk/recruit

Helping Families Make the Most of Summer

The summer holidays can be an expensive time for families, which is why I welcome the Government’s new Great British Summer Savings scheme, which aims to help families enjoy days out and activities at a lower cost over the school holidays.

From 25 June to 1 September, VAT will be reduced from 20% to 5% on a range of family attractions and children’s meals, helping to make summer activities more affordable while also supporting local businesses.

I hope families across Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney are able to take advantage of the scheme and make the most of the opportunities available over the summer months.

Audit Wales Report Confirms Failings in E-Harley Contracts

Audit Wales has now published its final report into the E Harley GP contracts, and its findings make for sobering reading.

The report concludes that Aneurin Bevan University Health Board allowed a single provider to take on too many GP practices too quickly without properly assessing the risks involved. It found that business planning was inadequate, financial pressures were not sufficiently tested and appropriate safeguards were not always in place.

The consequences were felt by patients in Brynmawr, Aberbeeg, Tredegar and Bargoed. Many local people raised concerns as problems emerged, and this report confirms that those concerns were justified.

While Audit Wales acknowledges that the Health Board has made improvements since these events, including stronger procurement processes, enhanced monitoring arrangements and more robust checks on providers, it is clear that significant lessons have had to be learned. The report highlights the need for stronger business cases, better financial scrutiny, improved due diligence and clearer performance measures when contracts are awarded.

Patients rightly expect decisions affecting local healthcare services to be properly scrutinised and risks fully understood before contracts are signed. The findings of this report show that this did not happen in this case.

The focus now must be on ensuring these lessons are embedded across the Health Board so that similar failures are not repeated. Above all, patient care must always come first.

Driving Tests

Many constituents have contacted me about the long waits learners are facing to book driving tests, with delays continuing to affect them years after the backlog caused by the pandemic.

Following concerns raised by local residents and a driving instructor in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, I used a recent session in the House of Commons to ask the Government what action is being taken to reduce waiting times, increase examiner capacity and address concerns around the booking system.

The Government confirmed that 120,000 additional driving tests have been made available, examiner training capacity has been doubled and action is being taken to tackle bots and the resale of test slots.

New measures introduced in May mean that only learner drivers can book and manage their own tests, helping to prevent third parties from buying up appointments and reselling them at inflated prices. Additional restrictions on changing bookings and switching test centres are also intended to make the system fairer and ensure more tests are available to genuine learners.

Learning to drive can open up opportunities for work, education and training, particularly in communities where public transport options are limited. I will continue to press for further progress until waiting times are reduced and learners can access driving tests more quickly.

HiVE College Campus

It was great to visit the HiVE college campus in Ebbw Vale. We are incredibly lucky to have this on our doorstep, offering fantastic opportunities for learners to move into the field of high value engineering.

This has been made possible thanks to significant investment, including £10.8 million from the UK Government and £4.8 million from the Welsh Government’s Tech Valleys programme.

It’s particularly encouraging to see the increased focus on working with local businesses, enabling students to complete degrees on campus alongside apprenticeships.

I was also really pleased to hear about the outreach work with local primary and secondary schools, helping to inspire the next generation and spark interest in the jobs of the future.

Staff and I also had a valuable discussion with Kanishka about the growing role of AI, what it means for future jobs and how it connects to cyber defence and security, an area of increasing importance to both our economy and national resilience.
The visit highlighted not only the exciting work taking place at the Cyber Hub, but also the strength of the talent being developed here in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney. It was excellent to see students sharing their achievements directly with a minister responsible for shaping the UK’s approach to AI and online safety.

Business Visits
During the month, I visited a number of local businesses.
In Roseheyworth, I met the team at Base Handling Products, a family business with roots stretching back more than four decades. From its local base, the company designs and manufactures specialist handling equipment for the food and pharmaceutical sectors, supplying customers across the globe and working with some of the world’s leading brands.

I also visited Pulse Safety Solutions, a business founded by a local former firefighter which has grown into a respected provider of safety training and rescue services. The company is helping organisations operate safely in challenging environments while demonstrating how successful businesses can be built and expanded from within our communities.
At Steelcore Engineering in Brynmawr, I heard how two former employees took the initiative to establish their own engineering business and have since built a thriving company providing skilled employment opportunities locally. We also discussed opportunities to support apprenticeships and create pathways into engineering careers for young people in the area.

Bankhouse Care Home

I was also pleased to be invited to visit Bankhouse care home in Garnlydan to see the big improvements that have been made by the new management team.

The home’s most recent inspection was outstanding, and now has a perfect 10 out of 10 rating on CareHome.co.uk, a turnaround that has placed Bankhouse among the highest-performing care homes in the UK.

It was lovely to speak with the staff and so nice to hear them talk about what an honour it is to care for residents. It was also especially nice to speak with resident Jeanette Jones, who knows my family in Tredegar. We had a chat about her dad Cyril Davies, a coal merchant who worked in the town. 

Surgeries

Thank you to Cllr Mark Evans and Cllr Eluned Stenner for joining me at my recent advice surgery in Brithdir. It was also good to hold a busy surgery in Beaufort recently, giving local residents the opportunity to raise issues, ask questions and discuss concerns.

My next surgery will take place in Rhymney on Friday, June 26 (4pm – 5pm) alongside Cllr Carl Cuss, followed by a surgery in Cwm on Friday, July 3 (4pm – 5pm) with Cllr Derrick Bevan.

If there is an issue you would like to discuss, or if there is something I may be able to help with, please contact my office to arrange an appointment.

01495 313167

nick.smith.mp@parliament.uk