Due to the web designer being on holiday this site will only slowly develop into the website of your MP.  It should be sorted by the end of the month but until then blogging will be sporadic.

On a more positive note I went to my first engagement as the Aberconwy MP on Friday attending the re-launch of Llandudno Community Radio at Ty Hapus.  A great initiative which I have been proud to be associated with for months it was a pleasure to be able to accept this particular invitation as my first in the new job.  I will also be undertaking my first constituency surgery next Friday.  Since our new offices are awaiting telephone lines any interested parties wishing to make an appointment are advised to call 01492 583743 for the time being.

Guto

We as a party have worked in the interest of the country – will the Liberals do the same?

Guto

Dyma boster newydd y Ceidwadwyr.  Reit dda'n tydi. 

In general terms there has been a real term decline in Gross Value Added from agriculture, forestry and fishing and hunting in the UK since 1997.  The figures are as follows;

£million

In 1997 the Welsh Agricultural Economy was punching above our weight with our share of the UK agricultural sector standing at around 6.3% compared to our 5% share of the population. 

As a result of ten years of Labour rule (and eight years of the Assembly) Wales has accounted for some 60% of the entire decline in the size of the Agriculture sector in the UK.

Wales now accounts for less than 2.2% of the UK Agricultural Sector.  These figures confirm once again that the Labour Government and the Assembly Government in Cardiff have presided over a decline in the rural economy in Wales which is unprecedented.  Is it any wonder that rural areas continue to lose young people, services and schools?

Guto

Mewn termau cyffredinol cafwyd lleihad mewn termau real yn y ffigyrau ‘Gross Value Added’ o’r sector amaeth, coedwigaeth, pysgota a hela yn y DU ers 1997.  Y mae’r ffeithiau fel a ganlyn;

£miliwn

Yn 1997 yr oedd yr economi wledig yma yng Nghymru yn gwneud yn well na’r disgwyl gydag ein canran o’r sector mewn termau Prydeinig yn 6.3% mewn cymhariaeth a chanran Cymru o’r boblogaeth, sef 5%. 

O ganlyniad i ddeng mlynedd o lywodraeth Lafur (ac with blynedd o fodolaeth y Cynulliad) y mae Cymru wedi bod yn gyfrifol am 60% o’r cwymp ym maint y sector amaeth o fewn economi Prydain.

Y mae Cymru bellach yn gyfrifol am ychydig llai na 2.2% o’r Sector Amaeth ym Mhrydain.  Y mae’r ystadegau hyn yn cadarnhau fod y Llywodraeth Lafur ynghyd â Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yng Nghaerdydd wedi llywodraethu dros gyfnod o gwymp sylweddol ym mherfformiad yr economi wledig yma yng Nghymru.  A yw’n syndod o gwbl fod ardaloedd gwledig yn parhau i golli pobl Ifanc, gwasanaethau ac ysgolion mewn sefyllfa o’r fath?

Guto Bebb

Heb os y mae y farchnad rydd yn rym cadarnhaol o fewn cymdeithas ag economi.  Gan amlaf y mae amaethwyr ymysg y cryfaf o'r rhai sy'n genfogol i 'rym y farchnad'.  Y broblem gyda'r archfarchnadoedd oedd datblygiad cynyddol pwerau monopolistaidd ymysg y bedair archfarchnad fwyaf.  Heb os y mae'r hanesion a glywir gan gynhyrchwyr bwyd ac amaethwyr yn awgrymu fod yna gamddefnyddio'r pwerau hyn a hynny mewn ffordd sy'n groes i'r cysyniad o farchnad rydd.

Yn hynny o beth felly yr wyf yn croesawu cyhoeddiad Nick Herbert y bydd y Ceidwadwyr yn creu ombwdsman ar gyfer sicrhau fod ymddygiad yr archfarchnadoedd yn deg a chytbwys yn y dyfodol.  Da gweld fod Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru ac Undeb Cenedlaethol yr Amaethwyr ill dau wedi croesawu'r cyhoeddiad.

Amongst the policy initiatives announced by the Conservative Party since the 1st of January I was pleased to see this one.  I have to admit to having a soft spot for the farming community with my memories of living on a farm near Llansannan in the mid '70s being amongst the happiest of my childhood. 

Whilst I am a strong advocate of the free market and the positive impact of free markets on society I do have a degree of sympathy with farmers and food producers when they complain of a relationship between food producers and supermarkets which is simply not equal.  In effect the claim is that the power afforded to the supermarkets by their huge purchasing power has resulted in monopoly style practices in their dealings with food producers and farmers.

As such I welcome Nick Herberts announcement of an ombudsman to monitor the way in which those supermarkets deal with their producers.  It is good to note that both the Farmers Union of Wales and the National Farmers Union have both welcomed the proposals.  

Guto

Y mae'r Pwyllgor lleol fu'n gyfrifol am lwyddiant ysgubol y Sioe yn haeddu pob clod a mawr hefyd yw fy niolch i aelodau Plaid Geidwadol Aberconwy fu'n cynnal y stondin drwy'r dydd.

The Eglwysbach Show was my destination today and I joined thousands of locals and visitors to enjoy the sunshine.  Following the rain affected 2008 event and the foot and mouth curtailed Show of 2007 it was great to see the Show in it's full glory today.  My campaign team had arranged a stand which was attractive, welcoming and more importantly busy all day.  I enjoyed the opportunity to meet and greet all day although my efforts to persuade a lady from Rhos on Sea to vote Conservative means that David Jones MP owes me one!

The volunteers who arranged the Show deserve applause and respect whilst I'm personally very grateful for the efforts of the members of the Aberconwy Conservative Party who supported me all day. 

GUTO BEBB