VISITOR CHARGE: A tourism tax in Wales moved a step closer today as Senedd members discussed the Bill at its third and final stage.

The Visitor Accommodation Bill proposes that people staying overnight in Wales will pay 75 pence per night for staying in hostels and campsites, and £1.30 for all other accommodation.

Local councils will decide whether to charge the levy, and the money raised will support local tourism activity and infrastructure.

SUMMER CRUELTY: RSPCA Cymru revealed today an expected surge in cruelty cases during the summer months. The charity revealed 1,884 reports in Wales last year, with 13 out of 22 counties showing a rise.

In addition, across Wales there has been a rise in the number of cruelty reports, with 6,391 last year. Wildlife has suffered as well, with two men given a 12-week suspended prison sentence for setting dogs on a badger sett.

WELFARE PLEA: Plaid Cymru MPs voting against the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill today encouraged Welsh Labour MPs to join them.

The Welsh nationalists point out that because of the higher levels of disabled claimants in Wales, the country will be disproportionately impacted by the Westminster government’s proposed welfare cuts.

Plaid said Labour’s panicked changes to the Bill will penalise those who become disabled in the future and will create a two-tier system.

999 CHANGES: Welsh ambulance workers today welcomed a change to how the most serious emergency calls are dealt with after a new purple category was introduced for people suffering from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. 

But the GMB union warned that this would not resolve the ongoing issue of ambulances being unable to respond to other calls if they are stuck outside hospital with a patient who cannot be offloaded due to lack of capacity. 

Cardiac arrests were previously categorised in the same way as less critical problems like breathing difficulties.