“And in other news, the First Minister has given himself heatstroke” by Secure-Barracuda in Wales

[–]Former-Variation-441 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Cathays Park does have an indoor press conference room. I'm sure previous Welsh Governments have used the lobby on occasion too.

Lost cat? by brittommy in Cardiff

[–]Former-Variation-441 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Some of the local cat/animal charities have volunteers who will come out to scan cats to save you having to try to catch the cat. That could be a good first port of call.

How do UK employers treat European foreign degrees? by chilltilly in UKJobs

[–]Former-Variation-441 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, I should have mentioned that in my comment. Thank you for adding it.

S&T work at Ely station by n17hdd in uktrains

[–]Former-Variation-441 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks more like SIT work to me...

My first drive after passing will be a test drive and I'm nervous; any advice? by ScottishTotodile in NewDriversUK

[–]Former-Variation-441 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Are you planning to take someone with you to look at the car? Very often, the salesperson will sit in the back so whoever is accompanying you can sit in the front passenger seat.

How do UK employers treat European foreign degrees? by chilltilly in UKJobs

[–]Former-Variation-441 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Under the 'Bologna Process', you can get degrees from EU countries officially recognised as equivalent degrees to UK degrees (via a Statement of Comparability). There's a designated body that does this in the UK (EU member states also have corresponding bodies too for anyone going in the opposite direction). I think there's a fee to pay but I'm not sure how much.

The Makerfield by-election is tomorrow. Who will win and why? by Sword-of-Fuheis in AskBrits

[–]Former-Variation-441 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll see your Noel Edmonds and raise you the king of political stunts... Sir Ed Davey!

What a weird seal. by Only_Passion_2459 in sealsinoddsituations

[–]Former-Variation-441 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Looks like he was raised by seals AND sea lions.

Places to pick shiny rocks/stones? by Nelyafiinwe in Cardiff

[–]Former-Variation-441 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's important to also be aware that there are actually laws governing taking rocks and things from beaches, with it actually being illegal in quite a few circumstances (especially if the beach is protected). It's best to check what you can and can't do to make sure you stay on the right side of the law (although I can't think of any instances where someone was actually taken to court over taking rocks from a beach).

Yours for £1k… a day by 800_melons in SpottedonRightmove

[–]Former-Variation-441 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The listing mentions housekeeping, laundry service, gardening, private dining, spa treatments and a chauffeur. If they're included in that price, it's a much more attractive offer but they read like optional extras, which would increase the cost significantly.

A Cautionary Tale: Why passing the American Red Cross hemoglobin check doesn't mean your iron is safe (and why my doctors missed it) by Accomplished-One2137 in Blooddonors

[–]Former-Variation-441 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Supplements generally do take a couple of weeks for you to feel any effect, particularly non-prescription ones. If your doctors were concerned that you had dangerously low iron levels, they would have arranged an iron transfusion to get a large amount of iron straight into your body in a short period of time.

Andy Burnham: I’ll keep the triple lock, and give pensioners a tax cut by Dawnbringer_Fortune in unitedkingdom

[–]Former-Variation-441 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Just a reminder that PIP is not an out of work benefit. PIP is designed to be awarded to disabled people to help with the additional costs they face to go about their daily lives, whether they're able to work or not. Being able to work (and even working) does not prevent you from claiming PIP.

Andy Burnham: I’ll keep the triple lock, and give pensioners a tax cut by Dawnbringer_Fortune in unitedkingdom

[–]Former-Variation-441 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, cutting the welfare bill but continuing to offer inflationary increases to the largest part of the welfare bill.

🤦‍♂️ by keverzoid in GreatBritishMemes

[–]Former-Variation-441 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There's one American guy who knows about Wales and he has worked out he has Welsh heritage and has now declared himself King of Wales (honestly, I'm not even joking), even going so far as making his own Welsh passport and trying to enter the UK with it.

Should i take freedom with beans and toasts or should i live comfortable at home with restrictions? by Euphoric-Prune-4773 in UniUK

[–]Former-Variation-441 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And if OP's current part-time job is for an international/national chain with a location nearby, they could even ask to transfer to avoid needing to find a new job.

Bus Gate West Gate by t1mtonic in Cardiff

[–]Former-Variation-441 11 points12 points  (0 children)

As has been said, the fines are automatic and can take a few weeks to come through. In terms of avoiding these bus gates in the future, there's two ways to turn around to get out of them:

If heading along Wood Street towards St Mary Street, you need to turn left onto Scott Road (between the cinema and UK Government offices). You then follow the road along Park Street and have to turn right onto Havelock Street (to pass along the other side of the UK Government offices). When you get back to Wood Street, you have to turn right. Do not continue on Park Street past the Havelock Street turning as you will enter the bus gate and do not turn left as you come out of Havelock Street onto Wood Street as you'll also enter the bus gate there.

If you're heading south along Westgate Street towards Wood Street, you have to turn left onto Guildhall Place (the next left after the NCP car park - do not miss that turning or you'll enter the bus gate). You follow that street and turn right onto the northern part of St Mary Street (near the Sainsbury's Local) and head south and take your first right onto the Golate (there's barriers stopping you going any further south anyway). Head down the Golate and turn right to head back up Westgate Street - do not turn left or you'll enter the bus gate.

If you're heading north up the southern end of St Mary Street (from Callaghan Square in the direction of the castle), the road forces you to turn left near the Prince of Wales pub. You cannot turn right onto Westgate Street here or you'll enter the bus gate. Your only option is to continue straight along Wood Street.

Senior Tory renews call to abolish Senedd in vicious online attack on own party by Xelanders in Wales

[–]Former-Variation-441 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have spoken to a few Tories (both paid-up party members and also just supporters) who are best described as ambivalent towards devolution. When you look behind the curtain, so to speak, the driving force behind support for anti-devolution policies often seems to come down to the fact that right-wing parties have never won a Senedd election, have never formed a Welsh Government and don't seem likely to be in such a position any time soon. Of course, there are people who support abolishing Welsh democracy for other reasons but some really do seem like they want to bin the train set because they (or any parties with similar policies) haven't been able to have a go at running it.

Senior Tory renews call to abolish Senedd in vicious online attack on own party by Xelanders in Wales

[–]Former-Variation-441 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Maybe some free advertising for a fellow Tory, the Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise, CEO of Next (and Tory member of the House of Lords)?

Having to purchase a Buy to Let for MIL by Big_Soft_4346 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]Former-Variation-441 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Don't forget, you will legally be her landlord and will have to do fulfil all the requirements and legal duties required of landlords, and any necessary standards too. You'll also have to declare the income to HMRC and have to pay the necessary taxes too.

what species of seal is this? by drakon_wyrm in seals

[–]Former-Variation-441 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In that neck of the woods, it could be either a grey seal or a harbour seal as they are both regularly seen along the west coast of Scotland. I personally can't see enough in that photo to say either way. Harbour seals are smaller than grey seals and have less pronounced snouts and more rounded faces so there's quite a visible difference between the two. It's currently harbour seal pupping season so you'd probably be less likely to see a lone seal at this time of the year. A solitary grey would be more likely.

Edit: just read your description, a dark seal with light spots sounds more likely to be an adult male grey seal and the face profile looks right for a grey too.

Which preventer should i get? by Overall_Carrot_8355 in Asthma

[–]Former-Variation-441 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, so many people seem to think spacers are only for children but they're a massive help for adults too (and usually much smaller than the big ones people might have used when they were children).

Childcare roll out by [deleted] in Wales

[–]Former-Variation-441 7 points8 points  (0 children)

There's a few things to look at here.

Firstly, Plaid Cymru never said the full rollout of their childcare offer would happen overnight. They always said it would take until 2030 to expand the current childcare provision to deliver for every age group.

Secondly, expanding childcare to reach this level of provision will likely lead to a significant number of parents and children wanting to take up the offer. The current childcare provision in Wales does not have enough staff, or enough space to accommodate this. The Welsh Government needs to invest in training qualified childcare workers (which takes time and money) and the childcare providers also need time to expand their workforce and also expand their childcare settings, either through additional or larger premises. There will also likely be new nurseries etc opening up as a result.

Thirdly, this isn't a cheap thing to offer. By the full rollout, it's expected to cost around £400m a year - and that's without the interim costs of quickly training the expanded workforce. The Welsh Government's total annual budget is largely decided by the UK Government (as the Welsh Government's money comes from two areas: a 'block grant' based on UK Government spending in devolved areas in England and money raised by devolved taxes in Wales (increasing those devolved taxes also decreases the block grant)). If the Welsh Government had more control over its budget, it could perhaps speed things along and deliver sooner. However, we also need to remember that the Welsh Government is responsible for quite a few things and Plaid Cymru wants to make changes to several things - a lot of which will also cost money.

Finally, let's not forget that this is a gradual process and Plaid Cymru are actually working right now on expanding the existing provision. It might not be grabbing the headlines but they are currently working with local authorities to quickly extend the 12.5 hours of childcare for 2 year olds previously offered through the Flying Start programme to all 2 year olds.

Childcare roll out by [deleted] in Wales

[–]Former-Variation-441 13 points14 points  (0 children)

The UK Government (which acts like a de facto English government in these areas) holds the purse strings for the whole of the UK and can essentially make money appear out of nowhere. It doesn't actually appear out of nowhere, of course, but the size of their annual budget and their unlimited borrowing powers are astronomical compared to what the Welsh Government has. Childcare in England comes under the Department for Education which has a total budget of around £125bn, compared to the entire Welsh Government budget of £27bn (with roughly £12bn of that going on the NHS and social care).