The Newport West constituency candidates are:

Rosemary Butler, Labour

I take pride in the knowledge that the benefits of Labour's ambitious policies for Wales are nowhere more apparent than in this constituency.

The massive redundancies at Llanwern had a devastating effect on Newport, leading to further closures and job losses. But we have reached the turning point. A new feeling of optimism is in the air, due in large part to the support our city is receiving from the Labour led Assembly.

As widely reported, Newport is about to benefit from a multi-million programme aimed at securing sustainable quality jobs in an improved, more attractive, environment that will encourage investment from prospective employers while providing us all with a better quality of life.

Much of the funding for this urgently needed project is made up of money secured by the Assembly from the European Union as well as the Assembly's own regional assistance grants. In addition, generous funding from the Assembly is enabling Newport to enjoy one of the lower council tax rates in Britain.

What else has the Assembly done for you, your family and friends? A full answer would fill a page of the Argus. May I highlight just a few points.

*Health: We still suffer from years of Tory under-funding but opinion polls confirm that people are now seeing the improvements resulting from the Assembly's extra spending on health. Additional doctors and nurses are in place and many more are being trained. Recent investment includes £6 million to improve services at the Royal Gwent and St Woolos hospitals. And don't forget Labour's pledge to abolish all prescription charges.

*Education: More teachers, fewer infants in large classes, free milk for over 1,100 Newport schoolchildren, the Assembly learning grant for less well off students and new school buildings for St Joseph's High School in Newport West - all resulting from Labour's policies.

The Assembly has also provided: *The Community First programme directing massive funding towards some of the more needy parts of Wales including Bettws, Duffryn, Gaer, Maesglas, Pillgwenlly and the Stow Hill area here in Newport West.

*Free bus passes for the disabled and everyone over 60 years of age.

*And, of course, over £1 million towards the conservation of Newport's mediaeval boat. This is just part of a fine record of solid achievement. Forget the carping...the Labour led Assembly is good news for Newport West.

*l Also standing in South Wales East Region

William Graham, Conservative

THE National Health Service problems have been a most striking feature of my daily correspondence, following my lecture at the National Assembly in May 1999.

Daily I am contacted by people, particularly those of pensionable age who are waiting for over 200 weeks for an initial appointment to see the consultant. These waiting times are not only confined to orthopaedics, where they were officially recognised as being in crisis, they extend to almost every field of medical care. Waiting lists tend to overshadow the more worrying incidents of cancelled operations, particularly for children when early surgery would greatly improve their quality of life.

During my most recent visit to St Woolos Hospital, I noted that wards were full of people who should be discharged into the community or to a residential home, who were unfortunately blocking beds needed for surgical care.

I will pledge to maintain adequate funds for the National Health Service but ensure that decisions are made by doctors and nurses who are aware of the problems in the Royal Gwent Hospital complex without further bureaucracy.

I have given support to the Gwent Constabulary who do a wonderful job and urgently need more resources. The Labour and Liberal Democrat Welsh Assembly government have failed in respect of youth crime, particularly drug related offences and the perception of crime, particularly by older people, remains alarming.

I will fight to ensure adequate funding for the police so that there are more police officers on the beat in your street in Newport West.

Local job losses are a direct consequence of Socialist policies of the traditional tax and spend kind. Huge sums of taxpayers money have been spent on job creation schemes without many permanent jobs being created. Excessive form filling and unpaid tax collecting is a direct deterrent to job creation by many businesses in Newport West.

I will pledge to reduce bureaucracy in business and to resist the supplementary business rate. During visits to schools throughout Newport West, head teachers have identified to me immediately the problem of discipline in the classroom and the lack of adequate funding, particularly for Special Needs.

I will fight to ensure that schools receive direct funding from the National Assembly so that local management of schools may be a reality.

l Also standing in South Wales East Region

Phylip Hobson, Liberal Democrat

'Phil' Hobson, 34, was born at Lydia Beynon Hospital at the Coldra, Newport. He went to school at St Joseph's at Tredegar Park in the constituency. He now lives in Chepstow, where he is a local councillor.

He is a business administration manager and has worked in the publishing and telecoms industries.

"I know how corporations work and how to get things done. We need an Assembly Member with my skills to get the best deal for Newport," said Phil.

"I am delighted to have been selected for a seat in which I went to school. It's great to be back in Newport campaigning in the streets where I spent my teenage years," he said.

"Newport and Wales faces serious issues, and needs people who know the area and care about Newport's future. We are facing big issues. We need people who are committed to seeing the NHS being a world-class service again.

"Traffic has got steadily worse and the M4 around the city is busier then ever, but building new roads is not always the right answer," he said.

The proposed International airport at Severnside is one of Phil's major interests. "I want to see how people feel about this major development. Like everyone else I want to see guarantees on noise, pollution, jobs and the environment, before we can say 'yes'.

"Newport needs jobs. Llanwern is all but closed. Like many residents, my father and brother worked there. Those jobs have gone and we need to see new developments that will not just provide jobs for young people, but a career and a life in our new city," he said.

Phil Hobson has spent the last few weeks going door-to-door, speaking to residents and carrying out a residents' survey into local issues.

"People are telling me that their fear of crime has increased in the last year," Phil added. "Having been a victim of violent crime myself within the last 18 months, I know exactly what that fear is about, especially at night.

"I want to see the National Assembly take over responsibility for the police, law and order, and especially victim justice and support. We have to set our own priorities and tackle aspects of yob culture.

"This is one area that the Assembly could get its teeth into and make a real difference," he said. *Also standing in South Wales East Region

Hugh Moelwyn Hughes, UK Independence Party

I am a retired solicitor living near Langstone in Newport. The National Assembly for Wales was hailed as a voice for the Welsh people, and a real chance to run our own affairs. After four years, what has this institution achieved for the people of Wales? Apart from a few vote catching tit-bits, almost nothing.

And what has it cost us over these four years? It is estimated that it has cost the ratepayers of Gwent anything up to 28% on their rates during this period, and they haven't even started to build the new Assembly building. Remember Scotland's new Parliament building was estimated to cost £43 million? It is now expected to cost £330 million, and it still isn't finished!

The UK Independence Party is the only party standing to abolish the National Assembly, with candidates throughout Wales. We are offering the people of Wales the opportunity to show their dislike for this costly and ineffective institution. Vote NO to the Assembly, vote UK Independence Party. Look for the £ sign. *Also standing in South Wales East Region

Richard Morse, Socialist Labour

This illegal war in Iraq has cost £3,000,000,000 so far while hospital waiting lists are growing, schools are making teachers redundant and millions of people in the poorer parts of the world are literally starving to death.

The government refuses to fund the firefighters' claim, to save lives, (cost £150 million) while spending 20 times that on killing.

Why am I against the war? There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator, but he had been supported and armed by the US and British governments for most of his period of rule. Bush plans to impose a US colonial governor and then to sell off Iraq's assets to his friends in assorted US multinationals. And it's a very strange way to liberate people by bombing them. Now we have an increasing humanitarian crisis which the occupying armies are doing little to alleviate.

Who am I? I am a lifelong socialist. I am a 45-year-old school teacher. I am the father of three children. I am the secretary of Newport Stop the War Coalition, Torfaen Trades Union Council and of Gwent UCAC (Welsh Teachers Union).

I am also a member of the Executive of Gwent Autistic Society, for the sake of my two younger children.

Why vote for me? A vote for me is a vote for principle. It is taking a stand against mass destruction caused by war and mass starvation in the world. It is a way of making a small contribution to the struggle for a better future.

Y Gymraeg/Wales and the Language. Everyone in Wales should have the right to free Welsh lessons if they wish to learn the language. Welsh in school should be properly funded.

Fel rhywun sy wedi dysgu Cymraeg fel oedolyn rwy'n cefnogi'r hawl i ddysgu Cymraeg i beth bynnag lefel a dymunir. Mae'n bwysig hefyd bod digon o adnoddau ar gael i sicrhau bod addysg trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn llwyddiannus.

What do I stand for? The Welsh Socialist Alliance stands for the values of peace, democracy and equality many thought were a part of the Labour Party but which have been so thoroughly betrayed by Blair, Brown and New Labour.

I want the Assembly properly funded and with enough power to provide decent council housing, decent social services and decent public facilities. I want an end to the privatisation of schools and hospitals. No one should profit from the provision of essential public services.

If you agree with me, strike a blow for peace, for democracy and for equality, and vote Welsh Socialist Alliance Against the War.

Tony Salkeld, Plaid Cymru

AS someone, who was born, lives and works in Newport, I, like many fellow Newportonians, have seen our city decline steadily over the last 30 years. Areas of Newport are now no-go areas for many people, due to the rampant anti-social behaviour and drugs that are afflicting these areas, with all the resulting problems that come from these evils.

Our health system is in decline, waiting-lists increasing from 6,000 to over 83,000, while bed blocking has become a common occurrence in the Royal Gwent Hospital, which is having to operate under the strain of too few resources targeted at too many areas. The city centre is also increasingly neglected, the once bustling High Street now has an air of decline and deprivation with many shops closed.

However, on May 1, the people of Newport have a chance to arrest this decline. How? Well, May 1 is an important day for the electors in Newport. On that day, elections will take place to the National Assembly of Wales. Electors will be asked to elect Assembly members who will be responsible for the health, education, environment, local government, economic development, arts, sports and culture of Wales for the next four years.

New Labour, however, will be desperately spending the election campaign trying not to talk about any of these issues, as in most cases they, with their Liberal Democrat allies, have failed delivering a better Wales.

Fortunately one party, a party made in Wales, and working for the benefit of all the people of Wales, no matter what their background, is striving to create a better Wales. That party is Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales.

It is only Plaid Cymru, the main opposition to New Labour in the National Assembly and throughout Wales, who are offering radical policies to deliver a better Wales. These polices, when implemented by a Plaid Cymru government, will see the return of community policing, better targeted funding for the health service, leading to an increase in doctors and nurses. More funding for drug rehabilitation, and a long-term strategic plan for the economic growth of Newport rather than the present knee-jerk reactions to escalating crises.

We will also be looking for similar powers to the Scottish parliament so that we have the powers to carry out such policies as abolishing tuition fees, ensuring that education is free for all.

So on May 1, 2003, your vote can make a difference if you want to see a forward-thinking progressive Wales.