"Well we now know why the Welsh Assembly wants tax-raising powers don't we?", one constituent mused, stopping me in the street in Monmouth recently - "To pay yourselves more!".

And of course you can't really blame the public for seeing things this way can you given the debacle of the last few weeks and the eye-watering proposals for a ten grand pay-rise for Assembly Members.

You know the truth is you can make all the arguments you want about more powers and responsibilities for the Assembly (many of which themselves still need to be sold to the public) but the bottom line is it’s impossible to look a health service worker on a one percent increase in the eye and justify it.

There’s no way I’m going to be arguing for this pay rise down the local pub.

The effect of the UK Government's Autumn Statement on Wales was the chief subject of my recent meeting with the Chancellor George Osborne. The welcome changes to the stamp duty regime are long overdue and the replacement of the “slab” nature of the old system (where there was a huge hike in duty at certain house values) with a more progressive, proportionate system will have a positive effect on the housing market in Wales.

The Autumn Statement will also see the Welsh Government receive around £123 million of extra funding.

£70 million of that is earmarked for the Welsh health service and will hopefully be used to deal with the chronic waiting times in the NHS which are forcing some patients to travel as far as Bristol, Birmingham and Reading for treatment, sometimes after waiting in excess of forty five weeks for operations. The recent deterioration in the figures for ambulance response times in Monmouthshire also needs addressing urgently as does the on-going need for a cancer treatment fund equitable with that currently available across the border.

Finally, can I thank all my friends at Mencap for a wonderful time at their recent Christmas party in Chepstow. What an inspiring group of staff and volunteers whose work doesn’t just support people with learning difficulties but also benefits the wider community by providing those people with job opportunities in local shops and other areas such as gardening and landscaping - keep up the great work. Keep up the good work. May you all have a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.