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I asked the First Minister whether he agreed that the suggestion that the sub-regional strategy is merely a way to facilitate the expansion of the north-west England into adjoining parts of north-east Wales is not only incorrect, but scaremongering. He agreed that for Flintshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire the cross-border linkages to the wider area are crucial. It is regrettable that unjustified fears are being stoked up and petitions collected on a false scare story by people who should know better. Speaking in my own Assembly ‘Short Debate’ on Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I again challenged the Health Minister on the lack of support for ex-forces personnel suffering from this condition. The Welsh Government must choose whether to act to fill the gaps in service provision or to continue to deny these veterans the support they desperately need – with the consequent heavy cost to them, their families and to society as a whole. I challenged the First Minister over the zero increase for the third sector in the 2010/11 Welsh Government Budget, a cut in real terms. The budget for the voluntary sector has increased from 9.9m to 10m, but in the same budget the funding for social enterprise has been cut from 2m to 1.9m. I asked what action he proposes to address the need for core sustainable funding for projects that are delivering key recession-beating projects. During the Debate on the Annual Report of the Commissioner for Older People in Wales, I referred to concerns highlighted by older people themselves and called on the Welsh Government to protect services for older people in light of budgetary pressures. Engagements included meetings with the new North Wales Chief Constable, Barnardos in Buckley, Consumer Focus regarding Post Offices and the Consumer Council for Water. I also attended the Countryside Alliance Awards for rural businesses. |
