Mark's Speeches

Welsh Conservative Debate on the Armed Forces

Written by Mark Isherwood AM

Thursday, 10 November 2011 14:08

09/11/11

At 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011, Commonwealth nations will pause to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty since World War 1.

I formally move the Motion which:

1. Recognises the massive contribution and commitment made by all Welsh Armed Forces personnel; and

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) formally recognise the 100 year anniversary of the Great War in 2014;

b) do everything it can to address the needs of our armed forces and ex-forces personnel with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, recognising that this will require direct engagement with them;

c) and develop and implement a dedicated Armed Forces Card

It is perhaps more important than ever to remember to honour those lives lost and commitments made to our country during the Great War now there are no longer any living Great War veterans, and we call on the Welsh Government to formally recognise the 100 year anniversary of the Great War in 2014 and co-ordinate with the UK Government, whose Centenary plans will be announced shortly.

In our Manifesto for the 2011 Election, Welsh Conservatives proposed an Armed Forces card would help serving and former armed forces personnel to access Health, travel, heritage and leisure facilities.

The card would include:

Bus travel - Wales has nearly a quarter of a million armed service veterans. At present, nearly 60,000 do not receive free bus travel, which is only available to Welsh veterans seriously injured in combat.

The card would also be emphasising and advertising priority NHS care, including support for independent home living and treatment for service related conditions or injuries.

The Royal British Legion, which celebrates its 90^th Anniversary this year, has called on the Welsh Government to “make the NHS priority treatment system work for veterans with injuries caused by service in the Armed Forces”.

The Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee recommended that service in the armed forces be flagged up in veterans‘ medical records, with an opt-out for those who request it.

The Welsh Government accepted this recommendation. We now need a progress report.

Veterans and Armed Forces personnel already have priority access to NHS treatment for service-related conditions, but few GPs are aware of this entitlement.

In June 2010, the Welsh Local Government and Social Justice Minister referred to prioritising NHS treatment for health conditions that are attributable to military service.

I responded by referring to statements made to me by veterans and senior British Legion representatives at the North East Wales 2010 Armed Forces Day.

They said that the message is not getting through.

A Royal British Legion survey found that 81 per cent of GPs know nothing or little about veterans’ right to priority care.

An Armed Forces’ Card would help to raise awareness amongst both Armed Forces veterans and health professionals-

- And include free entry into local authority leisure centres and Cadw sites

Welsh Conservatives are pleased that the Welsh Government has taken on board elements of our Armed Forces card policy.

We welcome this support.

However, the measures promised are insufficient because:

- The existence of NHS priority treatment is not enough.

- Despite Welsh Government claiming ‘funding is already in place regarding PTSD services, PTSD provision is still not satisfactory.

- And making information available on accessing services is vital. The Armed Forces Card which would increase awareness of armed forces personnel needs and services available.

Too many ex forces personnel drop out of the welfare support system, become homeless and socially isolated cut off from main stream services.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a debilitating condition that affects people who have been exposed to a major traumatic event, or events, and is characterized by upsetting memories or thoughts of the ordeal, "blunting" of emotions, increased anxiety, and sometimes severe personality changes.

Amongst combat veterans there is a common pattern of Complex PTSD, with attempted symptom suppression by alcohol and/or drug abuse, a downward spiral of employment difficulties, relationship problems, confrontation with the law, and even suicide.

A 2010 report from the Howard League for Penal Reform entitled 'Leave No Veteran Behind” asked why so many veterans find themselves caught in the criminal justice system, stating that it is vital that the complex needs of armed forces personnel are adequately addressed and that we do everything that we can to help those who serve their country to adjust to civilian life.

It found that the US routinely screens for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, problem drinking and military sexual trauma, but that no equivalent screening is done in the UK.

In the UK discussion of substance misuse as a problem for the armed forces focuses almost entirely on alcohol, whereas, in the US, it is recognised that drugs and alcohol are a problem for veterans contributing to offending behaviour.

I campaigned with CAIS, the North Wales based voluntary sector provider of Drug and Alcohol services, on behalf of the traumatised ex-forces personnel who had come to rely on the Ty Gwyn Ex-Service Treatment Unit in Llandudno.

These were the people whose complex needs had not been met by the NHS or Combat Stress.

When I visited Ty Gwyn I met a group of veterans aged from their eighties to early twenties, who had served in engagements spanning rearguard action at Dunkirk through to Gulf 2. Initial bravado was followed by tears as they told me their stories.

It was one of the most moving moments of my life.

Despite our campaign, Ty Gwyn was closed in late 2005.

Pleas to Governments’ in London and Cardiff had fallen on deaf ears.

CAIS undertook a feasibility study into the possibility of their delivering a replacement service, but found no funding was available – something that the Pathways centre treating ex-service personnel for PTSD also found when it subsequently came and went in Bangor.

Whenever I challenged the Welsh Government over this, they insisted that the services required can be provided by the NHS.

Steven Hughes, Regimental Medical Officer 2 PARA, Battles of Goose Green and Wireless Ridge, Falkland Islands, 1982, Director front-line resuscitation Bluff Cove Disaster has said that:

"With no disrespect to NHS Mental Health professionals, it is likely that the first time they encounter an ex-serviceman with Combat Related - PTSD will be their first appreciation of a complex psychological condition that correlates poorly with the usual spectrum of “civilian” mental health disorders."

If conventional Mental Health Services were so comprehensive there would not be such a high veteran rate of suicide, high prison population, and large number of veterans sleeping rough. "

Complex Military PTSD is by definition not within the routine practice of NHS Mental Health Services, other than the specialist Trauma Day unit in Cardiff.

Clinicians have told me that a significant practical problem in implementing the NICE guideline for PTSD is the lack of available NHS resources for individual and non-pharmaceutical treatments - and that “Insensitive health and social care services with lack of appropriate expertise and resources in the NHS are further traumatising those suffering from PTSD”.

In March last year the Welsh Government did announce that it was investing £485,000 to fund Veteran Specific Community Mental Health Specialists across Wales, but I understand that North Wales had still not filled this position 18 months later.

And this doesn’t address the need for short term residential treatment for those with Complex needs.

Having directly engaged with the Ex-forces Personnel affected, a number of projects are seeking to deliver this despite, rather than because of Welsh Government action.

We call on the Welsh Government to engage.

Surely there is no need to complicate the referral pathway for veterans in Wales - a simple grassroots, Third Sector, approach is all it would take, backed by proven results and delivered in partnership with the Health Board.

Housing is also key, - and the UK Government is putting armed forces personnel and their families in a priority position for social housing-

- Further, having held a returning forces summit, the UK Housing Minister states “it is the absolute priority of our Department to ensure that returning personnel get every advantage when it comes to new homes”.

The Welsh Government’s only pledge is to give Service personnel and veterans priority status in their almost non-existent Homebuy scheme - and we therefore call on them to make a comparable pledge.

Welsh military personnel have made an enormous contribution to the defence of the United Kingdom. They make multiple sacrifices and their role has knock on effects on the everyday lives of their families, and their own when leaving service.

These men and women deserve our highest level of support.

Debate on the Older People’s Commissioner

Written by Mark Isherwood AM

Thursday, 10 November 2011 14:07

08/11/11

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has worked hard to improve the lives of older people in Wales.

As we have heard, the most common issue the Commissioner was contacted about was concerning Health.

Reference has been made to The “Dignified Care?” Report, launched by the Older People’s Commissioner this year. .

It detailed shocking examples of neglect of older people in Welsh hospitals— stripped of their health, dignity, respect and privacy.

It also notes much good practice, but as the older people’s commissioner herself states, it is vital that examples of effective leadership and good practice are built on, and become the norm.

This had been a devolved matter for 12 years.

Only action will address the issues identified—poor communication, poor continence care, poor clinical leadership and poor specialist knowledge in both acute and community hospitals.

It is not acceptable that people have low expectations of their care – and therefore encouraging that the Commissioner has judged all of the bodies subject to the review have now developed clear action plans to ensure that Dignified Care is delivered consistently.

We look to the Commissioner to monitor progress and keep a close watch.

Advocacy services are a theme throughout the Older People’s Commissioner’s report and an increasing concern to the Commissioner.

She states “Advocacy is vital to help people to say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain the services they need.”

In March I sponsored and chaired the Assembly launch of Age Cymru’s 'Advocacy Counts 3’ report.

In October 2007, the first 'Advocacy Counts’ survey established a baseline from which future changes in the provision and availability of advocacy services in Wales could be measured. It found that only 23 organisations provided advocacy services for older people.

In November 2008, 'Advocacy Counts 2’ reported that the number had fallen to 19. In 2010, with support from the older people’s commissioner for Wales, Age Cymru conducted the 'Advocacy Counts’ survey for the third time.

This found that advocacy was still mainly being provided in community hospitals and care homes, with the majority delivering crisis or issue-based advocacy. It found that there is only one paid advocate per 17,000 older people in Wales, and only one per 9,500 older people when volunteer advocates are included.

Age Cymru added that these figures are far too low.

The report stated that bringing an end to the postcode lottery in the availability of advocacy services for older people in Wales is essential, and concluded that all older people in vulnerable situations must have the right to access independent advocates.

We must ensure that all older people have a voice and are not marginalised or discriminated against.

Other key issues referred to by the Commissioner include, transport housing and money –

- But toilets are also a key issue.

The Welsh Senate of Older People are campaigning for better toilets in Wales.

Their campaign “P is for People” focuses on public toilet provision in Wales, an issue which requires urgent action. Poor public toilet provision can lead to poor health, loneliness and isolation.

They say that “the Strategy for Older People in Wales focuses on wellbeing and promoting independence, but without adequate access to public toilets many older people are unable to take advantage of services as they are not confident of being able to go out without being caught short”.

The British Toilet Association estimates that there are 40% less public toilets in the UK than there were 10 years ago..

Age Cymru’s Community Calculator questionnaire found that older people in Wales rated their access to public toilets as just 3.32 out of 10.

Personalization means putting the person at the center of the process for identifying their needs, allowing them to choose to be in control.

I spoke the launch of the Independent Living Campaign Wales and cautiously welcome the Welsh Government’s announcement last month on the Framework for Action on Independent Living.

We understand that the Framework will detail the work to be undertaken across Welsh Government departments and with external partners to support Independent Living.

As Rhian Davies, Chief Executivee of Disability Wales said:

“In these financially challenging times it is even more vital that services and facilities are designed and delivered in a way which responds to the needs of individuals and supports independence and inclusion rather than dependency and exclusion”.

Nothing less than a significant transformation of Adult Social Care will suffice, so that all systems, processes, staff and services are geared up to put people first.

Welsh Conservative Debate on Jobs

Written by Mark Isherwood AM

Thursday, 03 November 2011 12:49

2.11.11

For 12 years of Boom and Bust we have heard the rhetoric –

- Is it too much to hope that this Welsh Government can now at last support job creation by enabling the Business Sector to grow by targeting economic development spending on business growth and by working with business to deliver the skills needed if people are to access employment opportunities.

Thanks to self-deluding Socialism and minds trapped by a 19^th Century ideology -

-Record Youth unemployment in Wales has been rising since 2005

-Wales has the highest proportion of 18-24 year olds not in Education, Employment or Training.

- and 628,000 working aged people not in Work.

Before they respond with their one size fits all excuse that it’s all the UK Coalition Government’s fault, please note that this is almost identical to the position applying in Wales before recession started under the previous Labour Government, when one in three working aged adults in Wales were not in work – double the UK rate.

And it is a matter of shame that despite spending Billions on Economic Development – including two rounds of EU funds – the Welsh Government failed to tackle this.

At the time of Devolution, Wales had the poorest figures for GVA wealth creation amongst the devolved UK Nations and Regions.

Twelve years later it is still bottom - and year on year the gap has widened further.

Added to this, the Joseph Roundtree Foundation found that barriers to work in the tax and benefit system increased from year 2000 under Gordon Brown.

Despite years of boom before bust, too many communities have become places of intergenerational worklessness, hopelessness and dependency.

Having inherited deep and clear social problems, the UK Coalition Government is having to spend time, energy and resources, putting right what went wrong.

Before the recession began the UK had had over 4 million people stuck on out of work benefits – many for a decade or more – over 10% of these in Wales with just 5% of the population.

We had one of the highest levels of unsecured personal debt in Western Europe.

Social mobility had virtually ground to a halt and the section of society on the lowest incomes has become static and entrenched...too many children born into such communities find that at best, they remain in the same condition as their parents.

At the same time spending on working age welfare rocketed by 50 % in real terms under Labour before the recession.

Over a million children had a parent addicted to drugs or alcohol.

With income inequality the worst for a generation, the last UK Government left us a welfare system which treated symptoms, not causes.

Is it any wonder we face such entrenched levels of family breakdown, inactivity, poverty and dependency?

Ending this failure is like turning a super tanker around – with the Welsh Government acting like a tug pulling in the opposite direction.

At UK level the Work Programme is about giving new skills to people far from the jobs market.

The voluntary and private sectors, paid only when they get people back in work and as they help people sustain it by developing the ‘work habit’, delivering value for money.

Those able to work immediately will seek employment and join the Work Programme; others who could work in the future, will get tailored support.

Under the system inherited from Labour some people lose up to 96 pence of every pound earned in work because of the way their benefits are withdrawn.

Universal Credit will ensure that people are better off in work than out of it, and give taxpayers get value for money-

-placing work at the heart of the Benefit system –

- helping our people to access the jobs that are available –

We must respond to the latest forum of Private Business Research showing that more must be done to help small firms tackle high Business costs.

As the Federation of Small Businesses Wales states “everyone looking for a job could be employed if every Small or Medium Enterprise recruited one more person”.

However, in the year to June 2011, Private Sector employment in Wales fell as Public Sector employment continued to grow.

As the CBI has said: “Wales has a growing reputation as one of the most difficult places in the United Kingdom for public procurement”.

And as the former head of the WDA has said “We have seen expenditure in excess of £100m per annum that has produced next to nothing in the form of outcomes”.

Debate on the Children’s Commissioner’s Report 2010-11

Written by Mark Isherwood AM

Thursday, 03 November 2011 12:48

1/11/11

Problems highlighted in this Children’s Commissioner for Wales Annual Report have persisted, and been highlighted for many years.

We will be supporting Amendments 3 and 4 in the name of Jocelyn Davies.

I move Amendment 1 which acknowledges concern raised by the Children’s Commissioner either in the report or in statements made during the week of its release that:

a) there is a failure of strategies to work together and work on the ground to improve the lives of children;

b) there is a failure to consistently implement national law and policy; and

c) accountability lines are blurred, and that promises are un-kept.

The Children’s Commissioner questions whether government initiatives ‘fit together’ to deal with inequalities.

He said: “We have gold-plated policies and strategies in Wales, but I’m yet to be convinced that they are strategies which work together and work on the ground to improve the lives of children.

“I hear from children and young people fully supported by families and professionals - but all too often I hear from children, young people and their families who are struggling to access help and support.”

“Take child A as an example” – he said 2she may be living in poverty, have a disability and have poor educational outcomes”.

“Compartmentalising children into the ‘disability’ box or ‘poor’ box isn’t going to help the child in the centre of it all – we need policies and strategies which provide holistic solutions for children and their families.”

It should be noted here that new analysis has exploded the often repeated claim that infant mortality is linked to deprivation – where, for example, the least deprived wards in Wrexham, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire appear to have higher infant mortality rates than the most deprived wards.

I move Amendment 2 which “Calls on the Welsh Government to address the issues raised in the report”.

The Commissioner states in the report that he “would urge Welsh Government to ensure that implementation of the Child Poverty Strategy assumes a high importance at a time of severe financial restraint and that significant inroads are made to reduce levels of child poverty in Wales”.

For this, the Welsh Government must pull both the levers available to it at devolved level and address the call by Save the Children for joint action at UK and devolved level to reach the Child Poverty target.

As the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found, child poverty in Wales began to increase again in 2004.

Wakes has the highest Child Poverty and Severe Child Poverty in the UK.

IFS statistics note that child poverty rates in Wales are likely to raise it again.

Save the Children has told me that these figures must act as 'a wake-up call’ for the Welsh Government.

Another persistent issue is the state of school toilets.

The Report states “I continue to hear from school children about their poor experiences of school toilet provision”.

Research by the Children’s Commissioner found that only a third of respondents feel that their school toilets are always clean, more than half reported that toilet doors do not close and lock and almost half did not have seats on their toilets.

The Commissioner states “that the provision of advocacy for looked after children, care leavers and children in need is inconsistent across Wales”.

Adding that “advocacy is an essential element of safeguarding – enabling children and young people to speak up when they perceive that something is wrong”.

If this is to happen for all children and young people in care, we would expect that all of them would be actively encouraged to have an advocate with whom they can build up a trusting relationship”.

And as the All Party Group on Looked After Children said in the last Assembly “we want Children and Young People to access independent support – not influenced or controlled by others”

As the Commissioner has stated “I’ve got serious concerns that accountability lines are blurred, that promises are un-kept.

We need to ensure this ground-breaking legislation, such as the Children and Families Measure, Carers Measure and the Mental Health Measure and initiatives, such as Families First, are contributing to the strategic approach we need to address the serious problems facing children.”

I would also ask the Children’s Commissioner to respond to the call by the North Wales Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance for back care for young people to be a priority, making sure schools were properly equipped with appropriate furniture.

As the Commissioner stated “ the Welsh Government narrative is not as clear as it should be”.

Debate of Lawful Chastisement

Written by Mark Isherwood AM

Friday, 21 October 2011 08:12

19.10.11

In 2000 the UK Department of Health under a Labour Government launched a Consultation Document containing measures which would eventually lead to a ban on hitting a child with an implement such as a cane or belt.

But the proposals stopped short of banning ?mild physical rebukes,? saying that ?the upbringing of children will remain a private matter for parents?.

During the passage of the Children’s Act 2004, through the House of Lords, the Clause 56 Amendment proposed by Lord Leicester was agreed by 226 to 91 on a free vote.

This became Section 58 of the Children’s Act 2004 limiting the use of the defence of reasonable punishment so that it could no longer be used when people are charged with offences against a child such as causing actual bodily harm or cruelty.

As Tim Loughton Conservative MP, said during the Commons Debate ?Smacking is a last resort if a child has failed to respond to anything else, especially if the child is causing harm to siblings or putting himself or others in danger?. 2

He quoted opinion polls, the latest of which from MORI showed that 85% of parents said that we should allow smacking to continue.

40 per cent. of people said enforcing a ban on smacking would be a waste of police time, and only 12 per cent. said it should be illegal in all circumstances.

The UK Government consultation —found that 70 per cent. of the public opposed a change in the law, generating a Ministerial Statement that:

"We do not believe that any further change to the law at this time would be appropriate. It would neither command widespread public support nor be capable of consistent enforcement."

And the Prime Minister said:

"Our position is that it is a matter of individual choice for parents and the Government believe that most parents accept and understand there is a difference between discipline and abuse."

The then UK Children’s Minister Margret Hodge said ?the Government cannot support what amounts to an absolute ban on smacking -

adding ?it is vital that we protect children from violence and abuse… Clause 56 provides additional protection for children and tightens the existing law….it is nonsense and wrong to suggest that clause 56 would create a new loophole, or that it would legitimise acts of harm and abuse?. 3

She added ?Clause 56 provides additional protection for children but it does not criminalise parents for administering a light smack to their children?.

During the passage of the Act she also gave a commitment that the UK Government would review the practical consequences of Section 58 and seek parent’s views on smacking two years after the legislation came into effect.

The review, published in October 2007 found that ?whilst many parents say they will not smack, a majority of parents say that smacking should not be banned outright?.

And concluded that ?It is clear that section 58 has improved legal protection for children by restricting the use of the reasonable punishment defence in court proceedings?

In response, the UK Government stated that it would retain the law in its current form … to prevent ?the use of the defence of reasonable punishment in any proceedings for an offence of cruelty to a child or assault.?

The Crown Prosecution Service states that for Minor assaults committed upon a Child by an Adult that result in injuries such as grazes, scratches, abrasions, minor bruising, swelling, superficial cuts or a black eye, the appropriate charge will normally be Actual Bodily Harm for which the defence of 'reasonable chastisement' is no longer available.

However, if the injury amounts to no more than reddening of the skin, and the injury is transient and trifling, the reasonable chastisement defence remains available?.

Instead of Criminalising millions of decent, loving parents who use a smack from time to time, we must recognise the clear difference between smacking and child abuse, which the vast majority of parents are well able to recognise. 4

This debate is a distraction when our full focus should be upon growing reports of the sexual abuse and exploitation – and forced labour – of children –

- And upon Domestic Violence Statistics indicaing that children are present during 41% of domestic violence incidents.

The over whelming majority of the population say that the then UK Government got it right on its legislation in this area.

As one MP said when challenged on this ?I am sometimes afraid that we are going to become a Country where everything is either compulsory or forbidden?.

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Mark Isherwood AM

Member for North Wales

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