Speaking in the Annual Report on Equality debate, I noted that Local Authorities had failed to understand their duty to involve people in the design and delivery of care and support services, that nearly 1 in 4 people in Wales live in poverty, and that child poverty is above UK levels and called for the Welsh Government to deliver measurable action plans.
Questioning Communities Secretary, Carl Sargeant, I also noted that the Royal College of Paediatricians had said that poverty was the biggest threat to children’s health in Wales, and that although research shows that children living with long-term unemployed parents tend to do less well, the proportion of children living in long-term workless households in Wales is also above the UK average.
With reported evidence of financial irregularities in another Communities First lead body, the Welsh Government’s tackling poverty programme, I also challenged him over the Welsh Government’s apparent failure to put in place effective financial controls, despite the Wales Audit Office highlighting the need for these after financial irregularities were exposed at Plas Madoc Communities First many years ago.
When I questioned the First Minister over bank branch closures in Holywell and across North Wales, he failed to tell me whether his Government had engaged with the Independent UK Review into the Banking Protocol to minimise the impact of bank closures.
I called for a Welsh Government Statement on Cervical Cancer, where the number of women being diagnosed in Wales is worryingly high, and the number attending cervical screening is at its lowest for 10 years.
Speaking in the Debate on Health and Social Care, I slammed the Welsh Government for closing community hospitals and beds across Wales, including Flint and Llangollen, and called on them to start listening, designing and delivering local services with clinicians and local communities.
Questioning Environment Secretary, Lesley Griffiths, I highlighted concern that Welsh Government proposals could deny help to many households in fuel poverty currently eligible for help, and reiterated calls for a revised Fuel Poverty Strategy for Wales.
Assembly engagements included Action for ME, Welsh Retail Consortium and Countryside Alliance Awards.
North Wales engagements included Castell Alun High School, Community Transport Meeting in the Ffrith, Coleg Cambria’s AGM, Colour Blind Awareness and NHS charity Awyr Las.
If you need my help, please email mark.isherwood@assembly.wales or ring 0300 200 7217.