I was pleased to visit both the Big Lottery funded ‘Rare Aware’ project run by Mold based charity ‘Same but Different’, raising awareness of rare diseases, and the RNIB Cymru event in Llandudno celebrating the success of the Big Lottery funded Rights, Advice and Information Service for people with sight and/or hearing loss.
Last Friday, a breakthrough ‘Brexit’ agreement was announced, paving the way for trade discussions. However, when questioning the First Minister on this three days previously, stating that the UK Government was now close to concluding the first phase of negotiations and that technology can be part of the solution to managing trade across the Irish border, he could only sneer that the UK Government “has no idea what technology might be used”.
When I also asked him for more information on the programme of intense discussions agreed between the UK and Welsh Governments, he failed to do so. These discussions were revealed in a letter from the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to members of the Assembly External Affairs Committee, including myself.
Speaking in the Debate on the Welsh Government’s Draft Budget 2018-19, I stated that although £1.2 billion more is coming to the Welsh Government from the UK Treasury, Labour’s failure to protect key preventive services delivered through third sector providers would increase costs for public authorities. I also noted that despite significant Welsh Government funding in communities that are lagging behind, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report released the previous day stated: 'Across the four countries of the UK, Wales has consistently had the highest poverty'.
Questioning the Leader of the House, I highlighted both the growing problem in North Wales of west-east human trafficking through Holyhead port and concern that people here are being tricked and trapped into exploitation and slavery. North Wales lost its Anti-Slavery Co-ordinator after three years of funding expired, when a charity was established - Haven of Light – to fill the gap and liaise with statutory partners.
Speaking in the Debate on Universal Credit, I noted that people are moving into work faster and staying in longer, and welcomed the wide-ranging package announced in the UK Government’s Budget last month to address concerns around the transition to Universal Credit. Given that the DWP has been working with the Welsh Government for nearly six years on plans for Universal Credit roll-out, I stated that we have to ask why, in Wales, the average rent arrears under Universal Credit is more than 3x the UK average.
I also Chaired meetings of the Cross Party Groups on Autism and on Neurological Conditions, and enjoyed listening to both the Archbishop of Wales and the Grand Mufti of Bosnia at the Muslim Council of Wales Annual Interfaith event.
If you need my help, please email mark.isherwood@assembly.wales or ring 0300 200 7217.