Chair of the Cross Party Autism Group and North Wales Assembly Member, Mark Isherwood, has called on the Welsh Government to ensure that its revised Autism Strategy can be properly scrutinised.

Speaking in this week’s Business Statement, Mr Isherwood raised concern that as the Strategy will be published in March, only weeks before the Assembly goes into dissolution, there will be little time for scrutiny.

He said: “We know that the refreshed strategy is likely to be published just before we go into dissolution, which will prevent proper scrutiny, and there’s already concern that it will be very weak on duties, and concern that the independent evaluation may not be published in full, and may only be referred to in the appendix. This Assembly needs to know what the Welsh Government will include in that refresh strategy before it goes into dissolution.”

Mr Isherwood added: “I understand that the Welsh Government is aiming to get its Autism Strategy ready by March, but it doesn’t make any sense that they’ll be consulting during the electoral period after the Assembly has gone into dissolution.

“This reinforces the need for an Autism Act for Wales, giving autism a statutory identity in Wales and imposing duties on health boards and local authorities.”