, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Thank you, Mark Isherwood. Clearly, there were some aspects in the budget that we welcomed. We called for them. We called for the halting of that rise to £3,000. We called for it. We also called, in terms of Ofgem, for the fact that the ban on forced…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Well, thank you very much, Jack Sargeant, and for your continuing leadership in this field. You are standing here as an elected representative, representing your constituents, who clearly have responded to you in that powerful survey, which is influential…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Thank you very much, Jack Sargeant. I wrote to Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, on 13 March. I once more called for the removal of prepayment meters installed through force via this unsafe warrant process…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Well, I thank you also, Sioned, for raising that question, and obviously thank the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership for responding so fully and clearly to the question from Joel James earlier on. I think it is really important that we make our statement…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Well, diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams, and can I really thank you for this question today? It is horrific what is happening in terms of this Bill making its way—forced through Parliament, forced, without proper scrutiny, through Parliament. And I did write to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Thank you very much, Joyce Watson. It is important that we remind our colleagues in the Welsh Conservatives about what is happening in Wales as to childcare. We're already investing heavily to expand childcare and early years provision to all two-year-olds in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Well, I've already cited the evidence from the Economic and Social Research Council, and also the Institute for Public Policy Research, about how sanctions deliver poor outcomes and don't incentivise people to get into work. What we need is a social security…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
It's very important that we recognise the evidence, and there's been a five-year study from the Economic and Social Research Council of welfare conditionality. It finds that sanctions generally deliver poor outcomes and don't incentivise people to get into…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Thank you very much for your question.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Diolch, Luke Fletcher. Recent analysis shows a worrying trend in the increase in sanctions, which have almost doubled since pre-pandemic levels. The announcement made by the Chancellor in the budget statement on strengthening the sanctions regime is also a…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
I thank the Member for that important question, following that announcement last week. Clearly, we have a strong economic mission to transform the Welsh economy, and that will create a stronger but fairer, as well as greener, future. But just to recognise, as…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Diolch yn fawr, Rhun ap Iorwerth. Of course, this is crucial. In these times of challenging costs of living, projections for those who'll be plunged into poverty aren't forgiving, and people are facing incredibly difficult decisions. As you say, in terms of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Thank you very much for your question. We are doing everything within our powers to prevent poverty and mitigate its impact on the citizens of Ynys Môn and the whole of Wales. This financial year, we have provided support worth £1.6 billion, through…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Prepayment meters and energy advice services
Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone. Clearly, there has been a change in the budget last week in terms of the premium. I’m clarifying what exactly that means, because it’s no good going back to the voucher situation, which you raised so rightly earlier on…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Prepayment meters and energy advice services
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I welcome today's debate on prepayment meters. It's a national scandal the way consumers, often the poorest in our communities, have been treated. Jack Sargeant has been at the forefront of the campaign to expose this scandal…
, Plenary
Short Debate: A nation of solidarity: Wales stands with the people of Armenia
Thank you for tabling this motion today.
, Plenary
Short Debate: A nation of solidarity: Wales stands with the people of Armenia
So, once again, thank you very much, Llyr Gruffydd.
, Plenary
Short Debate: A nation of solidarity: Wales stands with the people of Armenia
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you for bringing forward the debate this afternoon. We stand with all our international communities who must watch and see their people, and as you say, it's people—family and friends—go through suffering. We show…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you very much, Jayne Bryant, and really acknowledging what this means to you and your community, the people who you represent in Maesglas and across south Wales, but particularly for those families so tragically affected. And that was acknowledged and…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you, Andrew R.T. Davies. Clearly, in my response, I said that all of the circumstances around this terrible tragedy will be looked at by the Independent Office for Police Complaints. We know that South Wales Police is continuing to investigate this…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you very much for that question. It is a situation where, with such an extremely tragic case, we just look on this and hope that we can do everything to support the families and friends of those who are affected. Can we just say, also, that we send our…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Diolch yn fawr, Peredur Owen Griffiths, and diolch yn fawr, Llywydd, for your comments as well. This is a devastating tragedy, and my thoughts remain with the families and the friends of the young people involved in the crash on the A48. This will be an…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone. On that question, I’ve met with energy suppliers on a number of occasions, as you know. I’ve raised this issue about ways in which they need to reach out to ensure those vouchers do reach those on PPMs. I mean, everybody…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you very much. I was very pleased that this was subject to scrutiny and inquiry on Monday by the Equality and Social Justice Committee. Can I again just confirm that there will be no gap in terms of the transition from one to another in terms of the…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you, Mark Isherwood. I think from what you're saying you are also sympathetic to this call that the UK Government should not increase the guarantee to £3,000. Yesterday, Grant Shapps, the UK Government's energy security Secretary, said that he was…
