A 'complete overhaul’ is needed of blue badge regime.
Llyr Gruffydd called the current system ‘unfair’ and ‘unworkable’ for many people with disabilities and has called on the Welsh Government to issue a statement outlining a plan to overhaul the system.
In a statement in the Senedd this week Llyr Gruffydd, the regional Senedd Member for north Wales said-
“The current system forces individuals to reapply for their blue badges every three years, and that is causing concern for many. There's a high percentage of blue-badge users that have long-term or lifelong conditions, yet they still have to apply every three years for their new badges.
“Why is it that a passport or driving licence only needs to be renewed every 10 years, yet a disability blue badge needs renewing every three years? It simply isn’t fair. There’s a further issue with the complexity of the forms that need to be filled out, and accessibility issues for applicants to obtain the passport photos needed from photobooths”
Concerns have been raised by hundreds of members of the disability rights community in North Wales with over 1600 supporters signing a petition calling on the Government to overhaul the process. North Wales based charity Stand North Wales said
“This process can be very frustrating, and time consuming for both individuals and their caregivers and focus heavily on the negative aspects of an individual’s abilities”
Llyr Gruffydd went on to add-
“Surely, if you have a lifelong condition, then you should be able to get a lifelong blue badge.”
'Unsustainable' underfunding of care homes in North Wales
Llyr Gruffydd MS has taken aim at the “unsustainable” underfunding of care homes in North Wales, and has warned that not funding care homes properly is a “false economy” which could lead to bed blocking in hospitals.
He highlighted the fact that care comes receive less funding from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board for providing continuing health care than they receive from local authorities for caring for people who have less intensive care needs – with one care home in Conwy receiving £6,000 less per year for every single resident.
Mr Gruffydd challenged the Welsh Government’s Minister for Social Care, Dawn Bowden on the issue during a debate in the Senedd, has been contacted by a number of care comes across North Wales that are concerned about the way the sector is currently being funded.
Llŷr Gruffydd MSsaid “A number of care homes across north Wales have contacted me recently raising concerns about the state of the sector's funding.
“Care homes receive less funding from Betsi Cadwaladr for the provision of continuing healthcare than they receive from local authorities for caring for individuals who have less intensive care needs; in Conwy, for example, it's £6,000 per annum less for every resident.
“Now, the health board has made the funding decision for the current year without consulting with the sector, although now, by the way, as a result of the angry response from the sector and intervention from politicians, it has agreed to a meeting to find a way forward.
“But can I ask whether you agree with me that not funding care homes properly is a false economy?
“That is to say that if these care homes refuse to take residents or close because of underfunding from the health board, then it's the health board itself that will then have to deal with the situation, with more hospital beds blocked, and it's they who will pay the price.
“So, what steps are the Government taking to resolve this unsustainable situation? What advice do you have for Betsi Cadwaladr in terms of paying fair fees to care homes to avoid a situation where the care system is deteriorating, which would cost far more to Betsi Cadwaladr in the long term?”
In response Dawn Bowden said that it was up to local authorities to “determine” how they allocate funding and that the Welsh Government “can't tell local authorities how to spend their money”.
End period poverty and reduce stigma for young people across north Wales
Recently Llyr Gruffydd backed a campaign to end period poverty and reduce stigma said period poverty is “an issue that is impacting a significant number of young people across North Wales”.
Llyr Gruffydd has put his weight behind the Love Your Period campaign, which recently held an event at the Senedd.
He spoke with representatives from Irise International, which is an organisation that advocates for period equality for all.
The event, Every Period Counts: Ending Period Poverty a Stigma in Wales, was sponsored by fellow Plaid Cymru MS, Heledd Fychan.
It brought together young people from across Wales to share their experiences and discuss the necessary changes to end period poverty and stigma for school pupils in Wales.
The aim is to raise awareness of menstrual health and advocate for better access to menstrual products.
The Love Your Period campaign was founded by Molly Fenton from Cardiff, when she was just 18 years old and studying for er A Levels.
Molly, who has won a St David’s Award for her campaigning work, became inspired by period poverty campaigner Amika George during a period of time off school due to ill health.
She is driven by her the lack of guidance she experienced when she was growing up, and is determined to to empower girls across the nation through her internationally recognised movement.
She has bravely shared her own journey with a benign inoperable brain tumour through her blog, and wants to acts as the big sister other young women might not have by encouraging conversations about periods, sexuality, and health.
Llŷr Gruffydd MS said: “Period poverty is an issue that is impacting a significant number of young people across North Wales.
“Unfortunately it is an issue that has been ignored and unaddressed for far too long because of the stigma involved.
“That is why I am supporting the Love Your Period campaign to end period poverty and stigma for school pupils all over Wales.
“No one who needs sanitary products should be in a situation where they are forced to go without.
“Everyone who needs these essential items should be able to access them without facing financial burdens or societal stigma.
“I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to speak with representatives from Irise International about the important and award-winning work they are doing in the area of period equality programming and advocacy.
“I would also like to commend the work of Molly Fenton who at such a young age has shifted the conversation in Wales about topics often shrouded in stigma such as periods, sexuality, and health.
“There is a real need for open and honest conversations about young women's health and Love Your Period has become a sanctuary for girls, where they can find education, resources, and most importantly, a space to be heard and understood.
“It’s vital that young people’s voices are heard on issues that directly affect them. There is clearly a very important educational context to this issue and we need to ensure that there is access to period products in school toilets.”
Fire and rehire - is this Victorian era practice still acceptable in the 21st century?
Wrexham company's fire and re-hire tactics condemned by Llyr Gruffydd.
A Wrexham company's fire and re-hire tactics for its 1200 workers have been condemned by Llyr Gruffydd. In a question in the Senedd recently,Llyr Gruffydd described the moves by Rowan Foods owners Oscar Mayer to fire and re-hire workers on worse working conditions that could cost an individual worker £3,000 a year. He called on the Welsh Government to act to ensure such attacks on workers’ conditions are rejected in Wales.
Mr Gruffydd made his comments in questions to Sarah Murphy, Minister for Social Partnership: “You might be aware that approximately 1,200 workers at Rowan Foods in Wrexham are facing an uncertain future due to plans by the owners, Oscar Mayer, to make workers redundant and change working conditions, and that includes an annual pay cut of £3,000.
“That's a policy of firing and rehiring on worse conditions, which obviously belongs to the Victorian age. I'm seeking a commitment now, as are the 1,200 workers and their union Unite, that this Government will do all it can to oppose such a regressive policy. So, do you agree that it's absolutely reprehensible that a company like this can on the one hand pay its chief executive £0.5 million a year and on the other hand treat its workers in this way? If you do, then what are you going to do to ensure that this firing and rehiring isn't allowed to happen?”
In response Sarah Murphy said: “Obviously I'm not in favour of fire and rehire, it's not something that, as a Welsh Labour Government, we are in favour of either. I know that sometimes they try to call it something else as well. But I myself have worked with trade unions over the years to very much push back on this, with the levers that we have at the moment in the Welsh Government.
“Obviously, where we're coming from and where I'm coming from as the Minister for Social Partnership is that we'd never want to get to a place where this is happening and is happening to workers in a way that surprises them, catches them off guard, and then leaves them high and dry but also without the support to maybe be upskilled and go on to other work. I would start by saying that is what we always endeavour to do. That is not what has been able to happen in this situation.
“I am very saddened to hear this. It is under the Cabinet Secretary for the economy. We take every hit like this and feel it as well. Ultimately, we want to make sure that this doesn't happen again going forward. But, let me say on record that, no, I do not agree with this approach, and I want to make sure that this cannot happen going forward.”
MS welcomes Conwy school pupils to the Senedd
An MS has welcomed a group of Conwy school pupils to the Senedd.
North Wales MS pays tribute to RSPCA on its 200th anniversary
A North Wales MS has paid tribute to the RSPCA on its 200th anniversary.
Brexit and Tory trade deals - where is Wales's voice?
This week Llyr Gruffydd MS in his role as Plaid Cymru's Spokesperson on rural affairs questioned the Cabinet Secretary on Wales' voice in post-Brexit trade deals.
In the Senedd Chamber Llyr Gruffydd - Plaid Cymru's spokesman on rural affairs questioned the Cabinet Secretary on whether current trade deals negotiated on behalf of Wales' food producers are 'undermining' the industry.
In his question to Huw Irranca Davies, Llyr Gruffydd asked-
"Do you agree with Plaid Cymru's calls for Wales to have a veto on future trade deals if we believe that they are detrimental to the food and drink sector here in Wales? And would you agree with Plaid Cymru again that we would be better off as part of a single market and customs union?"
In his response Huw Irranca Davies indicated that he agreed, and went on to reply-
"On the issue of the voice for Wales in future trade deals, we've had no voice, we have no voice in the trade deals.
"It would be good to have some voice. Regardless of who is sitting in those top seats at a UK level going forward, particularly in food, not just our primary producers, but in the wider food supply chain, we need to have that voice. I'm not saying veto, I'm saying a voice. It's the sort of voice that we used to have, curiously, before we went through Brexit."
A report by the Economics Observatory in March 2021 suggested that Welsh exports could be reduced by a total of £1.1 billion (the equivalent of 6%) as a result of leaving the EU. It claimed that a number of sectors would be particularly badly affected from the loss of EU funding including agriculture, tourism, aerospace and steel.
In the 8 years since voting to leave the European Union Plaid Cymru have accused both Labour and the Conservatives of being deadly silent on the damage Brexit has caused, and point out that Brexit has been hugely damaging to Wales for several reasons including -
- higher costs of household essentials;
- Red tape and high charges for businesses;
- Farmers undermined by post-Brexit trade deals allowing cheap imports to come to Wales.
- Freedom of movement denied.
- Local economies around Welsh ports such as Holyhead have suffered a real blow with a reduction in EU freight flow traffic.
Are the issues at Hybu Cig Cymru someone else's problem?
"For how long will the Government insist that the mounting issues facing Hybu Cig Cymru are someone else's problem?" This is what Llyr Gruffydd asked the Cabinet Seceretary in the Senedd last week.
Following recent alligations, resignations and high staff turnover it seems that the problems are mounting for government agency Hybu Cig Cymru. The agency – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is the industry-led organisation responsible for the development, promotion and marketing of Welsh red meat. The organisation is fully funded by Welsh Government.
Earlier this year the organisation faced serious alligations of bullying of staff, when six members of staff complained separately about bullying behaviour by a manager and an external investigation upheld several complaints against the individual concerned, according to S4C's Newyddion programme.
Llyr Gruffydd wrote to the previous Cabinet Seceretary, or Minister as it was then - Leslie Griffiths back in February of this year, expressing concern about the situation in HCC. At that time, he was told that the Government wasn't going to intervene. In the week leading to Mr Griffiths' intervention in the Senedd two directors resigned from the board, and it's become clear that the situation is deteriorating. Llyr Gruffydd has subsequently written a second letter to the Cabinet Seceretary to express concern about the deteriorating situation.
Last week Llyr Gruffydd asked the Cabinet Secretary, Huw Irranca Davies -
"You have said that they are focused on resolving these problems, but of course, that's what the Government's been saying for almost a year now. Don't you feel a responsibility for safeguarding the well-being of individuals within the organisation who are affected by these difficulties?
"We've heard already about the risk that exists of undermining the faith of levy payers, and, at the end of the day, the risk of having a negative impact on the brand and reputation of Welsh red meat. For how long will you say that this is someone else's problem?"
The Cabinet Secretary, Huw Irranca Davies responded-
"Whilst I'm very aware of the problems, it is not for me to step in and, in some ways, tell Hybu Cig Cymru what to do, or intervene in what are sensitive—I'm sure you'll appreciate—and delicate discussions with both current and former members. That is for Hybu Cig Cymru to do. Meanwhile, I as Cabinet Secretary am keenly focused on both the reputation and the performance of this organisation, and I'll continue to hold that focus on them."
Labour in disarray over devolution.
Labour’s mixed messages over devolution of justice reveals a party in disarray.
That’s the view of Llyr Gruffydd after Welsh Government minister Rebecca Evans responded to a question about devolution of policing and justice by contradicting her UK Labour counterpart Jo Stevens.
Llyr Gruffydd, said: “The UK Labour shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens was unequivocal in her refusal to consider devolving policing and justice to Wales if Labour win the General Election.
“Yet her counterpart in Wales, Rebecca Evans, is equally unequivocal in her answer to my question about this matter. She wants this to happen.
“Labour in Wales has been an outright supporter of the devolution of policing for years. The 2021-2026 programme for Government and the Labour 2021 manifesto clearly states that this government is committed to ‘pursuing the case for the devolution of policing and justice’. They reiterated this call in 2022 stating: ‘It is clear that Wales does not benefit from this UK Government led approach’.
“Three further reports have made the case for devolving criminal justice powers, but UK Labour isn’t listening to Wales – with even its own members being ignored in the scramble to centralise power.
“Labour’s in disarray and is speaking with a forked tongue. The situation is totally unsustainable because, once in power in London, Labour will continue to ignore expert voices and their own members in Wales as they always have done.
“At what point do Labour members in Wales realise that they’re constantly being taken for granted, their views are ignored and that people can see that it’s London calling the tune? The only way Wales gets noticed is when we vote Plaid Cymru. That’s the stark choice ahead of people in a fortnight.”
MS welcomes minister’s promise to work with Royal Welsh and Eisteddfod on school holiday reform
An MS has welcomed a Minister’s commitment to work with the Royal Welsh Show and the National Eisteddfod on reform of the school holiday calendar.