Mark Isherwood: It's like receiving advice on poker playing from a bankrupt gambler. The Labour Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru scaremonger about the forthcoming trade talks with the EU. However, Wales benefits from the clout of belonging to the UK single market and customs union, in which most of the Welsh economy is traded. As a former UK ambassador to both Germany and the US stated last week, missing...
Mark Isherwood: I'll take one intervention, yes.
Mark Isherwood: In any negotiation, both sides go up with long wish lists, but a deal has to come out at the end and that's a red line for the UK Government. They scaremonger about the UK shared prosperity fund, when our UK Conservative manifesto clearly stated that Wales will receive at least the same level of financial support as it currently receives from the EU. The UK Conservative Government also...
Mark Isherwood: On 23 June 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union, Wales voted to leave, and did so again in the European elections last year. In the UK general election last month, the people of north Wales voted to get Brexit done. Yet, this Labour Welsh Government, backed by Plaid Cymru, have repeatedly refused to follow the people’s instructions on this and an increasing number of other...
Mark Isherwood: Okay. Then, if I move to a specific council, if I may, it's nearly two decades now since Flintshire's internal audit manager successfully took action against the council, and at the core of his complaints were denial of access to documents and failure to respond to correspondence. A few years later, we had the housing maintenance scandal, where similar problems were identified by...
Mark Isherwood: Well, as I said—I won't go down the austerity line—they said that 'even with the positive settlement this year'—so they're acknowledging that, and it's cross-party signatures on this letter—they're saying that in order to meet pressures in demand-led priority services like social care and children's services, they will be facing cuts without a 4 per cent floor; it is 4 per cent this...
Mark Isherwood: Diolch, Llywydd. On 10 January, a letter was sent to you by, or signed by, the leaders of all six north Wales county councils regarding the local government settlement for 2020-21. And, it said, 'Even with a positive settlement this year, we'll all be looking at some service reductions and above-inflation council tax increases. In light of the continued challenges, we wish to ask you for a...
Mark Isherwood: Post offices remain at the heart of our communities, especially where the last bank branch has closed. During the years of the UK Government's post office closure programme between 2007 and 2009, we were repeatedly told here—and quite rightly so—that post offices had to become sustainable and that included the development of financial services. Last October we all received an announcement...
Mark Isherwood: Thank you. As you know, we were looking forward to the fuel poverty strategy consultation hopefully being published this month, and the final plan next month. Last week, the Residential Landlords Association gave evidence to the Assembly's Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into fuel poverty, and called, quote, 'for a more holistic approach', saying that...
Mark Isherwood: 1. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's fuel poverty strategy? OAQ54981
Mark Isherwood: 1. What discussions has the Minister had regarding the operations of the Post Office in Wales? OAQ54982
Mark Isherwood: You begin your statement with the announcement, which, of course, we have been made publicly aware of in advance through the media, of a further package of support for town centres worth nearly £90 million as part of your transforming towns agenda. What is the timescale that that £90 million applies to? Is it one year, or is it projected into the next Senedd term? Having led a debate three...
Mark Isherwood: Well, you conclude, as you've just concluded, by saying, 'By marking these days of remembrance we can ensure that these horrendous crimes against humanity are never forgotten and we move the world to a situation where it is never again repeated.' And I fully, 100 per cent, share your sentiments there. Unfortunately, marking the days of remembrance alone won't ensure that, and we all know when...
Mark Isherwood: I was going to call for a statement updating the situation in Betsi Cadwaladr; I note that Darren Millar my colleague has already done so. You said the health Minister will be making a statement on 25 February. Could I ask you to invite him to ensure that that does address the report that Darren Millar referred to on the psychological therapies review in north Wales by the TogetherBetter...
Mark Isherwood: I thank the committee for undertaking this report. Whilst the Welsh Government has accepted seven of its 11 recommendations, I urge the committee to monitor the actions proposed by the Welsh Government where it has only accepted recommendations in principle. Section 136 of the mental health Act is designed to allow police officers to remove from a public place, for their own or the public's...
Mark Isherwood: Yes. A key consideration from the results, therefore, is the development of a national delivery framework for bereavement care. This is urgent and must include support for those bereaved by suicide, co-produced by those with lived experience. Thank you.
Mark Isherwood: As chair of the cross-party group on funerals and bereavement, I welcome this debate. We understand that between 300 and 350 people die by suicide each year in Wales, according to Samaritans Cymru, with the male suicide rate almost three times higher than that for females. Samaritans Cymru reports the figure that Lynne Neagle referred to, that at least six people are deeply affected by each...
Mark Isherwood: One minute, Helen Mary. —an assessment of the cost to social services of this Bill in terms of an uplift in referrals and an increased burden on social workers.
Mark Isherwood: Thirteen per cent would normally be considered a high response for most Welsh Government consultations and many of the other polls and surveys that we as Members frequently quote from. Speaking here on this Bill in September, I quoted an experienced senior officer with a Welsh police force, who stated 'I'm constrained from speaking out publicly'— like many other professionals in Wales on...
Mark Isherwood: Well, as I said when we debated this Bill in September, I'm the parent of six, all now responsible and caring adults, a godparent, grandparent, uncle and great-uncle. Three of my daughters are also currently pregnant. Two of these now live a few miles away in England. They told me they're grateful that this Bill will not apply to them. However, our other pregnant daughter, who still lives in...
