Carl Sargeant: Well, the Member may be very surprised, but I would be delighted to join the Member in Cardiff or wherever, to come along with you. I think it’s really important that we experience the real living experience of people who are working or have found themselves on the streets. The other evening, the Member might be pleased to know that I spent 10 minutes sitting in ‘Chippy Alley’ in...
Carl Sargeant: Indeed, and the Member is right to raise this issue, as many others have. I’ve already met with Shelter Cymru this morning on this very issue. This is of grave concern to us, and we’re looking at some very quick responses to the potential issue of homelessness for young people. We cannot allow young people to be introduced to the streets of Wales. It is fundamentally wrong by the UK...
Carl Sargeant: Statistics, statistics, statistics. What worries me is what’s actually happening on the ground in our communities, when I and you will see your postbag filled with people experiencing difficulty with universal credit and the credit reform. It was rolled out first of all in Flintshire in my own constituency, actually, so I’ve seen an increase in pressures there. But I can’t see anybody...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for a very serious question. Generally, single 18 to 21-year-olds with no children will not be entitled to help with their housing costs when universal credit, from 1 April—this week—comes into force. There are a number of exemptions, including those who are disabled or unable to live at home with their parents. There are approximately 1,000 people affected in Wales,...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for Newport West for her question. We have comprehensively assessed the impact of the UK Government’s welfare reforms, including universal credit. This assessment covers a range of impacts, including the number of households affected, impacts on income and work incentives and wider impacts associated with a single monthly household payment paid directly to claimants.
Carl Sargeant: There is already guidance issued to authorities. I will have a conversation with my ministerial colleague on this very specific issue. This Government is very keen that we move into an early intervention and prevention opportunity, which saves issues, as the Member alludes to, such as long-term health impacts and moving people into adapted properties that actually wouldn’t be necessary if...
Carl Sargeant: These are very simple technological opportunities that we can roll out across Wales. A new health and social services integrated framework for action for people who are deaf or are living with hearing loss was published in February, building on our continued investment in assistive equipment and technology. My colleague Rebecca Evans, the Minister for social services, has responded for the...
Carl Sargeant: I think it’s irrelevant where the funding stream comes from, whether that be through social services or through the disabled facilities grant or otherwise in this portfolio. I think what’s really important is that we focus on the individual and their needs, and it’s something that, if the Member would wish to write to me on this specifically, I’d be happy to take up on his behalf.
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for Ynys Môn for his question. The Welsh Government is committed to supporting people to live independently and safely in their own homes. The commitment is supported by funding for equipment and adaptations where appropriate.
Carl Sargeant: Data is collected across communities’ programmes in order to measure performance and outcomes. We are particularly focusing on measurable improvements in outcomes for people, including in Communities for Work and Lift.
Carl Sargeant: Our package of support makes clear our commitment to supporting armed forces veterans in Wales.
Carl Sargeant: I have had discussions with the UK prisons’ Minister regarding the proposed site for development of a new prison at Port Talbot. My officials are also working with Ministry of Justice officials regarding this proposal.
Carl Sargeant: We support the work of the third sector across all our communities, providing over £6 million funding for 2017/18 for county voluntary councils across Wales and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. This ensures help is available to local organisations, focusing on fundraising, good governance and placing volunteers.
Carl Sargeant: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’d like to thank Dawn Bowden for leading this debate today. There is a clear recognition of the benefits credit unions can bring to individuals and communities. Credit unions are ideally placed, through their relationships with local authorities, local employers, schools and community organisations, to help strengthen the financial resilience of...
Carl Sargeant: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the report and thank the committee for the inquiry. It has undoubtedly helped move the approach forward. During the inquiry, the committee heard from providers and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales on the importance of advocacy and I echo their sentiments. Our young children and young people, particularly those who are most vulnerable,...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for her questions. I’ll try and treat each one separately in detail. I recognise that the Member has used the figures—I assume from the Welsh Government’s own figures that were produced. We’ve looked at those very carefully on the basis of what was included in the numbers. The figures that are released were inaccurate in reporting this, and it’s through no fault...
Carl Sargeant: I certainly recognise the points raised by the Member. And it does concern me that, not only firefighters and communities are put at risk, but also there’s animal welfare as well, and that communities are put at risk by the unsociable act of fire-starting in our communities. The campaign that has brought together all of the agencies has had some great success, and, of course, I do recognise...
Carl Sargeant: Well, the Member is right to raise the issue of these fires—several outbreaks over the weekend. We have worked with the fire service, the police, local authorities, Natural Resources Wales and others to establish a coherent and strategic approach to preventing and responding to grass fires. Initial figures show that this approach, working with partners, has been highly effective. The...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for her question. I strongly condemn those who start grass fires. They devastate our community, our environment, and put our communities in fear, endangering our firefighters. And we have had reduced grass fires significantly, but I hope to see the situation sustained this year.
Carl Sargeant: Really good questions by the Member, but I hope that his visits to the prison were the same as mine, through the visitors’ entrance, so he could exit. But an important process. I haven’t got that detail, and I had a conversation with Sam Gyimah MP yesterday that was light on detail, because these things still have to be worked out, but what I would suggest is that the model, while...
