6. Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal: An inclusive play Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:00 pm on 7 February 2018.

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Photo of Vikki Howells Vikki Howells Labour 4:00, 7 February 2018

I'd like to thank all Members who took part in this debate today, and especially the Minister as well. Just to respond to some of the points raised, my colleague Bethan Jenkins asked what would it look like on the ground, and Michelle Brown raised some concerns about resourcing. I think that's the beauty of my suggestion, that these changes could be incremental. I've been trawling through different play catalogues, and you see, for example, that an inclusive roundabout costs just a few hundred pounds more than a standard one, and a basket swing costs, again, just a few hundred pounds more than a conventional one. So, when a local authority is going out with a budget of, say, £25,000 to revamp a play area, it's quite easy to fit those things in with no additional resource requirements.

So, I hope Members will be able to note my proposal today. If Wales could legislate on this matter, we would not only be the first country in the world to have passed a law on the right to play, we would be the first country in the world to have specifically legislated on inclusive play. That achievement would not just be about having passed a new law; it would be about starting to put in place measures so that disabled children could have the same rights to play as their peers. It would be about creating safe spaces that parents and families are happy for children to use to improve their physical, emotional and mental well-being, and it would be about recognising that disabled children have the same right to play as their peers.