2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 26 November 2019.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 2:40, 26 November 2019

Recent changes to the way Citizens Advice is being funded is going to be leaving some of the most vulnerable people in my constituency even more vulnerable and unable to access help when they most need it. So, can I ask for a statement from Government on how it intends to deal with this lack of capacity now to deal with issues that are of importance to my constituents?

Just to give you an idea, we currently in citizens advice bureaux on Ynys Môn have five and a half full-time equivalents working with constituents: one and a half debt caseworkers, two welfare benefits specialists, and two generalist specialists. From January next year, there'll be 1.6 for everything else other than debt, with a 0.7 full-time equivalent working and dealing with all my constituents' needs to do with debt. It is impossible for CAB to give the kind of advice and service that they have been giving to my constituents. On many of these cases they work with my office as an Assembly Member, because we work very, very closely. I would like a statement on how on earth they're meant to cope with that situation, and how Government would give a consideration to the possibility of moving to a situation whereby numbers might vary from one county or one area to another, but that there is at least one full-time equivalent person to deal with issues, such as debt, because nothing else will suffice, especially when the service has been so good from CAB in recent years.