Part of Questions to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip – in the Senedd at 2:37 pm on 2 February 2021.
Thank you for that answer. As you'll know, of course, this crisis and the associated lockdowns have led to an escalation of risk for women who are either in abusive relationships or are fleeing them. But there is an equal crisis looming that is related to the funding of the specialist support services that are literally, or figuratively then, a lifeline for these women. Funds were received later than expected and they are struggling to spend the money before the deadline in March. Organisations like Welsh Women's Aid are calling for flexibility in this spending deadline, as it's a particular problem in situations where the funding was earmarked for recruitment—organisations have had a very short time in which to recruit and train new staff to meet the continued demand for services. If that flexibility isn't introduced, Minister, or the funding commitment is made to match that after March, then many staff will be lost. Surely, Minister, no-one would want these organisations to have to re-bid for money after March, as this could be time and resource far better spent on protecting women. So, will the Government please address these concerns and consider this urgently?