Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:41 pm on 5 October 2022.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 1:41, 5 October 2022

Of course it was a Welsh Labour Government that, in its manifesto, and then delivered through the programme for government and delivered it within its first year, delivered the real living wage for our social care workforce. A real living wage. Also, I have to say, in addition to the living wage, funding has been made available to our social care workforce, as you know, and, indeed, not just in the last year but during the period of the pandemic, because we recognise the devotion, the commitment of the social care workforce at the sharp end. So, we as a Government have done everything we can to support the social care workforce. But, also, clearly we are supporters of the real living wage, and it is actually my Deputy Minister Hannah Blythyn who is particularly taking this forward in her responsibilities for the real living wage. 

But it is also clearly a matter for the Government. The Deputy Minister for Social Services is working closely with the social care foundation, and working with all the employers and, indeed, the local authorities in terms of the employment of social care workers. So, we are doing our bit. But what is the UK Government doing, I have to say, Mark Isherwood? Because, actually, we're £600 million down on our budget this year and we're going to be £1.4 billion down next year. Where is that money going to come from, because this is what we want to do in terms of social justice, but we need help from your Government?