6. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Update on Ukraine

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:58 pm on 25 October 2022.

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Photo of Sioned Williams Sioned Williams Plaid Cymru 4:58, 25 October 2022

(Translated)

Thank you for the statement, Minister. It is true that the reports of the war in Ukraine and the intensification in terms of tactics and the inhuman response of Russia are very concerning to those people who have sought shelter in Wales, and likely, of course, to have an impact on the number of refugees.

The changes that you've mentioned in terms of the support available to the people sponsored by Welsh Government, who, of course, left everything behind, who've experienced trauma and loss, do cause some concern. While recognising that we need to encourage people to move on, to integrate into society and to pay their way wherever possible, we should do that as quickly as is appropriate, rather than as quickly as possible. So, what's the voice of the refugee here? Who decides which costs are to be paid, and what are the criteria for that? Would a taper of some sort in terms of the support available from Government be appropriate if people are earning a salary or receiving universal credit, for example?

Since the Minister presented her latest update on Ukraine, more and more third sector organisations are very concerned about the very real threat of homelessness facing refugees from Ukraine. According to a report in The Guardian, up to 50,000 Ukrainian refugees across the UK could be homeless next year. Already since February, we know that 1,335 Ukrainian households, including 945 with children, have registered as homeless. So, Minister, is now the right time to be making this change, given that we are facing the hardest winter for decades and with the harsh winds of the economic storm particularly threatening those who've had to flee, leaving everything behind in their home country?