The Welcome Ticket Scheme

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:30 pm on 9 November 2022.

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Photo of Natasha Asghar Natasha Asghar Conservative 1:30, 9 November 2022

Thank you so much, Minister. Minister, as far as I'm concerned, the welcome ticket is a fantastic initiative and has been very much welcomed by refugees all across Wales. However, it has been brought to my attention directly from asylum seekers and the Welsh Refugee Council that improvements are needed to make the scheme even better. I do apologise to everyone here if I do sound like I'm repeating myself, Minister, because I did recently raise it in a business statement, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to question you directly myself.

To get onto a bus or a train, refugees have to show either a biometric residence permit, a passport or a letter from the Home Office. I'm sure that you'll agree with me that it is a very important document that refugees are having to carry around with them every time that they want to access public transport here in Wales. And some refugees have been left incredibly embarrassed and stopped using the scheme altogether because some services do not actually recognise the welcome ticket. Apparently, there is a misunderstanding by drivers of the various types of status on biometric residence permits, so, sadly, Minister, many asylum seekers are not eligible for the welcome ticket as well. By extending the scheme to include asylum seekers, it would enable them to better integrate into life in Wales by allowing them to attend English lessons and have volunteering opportunities. So, Minister, will you commit to looking at rolling out a special card that will be universally recognised by drivers to avoid confusion and to stop refugees from having to carry important papers? And will you also look at extending the welcome ticket to include asylum seekers? Thank you so much, Minister.