Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 1 March 2023.
Diolch, Llywydd. I welcome the mention of the real living wage in social care in your statement on fair work yesterday. Plaid Cymru has been a strong campaigner for many years for a pay increase for those dedicated and absolutely essential staff working in social care. One-off payments, like the one we saw during the pandemic, are welcome, but they are no substitute for being paid what you deserve. My concern is that cash boosts may not always filter down to those staff on the ground, including those third sector providers who have local authority contracts. What mechanisms or processes are being put in place to ensure that any cash injection to local authorities to improve the pay of social care staff is being passed on to those it is intended for, including those third sector partners?