September in the Senedd

September 2021 saw the Bevan Foundation’s insights and ideas being mentioned in many questions and debates in the Senedd.

Poverty

The highlight in September was the Plaid Cymru debate about the impact of the £20 cut to Universal Credit on 15^th September. The motion proposed that the Senedd:

‘Recognises that a higher proportion of families in Wales will be affected by the cut to universal credit than the UK average according to the Bevan Foundation’

In the debate which followed, the Bevan Foundation was mentioned by Senedd Members from all parties. Heledd Fychan MS and Luke Fletcher MS cited the Bevan Foundation’s estimates of the loss of income in the communities they represent, while Sioned Williams MS quoted our findings on household debt.  Mark Isherwood MS referred to the Bevan Foundation’s work on poverty before the pandemic.  In responding to the motion, the Minister for Social Justice expressed her concerns about the effects of the cut and also quoted our findings.  We were delighted that an amended motion was passed by the Senedd by 40 votes to 17.

Later in the month, we were pleased that John Griffiths MS asked ‘what is the Welsh Government’s latest assessment of economic and social inequality in Wales’ in Questions to Ministers on 22^nd September.  He quoted the Bevan Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s evidence on the root causes of poverty in discussion.  In response, the Minister for Social Justice said

“we need to, as the Bevan Foundation have said, make sure that we can increase income where we can. So, that’s why the income maximisation action plan has been so important, getting money into people’s pockets, and also the fact that we are extending the discretionary assistance fund as well.”

The Bevan Foundation’s findings were also mentioned in committee inquiries. In the Equality and Social Justice Committee on 20^th September, Jane Dodds MS asked the Minister for Social Justice about the Bevan Foundation’s research for Chwarae Teg on poverty amongst women.  Over at the Children and Young People Committee on 23^rd September, the Minister for Education, Jeremy Miles MS, responded to a question from Ken Skates MS about free school meals by mentioning the Bevan Foundation’s analysis of costs. He said:

On … free school meals, there’s a review already under way in relation to this. … That work has been going on over the summer, working with and in discussion with people like the Bevan Foundation

Fair work

We were pleased that our findings on fairness in employment were mentioned in two separate plenary sessions.  On 14^th September  Peredur Owen Gruffydd MS detailed the Bevan Foundation’s concerns about the social partnership white paper. In response the Deputy Minister said ‘I’m familiar with the Bevan Foundation’s response’.

Later in the month, in plenary on 29^th September, Luke Fletcher MS asked what progress the Welsh Government had made to support employee rights, pay, and organisation in the foundational economy, citing the Bevan Foundation’s findings. He asked:

‘does the Welsh Government have any intentions to implement the recommendations of the Bevan Foundation … report?’

The Minister for the Economy replied that the Welsh Government was pursuing fairness at work through the fair work legislation and through the economic contract and other measures.