Bevan Foundation in the Senedd, September 2022

The Senedd was in recess for most of September, but the Bevan Foundation successfully informed debate in the chamber and beyond.

The Senedd returned from its summer break on Monday 12th September and quickly began to use insights from the Bevan Foundation to inform its work. 

Cost of Living

In the plenary debate on 21st September, the evidence from our Snapshot of Poverty report was quoted by Senedd Members from all parties. Mabon ap Gwynfor, MS for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said:

According to the Bevan Foundation, around 180,000 households here in Wales now can’t afford some of the basics of life: heat, food or hygiene products, never mind luxuries. We are calling this a cost-of-living crisis, but the truth is that it is an affording-to-live crisis.

In the same debate Jane Hutt MS, Minister for Social Justice referred to her recent meeting with the Bevan Foundation. 

Private rents

Our work on private rents and the Local Housing Allowance was also highlighted in the Senedd, again in the debate on 21st September on the cost of living.  Mabon ap Gwynfor MS referred to our findings on the number of properties available at LHA rates, which was followed by a lively exchange on whether private sector rents should be frozen. 

Social Partnership

At the beginning of October, the Senedd Equality and Social Justice Committee completed its scrutiny of the social partnership bill with a session asking questions to the Deputy Minister, Hannah Blythyn MS.  The Bevan Foundation’s evidence on the membership of the proposed social partnership council and on the need for expertise in the labour market was put to the Deputy Minister by Committee members from all parties. The Committee’s report on the inquiry will be published soon.