In the Senedd, October 2023

Find out how the Bevan Foundation’s ideas and insights informed debate in the Welsh Parliament in October 2023.

Whilst temperatures may have started to cool outside there was plenty of heated debate in the Senedd throughout October. The Bevan Foundation’s work was able to cast some light amongst all the heat however, with our work on poverty in Arfon, access to justice and housing attracting political interest. 

The relationship between transport and poverty 

One of the key themes explored in the Bevan Foundation’s recent work on poverty in Arfon was the relationship between transport and poverty in rural communities. Difficulties in accessing affordable public transport can lock people out of work and training opportunities, pushing them into poverty. It can also mean that people have no choice but to buy more expensive food in smaller convenience stores, rather than being able to travel to supermarkets and discount stores. The implications of this finding was raised twice in the Senedd through October. 

On October 4, Plaid Cymru MS Cefin Campbell made reference to our work in plenary.  

As demonstrated by so much research, including by Sustrans, the Wales Centre for Public Policy and the Bevan Foundation, a lack of public transport contributes in a fundamental way to poverty in rural areas. It limits economic growth and it makes it far harder for people to access essential services.

Speaking on October 11 in a debate about HS2 funding, Sian Gwenllian MS mentioned our work whilst highlighting the need to invest in bus as well as rail services in Wales. Before going on to quote directly from a young person we spoke with during the course of our research, Sian Gwenllian MS states: 

…the Bevan Foundation, in the report, does recognise the lack of access to transport as one of a number of challenges that is putting pressure on households in Arfon and increasing the likelihood of living in poverty. Our constituents depend on buses to go to work, to go to school and to access healthcare, but many of the bus routes face closure because of a lack of funding.

Housing 

The Bevan Foundation’s work on the Local Housing Allowance continues to inform Senedd debate several months after its publication. During a Senedd debate on housing on October 10th Mabon ap Gwynfor MS stated:

For example, a recent Bevan Foundation report has shown that, in February of this year, only 1.2 per cent of private rented properties in Wales were available at or below the current local housing allowance rate.

Access to Justice 

September 2023 saw the Bevan Foundation publish a report looking at the challenges people face accessing legal aid funded immigration services in Wales. The findings of the work were stark and drew attention to the fact that much more can be done at a Welsh level to mitigate against some of the biggest challenges people face when seeking access to justice. 

Access to legal aid funded immigration services has been a completely overlooked policy area within Welsh politics. Just a month after its publication however, our report is already starting to force a change. 

On October 4th, Delyth Jewell MS tabled a question in the Senedd:

What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers regarding the decline in immigration legal aid services in Wales over the last five years?

We hope that this is just the start of the issue getting the attention it deserves in Wales as we work towards developing solutions.