In the Senedd, December 2003

Despite the Senedd sitting for just a few weeks, the Bevan Foundation contributed to scrutiny and debate in Plenary and Committees. 

The Foundation is pleased that Senedd members from several parties used the Bevan Foundation’s evidence in scrutiny of Ministers and debate about several important issues including fuel poverty, child poverty, the International Day of Disabled People and anti-racism. 

Fuel Poverty

On 6^th December 2023, the Plaid Cymru debate in Plenary called on the Welsh Government to implement its new Warm Homes Programme with urgency and set interim targets in its Tackling Fuel Poverty Plan. The Bevan Foundation’s joint briefing with NEA Cymru was quoted by Sioned Williams MS (Plaid Cymru) in moving the motion, and by Mark Isherwood MS (Conservative) in his contribution.  Cefin Campbell MS (Plaid Cymru) also referred to the Bevan Foundation’s evidence on fuel poverty in rural areas in his speech. The motion was agreed.

The First Minister was also asked about fuel poverty in the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister on 8^th December.  John Griffiths MS (Labour) said that:

… the Bevan Foundation here in Wales have done some useful work, I think, in terms of providing a little bit more clarity on the basics of addressing need and helping vulnerable families and people in terms of maximising income and reducing outgoings.

Child Poverty

Child poverty was the topic of a Question without Notice from Sioned Williams MS (Plaid Cymru) to the Minister for Social Justice in Plenary on 13^th December.  Sioned Williams referred to the Bevan Foundation’s views on the draft child poverty strategy, while in response the Minister for Social Justice referred to the Bevan Foundation’s acknowledgement that the Welsh Government was taking action such as the roll-out of universal free school meals for primary school pupils, the uplift to Education Maintenance Allowance and the increase in the Discretionary Assistance Fund budget.

International Day of Disabled People

5th December 2023 was the International Day of Disabled People and the Minister for Social Justice marked the occasion with a statement in Plenary.  In the debate that followed, Sioned Williams MS (Plaid Cymru) quoted the findings of the Bevan Foundation’s latest Snapshot of Poverty. She said:

the most recent snapshot of poverty report by the Bevan Foundation painted a stark picture of how disabled people disproportionately live in poverty and how the cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating this hardship. For example, more than four in 10 disabled people, whose condition limits them a lot, have gone without heating, and 46 per cent have skipped a meal.

Immigration and housing

In the Equality and Social Justice Committee on 4^th December, Sarah Murphy MS (Labour) asked the Minister for Social Justice about the government’s anti-racist action plan, quoting the Bevan Foundation’s evidence in migrants’ access to housing.