Questioning the First Minister, I stated that tourism operators in North Wales have told me that greater funding for tourism marketing across the rest of the UK risks Wales losing out as a visitor destination unless the Welsh Government invests more in tourism marketing here.
I spoke of the distress amongst the autism community caused by Labour’s vote against an Autism Act for Wales the previous week and called for a Welsh Government Statement on its proposals for Autism legislation, where people on the autism spectrum need certainty. A letter written by an autistic person to Assembly Members after the previous week’s vote stated, “whatever we have now has resulted in nothing.”
I also called for a Welsh Government Statement following publication of the Auditor General for Wales Report on Community Safety, which states, ‘Welsh Government has no single strategy for community safety … and there are no areas where national, regional and local bodies have the same priority’, and recommends the creation of ‘effective community-safety boards’.
Responding to the Statement on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Unaccompanied Children, I highlighted issues including the number of unaccompanied children from the ‘Jungle Camp’ in Calais who will be given protection in Wales and the challenges facing North Wales local authorities in meeting the specific needs of refugees.
Speaking in the Local Government Debate, I quoted statements by the Williams Commission that ‘leaders at all levels will need to be open to different ways of working, including coproduction’ with ‘a clearer sense of common purpose between government at all levels, citizens, and communities’ and by the Auditor General for Wales ‘that previous approaches have not worked as intended and that radical change is required’ … ‘identifying co-production as a method of redesigning services at the frontline’, but added that the Welsh Government response has been inconsistent, ambiguous, often hierarchical, frequently confused and sometimes even dismissive.
Cardiff engagements included Chairing the Cross Party Group on Neurological Conditions, a session encouraging at risk groups to get the free flu vaccination, a British Gas ‘get ready for winter’ event, Bus Users Cymru, Consular Association of Wales, Muslim Council of Wales Annual Interfaith event, Royal British Legion, Terrence Higgins Trust to discuss challenges around HIV and sexual health, and Welsh NHS Confederation.
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