North Wales MS and Shadow Social Justice Minister Mark Isherwood has made a further call for the Welsh Government to outline when a Welsh Benefits System is to be introduced.
Mr Isherwood has made repeated requests in recent months for this detail, but to no avail.
Questioning the Social Justice Minister in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, he raised the matter again.
He said:
“Questioning you here previously on the Welsh Benefits Charter, I noted that although, for almost a decade, the sector had been calling for a coherent and integrated Welsh Benefits System for all the means-tested benefits the Welsh Government is responsible for, as had I, the Welsh Local Government Association had issued a press release making clear that, far from being the launch of a Welsh Benefits System, local authorities only agreed to work with the Welsh Government to take action towards developing one.
“I therefore asked you whether you had a timescale for the introduction of a Welsh Benefits System, and, if so, what targets would be in place to measure progress. I also asked you whether the 22 local authorities had agreed to implement a Welsh Benefits System on a uniform basis across Wales to avoid a Postcode Lottery, and, critically, how you will monitor implementation and practice to ensure effectiveness, efficiency and target outcomes.
“In your reply, you stated only that the Steering group ‘will produce an action plan by the summer’. Well, every viable commercial or social business has a business plan with targets, timescales and review dates. You're the Minister in charge, so what are the Welsh Government's targets, timescales and review dates?”
In her response, the Minister said: “this is a major step forward in terms of the implementation of a Welsh Benefits Charter, but it is a first step in the journey to ensure that we do have a Welsh Benefits System.”
