North Wales MS and Chair of the Senedd Cross Party Group on Disability, Mark Isherwood, has called on the Welsh Government to respond to the disability sector who are keen to know what action they are taking to mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s proposed reforms to disability benefits.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford MS, in this afternoon’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood spoke of the concerns among the disability sector in Wales and asked the Cabinet Secretary to outline what he will be doing to lessen the impact of these changes.
He said:
The disability sector want to know what the Welsh Government itself is doing now proactively.
“You referred to the Bevan Foundation Report and Policy in Practice, which found that poverty rates have increased significantly among affected households.
“The disability sector in Wales is concerned that the UK Government's current proposals risk further disabling people in Wales by compounding poverty and exclusion - I'm quoting them - and that these cuts may lead to an increase in demand for devolved Welsh services, such as health and social care, funded through the Barnett formula.
“What, therefore, is your response to their questions as follows: ‘how specifically will the impact of these proposals be measured in Wales? How will any resulting pressures on devolved services be funded, particularly in relation to the adequacy of the Barnett formula?’ and ‘ What, if any, concrete steps are the Welsh Government taking to mitigate the impact of these UK Government proposals on disabled people in Wales?’”
Responding, the Cabinet Secretary said:
“It's difficult to give precise answers to some of those questions at this stage, because some of the proposals are still being consulted upon by the UK Government. What we will do is to ensure that, with the new information we have and with the support of those organisations that are analysing it from the perspective of different claimant groups, we bring all of that to the attention of the UK Government in their decision making.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Isherwood said:
“The Bevan Foundation and others funded data experts Policy in Practice to model the impact of the UK Government's proposed reforms to disability benefits on poverty in Wales. They also considered what impact, if any, increasing employment among disabled people affected by these reforms might have on poverty. The report shows that poverty rates will increase significantly among affected households.”