North Wales Assembly Member and Chair of the Cross Party Autism Group, Mark Isherwood, has challenged the Welsh Government this week over missed Autism targets, which he said reinforce the need for an Autism Act for Wales.
Mr Isherwood is concerned that many deadlines in the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Interim Delivery Plan 2015-16, published in May last year, have not yet been met and in this week’s Business Statement called for a progress update.
He said: “Many deadlines in the interim plan have failed to be met, including an update on how each local authority is supporting the ASD infrastructure now that funding is channelled through their revenue support grant. This was due in September 2015. Similarly, the publication of an independent evaluation of the ASD strategic action plan was also due in the summer of 2015.
“A progress report on the National ASD co-ordinator role was due in October 2015, whilst a report on the continued support for the All Wales ASD Adults Diagnostic Pre and Post Counselling Network community of Practice was due in November 2015.
“We therefore need a Statement providing details on how these specific points will be achieved and when, and an explanation of why so few of the targets in the interim delivery plan have yet to be realised.”
The Minister for Government Business, Jane Hutt AM, replied: “Ministers have clear expectations of delivery of the autism spectrum disorder interim action plan. Of course, the strategy that has been supported and implemented by the Welsh Government depends on delivery by partners, and, of course, that is what Ministers would expect in terms of monitoring reporting on progress.”
Mr Isherwood added; “The fact that so many targets have been missed reinforces the need for an Autism Act for Wales, giving autism a statutory identity in Wales and imposing duties on health boards and local authorities.”