Chair of the Senedd Cross-Party Group on Disability, and North Wales MS, Mark Isherwood, has raised concern that the requirement in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, to give disabled people real voice, choice and control in decisions that affect their lives is not being complied with, and called for a Welsh Government Statement accordingly.
Speaking during yesterday’s Business Statement in the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood also said that “substantial progress is still needed to meet national obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People”.
Calling for an oral Welsh Government Statement on the matter, he said:
“I Chaired the session of the ‘International Day of Disabled People’ Senedd events with Disability Wales earlier, promoting the rights and well-being of Disabled People, and I call for a Welsh Government oral Statement here accordingly, because that's what they've called for today.
“This year, the theme, as you know, is ‘Amplifying the Leadership of Disabled People for an inclusive and sustainable future’, emphasising the importance of advancing leadership and agency of Disabled People and Disabled People's Organisations. In Wales, however, substantial progress is still needed to meet national obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.
“Disability Wales welcomed the Welsh Government's creation of the Disability Rights Taskforce, to produce an action plan with recommendations for tackling systemic barriers to Disabled People's equality and rights in Wales. However, when I opened the ‘All Wales People First’ touring exhibition in North Wales yesterday, I again heard that the requirement, in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, to give Disabled People real voice, choice and control in decisions that affect their lives, was not being complied with. I call for an oral Statement to this Senedd, this Parliament, in this Chamber accordingly.”
The Trefnydd, Jane Hutt MS, told Mr Isherwood that she would be “doing an oral statement to address those points in the New Year”.