North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood, the Shadow Communities and Housing Minister, has emphasised the need for the next Welsh Government to support credit unions beyond 2017 to ensure their sustainability.
Questioning the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty in the Assembly Chamber this week, Mr Isherwood said:
“In an estimated two thirds of loan transactions, people would save by using a credit union, yet only 2.5% of people in Wales currently do so. With Welsh Government funding due to end in 2017, how do you respond to the call by Credit Unions in Wales for the next Welsh Government to provide capacity-building support for the transition beyond 2017?”
The Minister, Lesley Griffith AM replied: “That would be a matter for the next Government. I think we’ve supported Credit Unions very well over the past few years.”
Mr Isherwood added: “Knocking this into the long grass is not good enough. Before elections, the Parties and their Manifestos set out their Programme for Government and a Welsh Conservative Government will support Credit Unions to ensure their sustainability beyond 2017.”