Posted: Mon 11th May 2020

A view from Wrexham’s Member of the Senedd

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Monday, May 11th, 2020

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in Parliament and the Senedd, and closer to home.

Wrexham MS Lesley Griffiths writes…

 

The coronavirus pandemic has been an extremely demanding and tough period for everyone and it has undoubtedly been the biggest challenge I have faced since being elected.

First and foremost, we must remember all those who are sadly no longer with us. Tragically, the number of deaths in Wales recently exceeded 1,000 and I offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of those who have lost their lives.

The pandemic and subsequent lockdown has drastically affected our everyday lives and transformed the way we work. Although my constituency office is closed for face-to-face meetings, my staff and I have continued to work, advise and support constituents throughout the outbreak. I have been inundated with emails and phone calls from concerned constituents and we have done our absolute best to provide reassurance and guidance to each and every person during this difficult time.

Virtual meetings have become the norm. Wales was one of the first Parliaments in the world to meet virtually and bilingually. After a break of only two weeks, Welsh Government ministers resumed their plenary scrutiny on a virtual basis, have held daily press conferences and appeared before scrutiny committees.

In my role as the Welsh Government Minister for Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs, I am continuing to participate in meetings every single day, with my fellow Welsh Government ministers, as well as my ministerial counterparts from across the UK. As preparations and discussions take place focused on how we come out on the other side of the pandemic, I believe the upcoming weeks and months will be equally as busy.

An incredible amount of work has taken place and it’s important to reflect on some of the key points.

In just a matter of weeks, more than £2 billion has been outlined by Welsh Government to support the economy, a figure that far supersedes any previous spend. A system has been implemented to ensure businesses receive the funding as quickly and efficiently as possible. The £500m Economic Resilience Fund, which is unique to Wales, is offering additional support to micro-businesses, SMEs and social enterprises, which might not have been eligible for other support schemes.

Up to the end of April, the Welsh Government provided more than 60 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS and to local authorities for onward distribution to all social care settings. There were concerns Wales could run out of supplies but we didn’t. Two significant deliveries of PPE arrived in Wales via Cardiff Airport last week – one from Cambodia and one from China. This was procured by the Welsh Government and enabled it to not only replenish health boards and care homes in Wales, it also supplied the Scottish Government with PPE as they had done for Wales previously.
https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1256268396221562885

In recognition of their ongoing dedication and hard work during the pandemic, the Welsh Labour Government announced all social care workers in Wales will receive an extra £500. The Welsh Government has called on the UK Government not to tax the £500 payment and we await to hear their views.
https://twitter.com/lesley4wrexham/status/1256212160432267265

Wales became the first country in the UK to guarantee ongoing funding for children to continue to receive free school meals through the summer holidays during the coronavirus pandemic. It also provided key workers provided with free childcare.
Those deemed to be at high-risk from coronavirus were identified, contacted and asked to shield. The advantage of the system in Wales is that no one was required to undertake a separate registration process as the data was shared with GPs, local authorities and supermarkets. In my ministerial capacity, I have worked hard to ensure nobody in Wales goes hungry. All those who received a shielding letter and could not rely on family or friends to purchase food had free food parcels delivered to their door.
https://twitter.com/WGEnviroAgri/status/1255379382664863745

Latest figures suggest we are past the peak of the virus and that is largely thanks to the enormous efforts of the people of Wrexham and Wales.
The crisis, however, is not over and we must remain vigilant. The next stage is critical and implementing a plan of action to take us safely out of lockdown is one of the largest public health challenges Wales has ever faced.

To save lives and beat this virus, we must continue to strictly follow the latest guidance. The Prime Minister’s announcement last night means regulations in England are different to the rest of the UK. This will create challenges as we live so close to the border.

I would urge Wrexham residents to keep watching for and listening to the latest Welsh Government updates. The advice has not changed. Coronavirus has not gone away and people should stay at home wherever possible to protect the NHS and save lives.

Finally, it may have gone unnoticed but last week the National Assembly for Wales officially became the Welsh Parliament, or Senedd Cymru. The change means I am now Wrexham’s Member of the Senedd (MS) rather than Assembly Member (AM).

In the last 20 years, the role of the Assembly has altered. Law-making and taxation powers have been devolved to Wales from Westminster and the name change to Parliament reflects its increased powers and responsibilities. The timing may seem odd being in the midst of a pandemic but the name change was set out in law by the National Assembly several months ago which is why it happened last Wednesday (6 May). It is clear, however, Covid-19 will remain the priority for Members of the Senedd in the weeks and months ahead.

If any constituents have any concerns or if there is anything they think I could help them with, you can email me directly at [email protected]
Please stay safe and take care of each other.

 



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