This is the last article you can read this month
You can read more article this month
You can read more articles this month
Sorry your limit is up for this month
Reset on:
Please help support the Morning Star by subscribing here
THE failure of Tory ministers in London to grasp simple economics and sensible solutions leaves Mark Drakeford “baffled,” he told the Senedd’s First Minister scrutiny committee today.
The head of the Welsh government was asked what representations his administration had made to the UK Treasury before last week’s Budget annoucement.
“I am sometimes baffled at why arguments about housing benefits do not land with the UK government, because dealing with eventual homelessness is far more expensive,” the First Minister said.
Mr Drakeford told committee members that a letter had been sent — which he was happy to publish — setting out what his government thought were Budget priorities.
He explained that one had been a one-off payment to people on means-tested housing benefits to help them when the Tory government stopped the £400 fuel payment.
Labour MS John Griffiths asked what help was available in Wales for people who had not applied for support before but needed to because of the cost-of-living crisis.
“We have worked with councils and the public sector to ensure that where people apply for support they receive advice on the full range of things they are entitled to,” Mr Drakeford said.
“It is why we welcome the Gordon Brown devolution proposal that Wales administers the benefits system if UK Labour win the next general election.
“We will be looking to embed automaticity into the benefits system here so people get everything they are entitled to without having to navigate it themselves.”
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price joined the First Minister to answer questions on initiatives from the co-operation agreement between his party and Welsh Labour.
The two leaders were quizzed by Mr Griffiths over whether the commitment to establish a free national care service for Wales was being derailed by recruitment problems because the living wage was too low.
“The Cabinet meeting this week discussed a national care strategy and for a fair work framework for the sector,” Mr Drakeford said.
The Plaid leader said that the co-operation agreement discussions included planning sustainable public services on a much longer-term basis than the usual election cycles.
