By Mark Isherwood

MS for North Wales

In a question to the Minister for Social Justice on “20 mph Speed Limits and Emergency Services”, I stated that behind the Welsh Government's selective evidence, we know that independent 20 mph research studies for the UK Transport Department found no significant safety outcome in terms of collisions and casualties, and by Queen’s University Belfast, Edinburgh University and the University of Cambridge found ‘little impact’ on road safety.

I asked the Minister what discussions she has had with the Police regarding the implications for them of the new limit.

I also asked the Minister for an update on when the Welsh Government intends to launch its new Warm Homes programme, including the successor to the Nest fuel poverty scheme, highlighting National Energy Cymru’s call for them to be operational “as soon as possible”.

Questioning the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution in Spokesperson’s Questions, I said I am regularly contacted by Autistic and Disabled constituents who are experiencing problems obtaining representation from Lawyers willing to take on their cases, with the relevant expertise, or both, when senior Local Authority Officials have failed in their statutory duties to them, and or made false statements about them, and asked what consideration he has given to the needs of these people.

Challenging him over the the planned Women’s Residential Centre In Wales, I stated “it was the Minister for Social Justice here who subsequently wrote to Members announcing that one of these Centres would be near Swansea in South Wales, and who could not answer how this would help vulnerable women offenders in North, Mid and West Wales to access the services they need closer to home”.

Speaking in support of a Petition signed by 10,539 people calling for the Sycharth site of Owain Glyndŵr’s home to be safeguarded for future generations, I called for this site to not only “spotlight the well-known aspects in Wales of Owain Glyndŵr, but his whole life”, including his years serving Richard II in Scotland and France.

Working online from home after testing COVID-positive once again, I Chaired a meeting of the Welsh Parliament Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee; and attended an event to hear the findings from the Engage to Change project (to support young people who have a learning difficulty, learning disability and / or Autism into work), a meeting of the Cross-Party Group on STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine), and a meeting of the Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet in Wrexham.

For my help, email mark.isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219.