'Don't appear to have learnt any lessons from the pilot in Buckley'

MS for North Wales

Questioning the Labour Deputy Minister who has become the driving force behind Wales' 20mph default speed limit, Lee Waters MS, I asked what policy analysis the Welsh Government undertook before implementing this, challenged him over the discretion local authorities have been granted to change the limit, and quoted a Flintshire County Councillor who told me “Welsh Government don't appear to have learnt any lessons from the pilot” in Buckley.

Referring to the Welsh Government’s claim that road deaths and cyclist numbers killed in road traffic accidents have fallen in Spain since it introduced a 30km/h (18.6mph) speed limit on most of its roads in 2019, I also quoted the statement by the Spanish Interior Minister that there were more road deaths and cyclist fatalities in 2022 than in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year without mobility restrictions there.

Responding to the Social Justice Minister’s Cost of Living Statement, I asked her to respond to recommendations in the Report of the ‘Wales Expert Group on the Cost-of-Living Crisis’.

Having attended the Building Communities Trust ‘Wales Community Assets Index’ Launch earlier in the week, which uncovered 102 previously unidentified ‘Less Resilient Areas’ across Wales, I opened the Welsh Conservative Debate on Community Assets, stating that “enabling Wales will require the development of a long-term, overarching communities strategy to help empower local people and establish ‘asset-based community development’, unlocking both ‘people’ and ‘physical’ assets to build sustainable communities for the future”.

Questioning the Education Minister about discrimination against Autistic pupils in education settings, I stated that the many cases raised with me evidence that this is not a safe, Autistic-friendly Wales, and asked him to respond to the calls I have received for an urgent Public Inquiry to stop the abuse that is still going on.

I Chaired meetings of the Senedd’s Cross-Party-Autism Group, and Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee.

Senedd engagements included British Heart Foundation, to mark World Heart Day; Macmillan Coffee Morning; the School and Nursery Milk Alliance’s ‘World School Milk Day’ event; Sports Wales; speaking with North Wales Nurses at the Royal College of Nursing event; Royal Pharmaceutical Society Wales; and Nuclear in Wales.

As a sponsor of the ‘Conference of the Birds: Curlew & Great Auk’ Exhibit in the Senedd and Wales Species Champion for the threatened Curlew, I joined Artist and animator Sean Harris for a tour of his exhibition.

I also attended Flintshire 50+ Action Group’s ‘International Day of Older People’ event at Connah’s Quay Civic Hall.

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