WALES 0 THE CHANNEL ISLANDS 1

It is interesting to note that our Senedd remains quite unique within this island archipelago as it is the only devolved legislature within these islands not to have any control over its police forces.

Now it’s worth noting, that control over Policing was effectively devolved to Scotland in 1945, along with Northern Ireland, England, London, Manchester and even the City of London.

Even the Crown dependencies: the Channel Islands, the Isle of Mann and even the overseas territories (some of which are a focus for tax avoidance / tax evasion) have democratic control over their own Police services.

Some six years ago back in 2017 Plaid Cymru called a vote on devolving policing during the passing of the Wales Bill through the Houses of Parliament. We should remember that given an opportunity to devolve Policing to Wales, the Conservatives voted it down and the Labour in Wales MP’s quietly abstained.

This provides yet another example of the way the Conservative Party and Labour Party are quite happy to co-operate at Westminster to disadvantage Cymru / Wales. So much for standing up for our national interests.

Aside from direct control of policing, it also comes down to numbers. The then PM Boris Johnson made much of his plan to boost Police numbers during the last Westminster General election back in November and December 2019.

Even with the significant impact of Covid19, in relation to police numbers, it has gone rather quiet over there, which may prove that Boris’s great policing plan was not quite as easy to as achieve as the soundbite was.

At the time, Home Office officials suggested that Boris’s promise to recruit 20,000 new police officers in England and Wales within three years just simply would not work.

They estimated that some 50,000 officers would be needed, because so many officers were set to leave the service - more than a few perhaps demoralised by the impact of nearly 10 years of Conservative (and for some of the time willing Liberal Democrat) government.

Of course from Boris’s perspective, 20,000 was such a nice round number.

It was slightly ironic that the pledge to recruit more Police officers, was a direct result of the cuts to police numbers that were mostly brought about by the Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition.

Boris's much trumpeted election promise of 20,000 extra police officers - was nice, save for the fact that we were already 19,704 police officers down in Wales and England and Wales since 2010.

Here in Cymru / Wales, since 2010 we were at least 500 fewer police officers are on our streets.

So even if Boris had managed to achieve his extra 20,000 Police officers he would basically take us back to were we were in 2010 - with a next gain of 296 police officers in Wales and England as a whole.

Save of course that they would not all have come to Cymru / Wales, so even if we got 5% of them (say 25) that would still left us down by 480.

If policing was fully devolved and funded on a population basis as is the case with other policy areas our Welsh police forces would receive upwards of £20 million more funding per year.

Police budgets however were slashed, something that resulted in far fewer officers on our streets.

The end result was that Welsh forces have been hit harder than those in the rest of the UK, due to an unfair funding formula. Between 2010 and 2018, the number of police officers in Wales decreased by 9%.

The full devolution of policing would have meant the Welsh police forces would have been exempt from the Tories’ £32 million cut to their budgets and would have benefitted from an additional £25 million through being funded through the Barnett formula.

This would have meant a total difference in Welsh police budgets of £57 million between Plaid Cymru and Conservative policy.

Plaid Cymru would have recruited an extra 1,600 police officers – two for each community – to keep us safer.

This would mean that our officers will be better rooted in our communities, instead of being stretched to cover large geographical areas with fewer resources.

This would give the police the ability to focus on the priorities we need to keep us safe.

As argued by the Thomas Commission on Justice in Wales, we need to create integrated people-centred services – from prisons to counselling to housing – to undo the lasting damage done by Cameron / Clegg, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak - to replace the present callous approach that prioritises targets over people’s needs.

Extra police officers would help facilitate community engagement in which the police and the community can relay issues of mutual concern with targeted, community based problem-solving approaches to improve crime reduction and rehabilitation.

Plaid Cymru, alone amongst all the other political parties operating within Cymru / Wales, is committed to the devolution of policing and justice to Cymru / Wales to empower us to implement and pursue policies that actually serve the interests of our citizens and communities.

It is simply remains unacceptable for Cymru / Wales to be the only devolved nation in these islands without powers over its policing and justice policies.

The problem we now face, is that with an openly centralist Conservative government in Westminster, which is hell bent on undermining, weakening and destroying devolution, is one of where do we go now.

Let’s be honest, with ourselves, Cyrmu / Wales will get no additional new devolved powers, and any they have been offered have been rejected by Labour in Wales, and few of any powers repatriated from Brussels will find their way to Cardiff, Belfast or Edinburgh. 

So what’s next and where do we go from here?

THE CROWN ESTATES

Plaid had stated that “Profits from Wales’ natural resources should flow to Wales to boost our economy”.  

Plaid Cymru has a debate to the Senedd today (Wednesday 12th July) to call for the devolution of powers over the management of the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales.

The Revenue from the Crown Estate, valued at over £600 million in 2021, flows straight to the UK Treasury. The Sovereign Grant, which is taken from public spending to cover the expenses of the royal household, is determined as a proportion of Crown Estate profits.

This has been set at 25% since 2017/18, which means that the Sovereign Grant paid to the royal family this year will be worth a record £110 million, based on the fact that the Crown Estate registered record profits in 2022/23.

Delyth Jewell MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on energy and the environment has said that “profits from Scotland’s natural resources goes to the Scottish Government - why not in Wales?”

Ms Jewell says that the money could be used to help create well-paid green jobs, further research into solutions to tackle the climate crisis, and help Wales reach its net zero targets.

One such opportunity could be investment in a research vessel, the Prince Madog, which would offer Welsh scientists the opportunity to understand more about Wales’ coastline, both offshore and the near shore environment.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Energy and the Environment, Delyth Jewell MS said:

“Wales’ natural resources should be controlled by Wales for the benefit of the communities of Wales, not Westminster.

“This is no more true than with the Crown Estate – a company which holds assets in Wales, valued at more than £600m in 2021, and yet the profits of which go straight to the UK Treasury.

“Profits made from Wales’ natural resources should be kept in Wales to boost our economy, not that of the UK Treasury. It should be as simple as that. It’s the case in Scotland, where those powers have been transferred and the revenue from Scottish assets now go straight to the Scottish Government.

“That’s why we’re calling for those powers to be devolved to Wales. With that money, thousands of well-paid green jobs could be created, research into solutions to tackle the climate crisis could be furthered, and opportunities to reap benefits from our own natural resources could be maximised.

“Ultimately, it’s the people of Wales who should be able to direct how best to benefit from that economic opportunity – not Westminster, and this starts with the Senedd voting for Plaid Cymru’s motion to demand power over the Crown Estate.”

Speaking about the Prince Madog, a research vessel commissioned by Bangor Uni that enables UK's marine scientists to study the biology, chemistry, geology and physics of the seas, Dr Michael Roberts, R & D Manager, Centre for Applied Marine Sciences at Bangor University, said:

“The Prince Madog has a real role to play in maximising Wales’ benefit of its natural resources. The ship has the capacity to research the offshore environment in a huge amount of detail – through mapping the sea bed so that we can better understand what it’s made of and the physical processes that operate within it.

“We also have capacity to look at the near shore environment – the difficult to access areas using a small boat with portable multi beam systems.

“It’s important that this mapping work is done so that we have a better understanding of those environments and how to manage and exploit them in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way - it has the potential to help bring economic and environmental benefits to Wales.

“However, we are only in this position because of funding from the EU. Without further funding to utilise all this, an opportunity will be lost in a relatively short space of time.”

SCRUTINY IS THE HARDEST WORD

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Leader of Plaid Cymru, has written about how, if you seek the responsibility, you have a duty not to shy away from it. This has been no more apparent than with the UK Covid Inquiry the week.

Something rather significant happened this week and it was as disappointing as it was enlightening.

A year since Covid restrictions were lifted in Wales, our most senior Welsh Government Ministers and current and former health officials appeared before the public inquiry set up to ‘examine the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and learn lessons for the future’.

It’s welcome that we are finally shedding at least some light on critical questions which have thus far largely remained unanswered.

However what’s rather remarkable is that the evidence was heard not in Wales, but in London, and before an inquiry set up by another Government - a government whose approach to the pandemic was at the very least suspect, and which has now lost all legitimacy to govern.

Meanwhile in Scotland, the judge-led inquiry investigating the devolved strategic response to the pandemic is beginning its work this month.

In Wales, it seems that scrutiny really is the hardest word.

The absence of a Welsh Covid inquiry speaks to a wider culture permeating through our government’s ranks, its roots deepening with every year of a Labour Welsh Government.

Wales Online’s Will Hayward made the case for a Welsh Covid inquiry echoing the impassioned pleas of bereaved families. Much has been written about this week’s evidence, particularly the admission by Vaughan Gething, the former Health Minister and much touted successor to Mark Drakeford, that he hadn’t even read the key documents highlighting his own government’s lack of pandemic preparedness.

However, fleeting appearances by Wales’ key players pre- and post-Covid at a UK inquiry will only scratch the surface of what happened in the run-up and response to the Covid outbreak. That means the process of learning lessons will fall significantly short of what our nation should expect.

The principle of a full Welsh inquiry goes far beyond any sense of adversarial party politics, it’s about what’s right.

The recent decision to establish a Special Purpose Committee in the Senedd to look at any gaps identified in the UK Covid inquiry is no substitute. It is better than nothing, that is all. Its remit isn’t broad enough, and it will spectacularly lack capacity.

Devolution was to herald a new way of doing politics in Wales. Finally and incrementally we have argued the case for - and won the right to - have more powers that affect the lives of our people.

If you seek the responsibility, you have a duty not to shy away from it. I will always speak out against Tory governments at Westminster trampling over our hard-won constitutional gains. But when a Labour government in Wales runs away from accountability for exercising the powers we do hold, our democracy is all the poorer for it.

Last month, the north Wales coroner John Gittens wrote to Welsh Ministers asking them to consider holding a public inquiry following the death of four patients under the care of the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board vascular service. The wall of silence from Ministers was only broken when the story appeared in the press – and still there remains no commitment to establishing the inquiry – despite a series of damning reports into vascular services within the health board since it was centralised at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Indeed, when I renewed Plaid Cymru’s calls on the Health Minister to instigate a public inquiry into the Health Board earlier this year, when it re-entered special measures and lost its eighth Chief Executive in nearly as many years, I was accused of “harping on”.

I make no apology for discharging my duty on behalf of constituents.

When governments get it right, they should rightly be congratulated. If common ground can be found, it’s always best to search for it. The greatest devolution dividend of all has arguably been the ability to pool ideas for the greater good, a cross party approach which is the antithesis of Westminster.

But we won’t agree on everything, and disagreeing agreeably is healthy – it’s the very essence of a vibrant political landscape – no matter how much we would like it not to be the case.

And on the most important of issues - assessing and understanding how Wales prepared for and responded to the greatest life changing event of our generation - I do wish we could find agreement.

Decisions that affect Wales must be scrutinised in Wales. To me, that’s not up for debate and neither do I think it should be for those who have both the honour and responsibility of leading our government.

( This article was published in Wales Online, Friday 7 July 2023 )

75 YEARS ON

75 years ago, the NHS was born in Wales – leading the way in providing healthcare to all free at the point of need.

Plaid Cymru is immensely proud of our NHS and the dedicated front line staff who have provided invaluable service and care for the past 75 years. 

They are the backbone of our healthcare system – without them there is no national health service.

However after 13 years of Tory cuts and 24 years of Labour mismanagement our NHS has been left it on life-support, with poorer health outcomes and a burnt-out workforce.

Plaid Cymru has a vision for a better NHS:

Pay: Providing a fair deal for NHS workers to create the foundations for a sustainable health and care service.

Workforce Retention: Making our NHS an attractive place to work.

Prevention: Significantly elevating the prominence and priority given to preventative health measures.

Health and Social Care Interaction: Taking a sustainable approach to ensure a seamless move from health care to social care.

Delivering the Recovery: Creating a resilient health and care service fit for the future.

Together, we can rebuild our NHS, making it fit for purpose: a fairer, stronger and better health and social care system in Wales, free at the point of need to all who need it – from the cradle to the grave.

FAIRER, GREENER, AMBITIOUS, AND MORE PROSPEROUS

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MP has announced his team in the Senedd which will build "a fairer, greener, ambitious and more prosperous Wales". Mr ap Iowerth said that the party's focus in the Senedd would be "firm" on key issues including the health service, housing and living costs.

The Plaid Cymru Leader added that the group would continue to work together with the government through the Collaboration Agreement to fulfill promises to change people's lives for the better such as free school meals and reform of the Senedd, while also holding Labor to account. there are “flaws”.

Delyth Jewell has been appointed Deputy of the Senedd and will deputize for parliamentary matters including Prime Minister's Questions in the Leader's absence. Llyr Gruffydd resumes his role as Chairman of the Senedd Group while Heledd Fychan takes on the role of Business Manager. Mabon ap Gwynfor will take on the role of Chief Whip as well as responsibility for the core Health and Care portfolio.

In announcing the Senedd team, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MP said,

"I am proud to lead a united, talented and committed team in the Senedd that will build a fairer, greener, ambitious and more prosperous Wales.

"Our focus will be firm and clear as we tackle the issues of the day: the health service, housing, and the economy - focusing on the cost of living crisis and ensuring sustainable public services.

"We will work diligently to achieve for our communities and make a difference to people's lives, working together with the government where there is common ground but at the same time holding them to account where there is a lack of urgency and provision.

"Together, we will continue to argue that Wales' best interests are served by making our own decisions as a nation. By talking to those who are confident about independence as well as those whose interest has not yet been sparked, we will continue to build the case for independence and a brighter future for all.