TIME TO BUILD TRUST

Plaid Cymru calls for maximum transparency to build trust, and queries appointment system in open letter to Health Minister

In an open letter to the Health Minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, health spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, has called for greater clarity on the vaccine deployment programme, in order to build public trust.

While the deployment of the vaccine offers real hope, Mr ap Iorwerth raises “real concerns” over the pace, transparency and communications of the programme, and says that the public “simply want to know when they might expect the vaccine.”

Mr ap Iorwerth calls for a dashboard of information that would allow the public to track progress for themselves, including volume of doses delivered and administered by health board and by priority group. He said it would “go far” in helping to restore public trust.

Mr ap Iorwerth also asks for clarity on whether the Welsh Immunisation System is currently able to perform the tasks it was designed to do, including creating appointments, sending letters and automatically scheduling second doses.

Using examples of international good practice, Mr ap Iorwerth asks whether the Health Minister would consider measures such as:

• Vaccination centres open 7 days a week
• Widespread availability of drive-through style vaccination centres
• Reducing wastage by allowing prepared vaccines to be given on a ‘first come first served’ basis at the end of the day.
  

Shadow Minister for Health, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said,

“There are real concerns about the vaccine deployment programme, not least regarding the pace, transparency and communications during these initial stages. People simply want to know when they might expect the vaccine.

“Setting out targets in Welsh Government’s vaccination plan, and including a dashboard of information which answers questions around how the numbers of doses by health board and priority group, will go far in helping to build public trust, as they will be able to track progress for themselves.

“We have a short period of weeks before the damage of strict conditions, in particular school closures, become even more significant. We also currently have a virus infecting more people every week than are receiving the vaccine. Expanding the pace and scale of vaccination is thus essential, as is restoring public confidence that governments have a plan for winning this battle against the virus.”

A CALL FOR COMMON SENSE

Hospitality restrictions “deeply regretful” says Plaid Cymru

‘Hospitality paying the price’ says Plaid Cymru Shadow Economy Minister Helen Mary Jones MS

 

The new restrictions announced on the hospitality sector in Wales will be ‘incredibly challenging’ Plaid Cymru has said.

 

Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for the Economy Helen Mary Jones said it was “deeply regretful” that these restrictions now had to be introduced.

 

Welsh pubs, restaurants and cafes will be banned from serving alcohol from Friday and will be unable to open to customers beyond 6pm. Indoor entertainment and visitor attractions, including cinemas, museums and galleries, will also have to shut.

 

The £160m "Restrictions Business Fund" will offer firms in the hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors that pay non-domestic rates grants of up to £5,000.

 

A "sector-specific" £180m Economic Resilience Fund would be made available for hospitality, tourism and leisure businesses.

 

Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for the Economy Helen Mary Jones MS welcomed the package of support and urged the Government to ensure it was given to businesses “as soon as possible”.

 

Plaid Cymru had previously called for targeted payments to Welsh businesses worst affected by the crisis.

 

Ms Jones also called for more support for local authorities to process and deliver payments quickly and funded to take on more staff if needed alongside a public information campaign to ensure people “are not drawn to socialising at home instead”.

 

Ms Jones repeated calls for a mass testing programme, increasing financial support to those who have to self-isolate to £800 and a vaccination roll out plan from Welsh Government.

 

Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for the Economy Helen Mary Jones MS said,

 

“Plaid Cymru called for targeted payments to Welsh businesses worst affected by the crisis for many weeks now. This package is welcome, as it targets support where it is most needed during the period of these restrictions.

 

“This money must be given to businesses as soon as possible – especially important for smaller businesses who will otherwise have problems with cash flow. Local authorities should also be given enough support to process and deliver payments quickly, and funded to take on more staff if they need to. A public information campaign is also crucial to ensure people are not drawn to socialising at home instead.

 

“This is going to be incredibly challenging for the hospitality sector and it is deeply regretful that we’ve found ourselves in this position. Plaid Cymru called for stricter measures as we came out of the Fire Break – including a more gradual easing of restrictions and optimising Wales’s own testing capacity to reach the 24-hour turnaround timescale target. The Labour Welsh Government failed to do that and now hospitality is paying the price.

 

“It’s now crucial they now roll-out mass testing in all parts of Wales, increase the financial support for those who have to self-isolate to £800 per person, and publish their vaccination plan for Wales. The crippling uncertainty that comes with locking and unlocking is doing untold damage to the economy – we all must redouble our efforts in working together to suppress the virus and avoid an endless cycle of lockdowns. And some businesses – particularly hospitality businesses that rely on tourism and large scale events – will not be able to operate profitably until vaccines are rolled out and the worst of the crisis is over. They will need longer term support to ‘hibernate’ into spring, and we will continue to press Welsh Government for targeted support for them,”

 

ENDS                   

          

THE CIRCUIT BREAKER

Let’s be honest, this announcement is long overdue and I am, like many people pleased to see the Welsh Government finally taking this necessary course of action to protect the people of Wales. What is now needed is the detail -  the proposed timescales and plans for implementation and how this is to be communicated across the UK. With half term arriving for much of England next week, timing is now very critical. Recent events, should be a real lesson to Welsh Government. Simply sending correspondence to Downing Street and hoping for an answer will not get us the answers we need. We in Cymru /  Wales should have learnt our lessons from the first wave: simply depending on Westminster for leadership, to solve our problems and to simply constructively help does not work for Wales.

LEADERSHIP NOT LETTERS

“Wales needs leadership not letters” – Plaid Cymru Leader calls for Welsh Government action on England lockdown travel restrictions

 

First Minister Mark Drakeford should use the powers under his disposal to implement travel restrictions today between areas of high Covid-19 rates in England and other parts of the UK and Wales Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS had said.

 

The Plaid Cymru Leader criticised the First Minister’s decision to write another letter to the Prime Minister and urged him to act “independent” in the interest of the people of Wales.

 

Mr Price said this was about “public health” and “protecting our communities” and that Wales could not afford to wait a single day “let alone a week”.

 

Health Minister Vaughan Gething confirmed yesterday that there had been “an importation of coronavirus cases from contact with some of those high prevalence areas in England.”

 

There were five more Coronavirus deaths and 764 more confirmed cases reported today by Public Health Wales.

 

Mr Price added that if the Welsh Government required extra parliamentary time this week to get the necessary legislation through then Plaid Cymru would be supportive.

 

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS said,

 

“This is the fourth week running that I have highlighted the absurdity of people in areas of high Covid-19 rates in England and other parts of the UK being allowed to travel into parts of Wales.

 

“Rather than respond to the legitimate concerns of our rural communities, instead the First Minister, rather bafflingly, sought it fit to suggest this was being portrayed as some “contest between Wales and England”.   

 

“This is about public health and protecting our communities. The First Minister knows that. Rather than writing another unanswered letter to Westminster, the First Minister should act independently in the interests of the people of Wales.

 

“A pandemic calls for quick and decisive action by Government. We can’t really afford to wait another day let alone another week. Wales needs leadership – not more letters.

 

DIWEDD / ENDS

SUPPORTING WELSH STUDENTS

Annwyl Mark,

In the words of UK Labour Leader, Keir Starmer, “across the last twenty-four hours, we have heard heart-breaking stories and the scale of the injustice caused by the fatally flawed results system has become clear. Young people right across the country, in every town and city, feel let down and betrayed.”

His views have been echoed by the interim leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey who said that the system has led to “some utterly unfair outcomes.”

Both were referencing the downgrading of results in England where 40% of A level results were lower than predicted.

In Wales, 42% of results were downgraded, leaving pupils angry that they have suffered at the hands of a flawed system.

If the criticism from your parties in England is to mean anything other than political game-playing, you and the Education Minister must now reassess your approach as a Welsh Government to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged in what has already been an anxious year.

Pupils who were awarded lesser grades than the teacher assessments in A level and AS exams should be upgraded to the teacher assessment grades.

Further, this should be used as the mechanism for awarding GSCE results and this should be communicated to learners today for peace of mind.

In these extraordinary times, we must be ready to respond with unprecedented action in the interest of fairness and pupil welfare.

I am copying this to the Education Minister and to your UK Party leaders who have made these comments.

Yn gywir,

Adam Price AS/MS,

Sign here: http://www.partyof.wales/support_welsh_students?recruiter_id=172282 

SHIELDING GUIDANCE CHANGES

Delyth Jewell MS questions change in policy despite “R” number remaining the same

Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell has raised concerns at the new guidance for those shielding from Coronavirus.

The Welsh Government confirmed today that those who had been shielding from Coronavirus could now exercise outdoors from Monday, following similar advice being issued to vulnerable people in England.

However Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell questioned why the guidance was changing for the group of "extremely vulnerable people" whilst the R rate had not changed.

The First Minister confirmed on Friday that the rate of transmission was still 0.8.

Ms Jewell questioned what advice the Welsh Government had received to change its policy and whether the new guidance would protect the most vulnerable people.

The Shadow Local Government Minister also raised concerns about the way the change was communicated to the press first before letters were sent to the shielding group.

Ms Jewell said letters should have been sent "weeks ago" and that telling the press first and people second was "wrong".

Those who are shielding will receive a letter from Wales' Chief Medical Officer over the next two weeks setting out the "next steps".

Plaid Cymru MS and Shadow Minister for Local Government Delyth Jewell said,

"The last few months have been incredibly challenging for those who have had to shield. They have had to go months without leaving the house and months without seeing loved ones. The huge sacrifices they have made must be recognised.

"However, questions must be asked on why the advice is changing for this extremely vulnerable group of people whilst the virus is still at the same rate of transmission as it was a few weeks ago. The First Minister himself confirmed on Friday that the R rate was still at 0.8 - which is dangerously close to 1.  What advice have the Welsh Government received to make them change this policy? Can they guarantee the new guidance will protect this vulnerable group of people?

"And why was this change in policy communicated to the press before the very people it will effect?

"Letters should have been sent to keep shielding people updated weeks ago, so that they could prepare for any changes. This will affect their lives hugely. Telling the press first and people second was both wrong and disappointing. No one should have found out about this change through reading confused reports in the press.

“Without a robust test and trace system in place we cannot possibly know where the virus is spreading in our communities. Loosening the lockdown without such a system in place risks a second wave. Getting track and trace right must continue to be the Welsh Government’s top priority going forward before we can even think about easing restrictions further.

ENDS

A VICTORY FOR COMMON SENSE

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS has called the Welsh Government’s U-turn on lockdown a “victory for common sense”.

Following pressure from police chiefs and Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Government has tonight confirmed it will be raising the maximum fines for those breaking lockdown from £120 to £1920.

However minimum fines will remain at £60.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price said the victory belonged to the “perseverance” of Welsh police forces who were doing “heroic work” in protecting communities during the crisis.  

However, the Plaid Leader said it was “bitterly regrettable” that the First Minister had not raised the minimum fines to match England as had been requested by police chiefs in their letter to the First Minister last Friday.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS said,

“After weeks of pressure from Wales’ police chiefs and Plaid Cymru, the Labour Welsh Government have finally seen sense and raised the maximum fines for those breaking lockdown rules in Wales from £120 to £1,920.

“This latest U-turn from the government is a victory for common sense and to the perseverance of our police forces who are doing heroic work in protecting our communities during this crisis.  

“However, the decision not to raise the minimum fines in parity with England as requested by the All Wales Policing Group remains bitterly regrettable.

ENDS

BUYING LOCAL

Our local producers and local suppliers need our support now more than ever. This is why Plaid Cymru has launched a major new campaign to help boost the Welsh food and drink industry.

The 'I'm buying local" campaign encourages party member and supporters to buy more locally produced food and drink with the aim of helping those businesses cope with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as building resilience for the future.

Launched by Llyr Gruffydd MS, Plaid's shadow rural affairs minister, and Ben Lake MP, Plaid's Westminster spokesperson on rural affairs, it highlights how the pandemic could, with the right leadership, provide an opportunity to re-set the economy.

Llyr Gruffydd MS said:

“The Welsh food and drink industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. The sudden closure of restaurants and coffee shops and the loss of export markets saw many Welsh farmers lose their markets overnight. We’ve all seen images of milk being poured down the drain and beef prices have also been severely hit, leaving farms incurring losses and struggling to survive.

“Plaid Cymru has campaigned hard for Government action to help these businesses, but we can all do more. That’s why we’re urging everyone to make that extra effort to back Welsh food and drink producers wherever possible. We also want to celebrate the world-class produce Wales has to offer.

"In terms of our economy and food supplies, the virus has exposed and exacerbated long-ignored issues, including our dependence on imports. Now is the time to rethink, reset and rebuild our food supply from the ground up.

"The UK Government has steadily withdrew from food policy and allowed our food retail industry to become ever more concentrated in a few hands. Just four companies control 70% of the UK food retail market. The large food retailers have used that concentration of power to dictate ever lower prices to farmers, continually sapping the financial health of domestic agriculture.

"Our food production model was fundamentally flawed even before Covid-19. Yet for many people and even the UK Government, the frailties and dangers of the current food supply model only became apparent when they saw empty shelves day after day as panic buying shattered the now fractured supply chain."

Ben Lake MP added: 

"Plaid Cymru has a long-standing commitment to addressing the crisis in the food industry in Wales that starts with a local procurement policy. Some councils in Wales procure school dinner basics such as potatoes and bread from Rochdale and Liverpool. Hundreds of millions of pounds leak out of the Welsh public purse each year because local producers and enterprises are overlooked or unable to compete with the bigger corporations.

"Building a resilient food industry means not only backing our farmers but also developing processing and developing added value for our raw materials. To achieve that, we need a strong united voice for the Welsh food industry to protect and support our food producers and agriculture.

"In Wales, our farmers are not only stewards of our environment but are also the economic backbone of rural communities and market towns. Welsh agriculture plays a vital role in the broader economy, achieving record exports worth over a half a billion pounds in 2018 and acting as the bedrock to the Welsh food and drink sector which employs over 240,000 workers."

The "I'm Buying Local" campaign is designed to put additional focus on the high-quality local food produced throughout Wales to improve food security and improving farmers’ incomes.

Mr Gruffydd added: "This campaign will encourage consumers to buy more locally produced food, keeping value in the local economy, our environmental footprint low and strengthening community institutions like farmers' markets and the local High Street.

"That is why Plaid Cymru continues to work with the farming unions and rural enterprises to promote a food strategy that encourages buying local produce to support the local economy. This would inject demand into our rural economies, consideration for the environment and sustainability into how we trade and ensure a fair price and choice for consumers and producers.

"With scenes of unharvested crops and farmers pouring milk down the drain because of lack of demand, we must remember that these are not problems caused just by the pandemic. This has being brewing for some time due to our failing food supply model. Only if we are ambitious and clear that we cannot return to business as usual that led to this, can we deliver food security and build resilience in our society and economy."