Welsh Liberal blogs

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have today called on the Welsh Government to give urgent clarity around the new 5-mile rule and how it effects different areas of Wales. In the Welsh Government announcement today First Minister Mark Drakeford announced that two individuals would be allowed to meet, so long as they maintained social distancing. As part of this new guidance, people are not meant to travel more than 5 miles for these interactions. However, the First Minister made clear that in rural communities, where the distance to even essential services can be greater than 5 miles, there would be some flexibility to this limit. In response, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the Welsh Government to be completely upfront about how they plan to communicate these new regulations and to make this distinction clear. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: "While I welcome today’s easing of restrictions many questions remain. I know the Welsh Government is making these ...

China's using the coronavirus pandemic as cover to wreck the "one co untry, two systems" agreement. The UK has a moral duty to stand with the people of Hong Kong  cannot allow coronavirus to blind us to the injustice that is unfolding on Hong Kong. Beijing’s new national security law is a naked power-grab. It bypasses Hong Kong local law-making processes and demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the Joint Declaration. Clearly China no longer cares for the ‘one country, two systems’ agreement made between the UK and China during the Handover. We cannot sit back and watch this violation of rights and freedoms. The international community should be standing up for the people of Hong Kong. Above all,  the UK has a moral and legal duty to act. Liberal Democrats are clear on this issue: we stand with the people of Hong Kong. As part of our campaign, I am laying a bill to re-open the offer of British National Overseas (BNO) passports for Hong Kong citizens and extend the...

We're calling for a review of the lockdown rules regarding hospital pati ents to ensure that those who need it can have a family member with them during their hospital admission. Concerns have been expressed that people admitted to hospital who are elderly or have a language barrier are struggling to communicate with healthcare staff, delaying their diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Usually when someone whose main language of communication isn’t English, or who finds it difficult to communicate due to Alzheimer’s or another illness, a family member would be there to help them communicate with doctors and nurses. But under current rules people admitted to hospital cannot have anyone accompany them. The part claims that providing more flexibility in the rules will reduce the need for external translators, who are current trying to fill the void, and ensure quicker treatment to be delivered, saving lives in the process. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leade...

Jane Dodds has criticised moves by Jacob Rees-Mogg to scrap the hybrid arrangements currently in place and force MPs to return London following the Parliamentary recess. Jacob Rees-Mogg, Leader of the House of Commons, has today announced plans to wind up the successful "hybrid" system, which allows MPs to speak and vote either from the chamber or from home, after Parliament returns from recess. The move has been widely condemned with many MPs highlighting that a resumption of 'business as usual' would force them to travel hundreds of miles to London to take part. In response, we're calling for Westminster to maintain the current arrangements indefinitely and fully embrace online voting and participation. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: "Over the past few weeks people and businesses across the UK have had to adapt to remote working. What we have found is that not only can it work, it does work. "It allows people to juggle their work and pe...

Kirsty Williams, Welsh Education Minister, has today announced an additional £3.75 million of funding for mental health in schools that will include new support for children under the age of 11. School counselling services currently provide direct support to young people from the age of 11, or Year 6, up to the age of 18. The funding announced today will extend this support to also provide mental and emotional support to children younger than 11. Around 11,500 young people each year access lower level mental health support, outside specialist NHS provision, in schools and community counselling services. £450,000 will also go towards supporting mental health and well-being of the school workforce. The Welsh Government is currently developing further proposals on how to deliver that support.  The funding is in addition to £1.25m announced last month, for local authorities to deliver counselling services in schools, taking the total amount of additional support provid...

In the midst of the Covid 19 crisis it is easy to think it is the only issue in town. But there is another issue that as Liberals we should not need reminding of. One aspect of it was highlighted to me this week when a friend told me that he cannot give blood . My friend would like to help by providing blood from which plasma could be used in the fight against COVID-19 but regardless of how rare his blood group might be, of how healthy he is, he cannot donate because he is gay. I was stunned. So I checked and, to be fair, the NHS site says all men must wait 3 months after having sex with another man before donating. It doesn’t claim to be a ban, and says it is regardless of sexuality. But the reality is that as someone in a long term committed single-sex relationship that almost automatically excludes him.  And it is not the only example. As Liberals we should be aware of the danger of assuming that everybody feels equally respected and protected in the current...

Kirsty Williams sets out her thinking on return to schools Today we laid out our guidelines for getting children back to school. Today, as part of the First Minister's 'roadmap' out of lockdown, Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Minister Kirsty Williams MS has set out her ideas on what the next phase for Welsh schools will be. Laying our her ideas in a new 'Decision Framework', Kirsty Williams is setting out the current thinking for how schools, other education settings and childcare providers’ operations will change to allow social distancing. Most schools have been closed since the start of the pandemic, with some open only for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children. This new set of criteria and thinking set out in the new document explains the next phase of education and childcare, building on the five principles that were published last month. Kirsty Williams is also ensuring the Welsh Government works with scientists, public healt...

We have called for greater clarity around the situation in Welsh prisons, following a Government admission that figures about the number of Covid-19 cases were wrong. In a House of Lords debate on prisons on the 23 rd April, Welsh Liberal Democrat Peer Christine Humphreys pressed the Government about the level of Covid-19 in Welsh prisons after new modelling that showed almost 25% of Covid-19 cases in the prison population were in Wales. Writing to Baroness Humphreys in a letter dated 7 th May, Lord Keen confirmed that figures were not yet available for Welsh prisons. This is due to a reporting error being identified in the data published on 27 th April meaning the 25% of Covid-19 cases in the prison population being in Welsh prisons information was incorrect. This compounds an already complex issue where, due to justice being a reserved matter and thus not devolved to Wales, the UK Ministry of Justice is responsible for sentencing and prisoner release while the Welsh Gover...

The Chancellor’s announcement of changes to the furl oughing scheme today will see a greater burden placed on employers, harming smaller businesses across Wales.   Today the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP, announced that the Government’s furloughing scheme would be extended until October.    However, he also confirmed that from August the costs of the scheme would be “… shared between the Government and employers”, with the Government contributing reducing and employers being expected to make up the difference.   In response, we have called for greater clarity around this plan and are concerned that many small businesses will not be able to afford this additional financial burden.   Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said:     “While I welcome the Chancellor’s extension of the furloughing scheme, I am deeply concerned by the implication businesses will be left shouldering more and more of the financial burden from August.    “There are tho...

Today we mark the 75th Anniversary of the end of WW2.       Today is the 75 th  anniversary of VE Day, the day for us all to remember those who stepped up and put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms and defeat fascism.   Welsh Regiments have a long and proud history in our armed forces. Theywell known for being steadfast and answering the call of duty when we need them most.   It is only right that we recognise and pay tribute to the huge legacy of service by all of our brave servicemen and women, both now and in the past.   As we move forward into this new world which we find ourselves in, I believe we need to look at the way things are here in Wales.   It is clear that Lloyd George's mission of building a ' home fit for heroes ' is still not  acomplished . We need to refocus our efforts and ensure that it is.   So today, let us honour all those who have served on the frontline and given their lives to defend our fr...