First Ministers Questions
The Impact of the Recession on Personal Relationships

Janet Finch-Saunders
First Minister, all evidence suggests that, as we approach Christmas and what should be a family, happy, peaceful and spiritual time, it can often cause a lot of personal relationships to feel strained for various reasons—family tensions, unemployment, economic or financial hardship, or even illness. Sadly, although we have superb agencies operating all year round, during the Christmas period—and we do have a nine-to-five culture—many of our public services and support agencies see themselves closed down for long periods of time. Relationships, over the Christmas period, can break down at any time of the day or night, and I just really want some reassurance that, as First Minister, you will ensure that those people who do become desperate in their need for support over this time will have the support agencies there and accessible, so that they are supported.

Carwyn Jones
The First Minister
Many public agencies, of course, do maintain teams that deal with acute situations, where they need to, and many third sector organisations do work very strongly over Christmas. We will know that, for many, Christmas is a time of joy. For others, it is not, particularly those who live on their own. It has been a well-documented fact for some time now that there is an increased risk of suicide among people who are on their own at Christmas time, very sadly. So, I would expect those public agencies that need to offer acute services to have teams available, where they are required, working with those third sector organisations that do provide so much support over the Christmas period.