Janet Finch-Saunders AM, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, has called on the Welsh Labour Government to take more radical steps to tackling poverty in Wales.

Speaking with regards to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee’s report ‘Making the economy work for people on low incomes’.

Janet said:

“The outgoing Auditor General stated earlier this week that there remain systemic problems in Wales which have yet to be addressed.

“Certainly, in taking evidence for this inquiry, I felt that Welsh Labour, and their occasional partners in Governments: Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems, have not used devolution as an opportunity for a fundamental rethink of how we aim to tackle poverty and deprivation in Wales.

“In the county borough of Conwy some 20 per cent of adults between 16 and 64 are economically inactive – unemployed. This figure does not include students and so it is of real concern is that there has been very little improvement since 2005!

“This is the third strand of a larger inquiry into poverty in Wales that the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee has undertaken, and the Welsh Government simply must take action with regards to the recommendations outlined: the fact that such a considerable inquiry has been necessary in approaching this issue should serve as a stark reminder to Welsh Labour that they are failing the people of Wales in lifting key demographics out of deprivation.”

ENDS

Notes

The transcript for the debate is available here:

http://record.assembly.wales/Plenary/5001

Stats on Economic Inactivity available here: https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Business-Economy-and-Labour-Market/People-and-Work/Economic-Inactivity

ELGC Committee report available here: http://abms/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=18917