Nerys Evans AC/AM

January Journal

20 January 2010

Living Pension
Figures on the number of people that died because of winter conditions last year were published recently – showing a shocking rise of 74%. Provisional figures for winter 2008 – 2009 note that there were 2,500 “excess winter deaths” which coincided with lower than average temperatures and a rise in energy bills. Considering we’ve had the coldest winter for over twenty years this year the number of people dying because of winter conditions, sadly, looks set to rise even higher. We cannot ignore this proof that there is a very real link between not being able to afford to pay for heating bills (or fuel poverty as it’s known) and ill-health, and death among our pensioners and those who are most vulnerable in our society.

We have seen fuel prices soar in recent years and yet the UK Government still refuses to intervene at all. It is unacceptable in this day and age that old and vulnerable people have to worry about whether they can afford to heat their homes. Unfortunately this is the reality for far too many people during these winter months.
According to the Older People’s Commissioner annual report, older people are facing the choice between heating their homes and buying food. The report also states that they are in desperate need of an increase in their basic pension to help them have a reasonable quality of life.

Plaid has shown clearly that this needs to be urgently addressed. This week we’ve announced one of our key pledges for the forthcoming election – to establish a Living Pension, which would bring the pension received up to the level of the current pension credit. This would be an increase of 30% on the current state pension.
Currently £5.4bn of benefits for older people is left unclaimed in the UK each year because pensioners find the process of applying for pension credits complicated. With fuel bills set to raise 60% over the next six years it is abundantly clear that our pensioners cannot afford to wait until the Treasury’s debt has been cleared before getting a decent pension. By raising the basic state pension to the level of the pension credit and making it universal for all citizens, thousands of pensioners would be taken out of poverty.

This policy has been fully costed. Plaid is putting our communities first, prioritising help for our most vulnerable, while the London based parties prioritise tax breaks for the wealthy and investment in nuclear weapons and ID cards. We want to see sufficient investment to ensure that no Welsh pensioner has to suffer the indignity of living in poverty.
If you would like to raise or discuss an issue with myself you’re welcome to contact my office on 01267 234 467.

Presumed Consent

I was pleased to hear the recent announcement by the One Wales Government to apply for the powers to bring about a system of soft-presumed consent for organ donation in Wales. The announcement is a result of years of campaigning by organisations and individuals throughout Wales.

Currently up to 500 people in Wales are listed for a transplant, the majority waiting for a new kidney. In Pembrokeshire there are 15 patients waiting for a kidney on the active transplant waiting list, and a further 5 on the suspended list. This statement of principle by the One Wales Government is a key milestone in our attempts to bring about a system of presumed consent in Wales. This means that if the request for power is successful, then we in Wales could take a lead and introduce a system whereby individuals would have to opt out of an organ donation system, as opposed to the current situation of having to opt-in. This statement follows an in-depth consultation process undertaken by the Assembly Government across Wales involving key organisations and individuals. Research suggests that 90 percent of the general population are in favour of organ donation, yet recent figures show that only 28 percent actually get round to doing anything about it by signing up as an organ donor.

Anybody wanting to sign up to the organ donor register can do so by visiting www.donatewales.org or by calling the NHS Organ Donor Line: 0845 60 60 400 – lines open 24 hours, 365 days a year.

We must now start to bridge the gap between people wanting to sign up and those actually doing it. Every one of us has the power to send a message of hope and support to patients in Wales by joining the Organ Donor Register. I have, and I would urge you to take two minutes to sign-up. The brutal reality is that people in Wales are dying as a result and unless more people take that all important vital step of signing-up and telling their loved ones about their wishes then more and more people will needlessly die waiting for a transplant.

Far too many families in Wales are watching a brother, sister, mother or father waiting for a life-saving transplant, when the answer is staring us in the face. We need more organ donors, and presumed consent is proven to work.

Rural Health Plan

Following wide consultation I very much welcome the recent statement by the Health Minister announcing the completion of the Rural Health Plan. A Plaid policy, the plan aims to address the challenges faced in ensuring that people have appropriate healthcare – particularly in sparsely populated communities. This is the first of its kind in Wales and its development delivers a key One Wales commitment and also marks an important step in improving rural health and rural health services in Wales. The Rural Health Plan is something that we as a party have been campaigning on for a long time and it’s pleasing to see that another One Wales commitment is being delivered. As a result, we want to be able to deliver as many services as possible locally where they can be provided safely and effectively. I think patients accept that travel will still be required for the more highly specialised services but at the moment even some of the more routine services aren’t available locally in our rural areas.

We need to integrate services and fully utilise the skills of all rural NHS staff which will enable us to improve care for patients and provide more career opportunities for staff.

It’s important now to move ahead with the plan . An implementation group is being set up early this year to take the practical work of the Rural Health Plan forward.

EU funds boost for broadband not spots

The Economic Development Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones stated recently that the Welsh Government plans to use European funding to improve high-speed broadband coverage for businesses and communities. This decision has been made following an agreement with the European Commission which now means that in addition to supporting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) activities such as digital inclusion, European funds can now be used to help improve broadband access for those living in broadband ‘not spots’ in rural and isolated parts of Wales.

This announcement is great news for the many people who can’t currently get broadband across Pembrokeshire. I’ve been working with many communities across the county over the last couple of years and I will be meeting with the Economic Development Minister to discuss how villages, individuals and business in Pembrokeshire can take advantage of these European funds to get broadband. In the 21st Century it’s vital that people in all parts of Wales gain access to a high-speed internet service, and it is essential that businesses are fully equipped with the right ICT infrastructure to compete successfully in a global market. A lack of broadband is a huge problem for rural businesses for example who suffer by comparison to urban-based businesses. It is possible that a business may choose to invest elsewhere which means rural communities suffer economically. Secondly, rural areas may not be able to receive commercial and public services via broadband, which means people are being socially excluded as a result of their geographical position.