Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 18 September 2024.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 2:33, 18 September 2024

Well, it’s very interesting that we’ve had quite a lot of discussion about this, of course, yesterday with the First Minister, and I’m delighted that we’ve got questions and also a debate this afternoon. I think it is important that we debate this in this Chamber, because what we have to do in terms of this difficult decision that was made by the UK Government because of the fact that your last Government had wrecked our economy, leaving that £22 billion black hole in the public finances—[Interruption.] I said yesterday that I’m going to say this quite a few times, as other Ministers and Cabinet Secretaries will. But the important point, Joel, is that we have to ensure that people in Wales, including pensioners, claim every £1 that they’re entitled to, and, importantly—and this is where I’m working closely with the UK Government—increase the take-up of pension credit, because that will unlock not only access to the winter fuel payment this winter, for many pensioners who aren’t taking it up in Wales, but will also unlock other benefits to them as well.