Meetings

The Committee considered further information and agreed to note the delay to the reassessment process caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and to request an update from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, including an indicative timeline of when reassessment could be completed.

The Committee considered further correspondence and agreed to request a further update from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services once the process of independent assessments has been completed, to include an analysis of the changes that have resulted from them.

The Committee considered further correspondence and agreed to:

·         note the progress made and await a further update from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services once the independent assessments of people’s care needs have been completed; and

·         congratulate the petitioner on the progress made by his campaign to date.

Julie Morgan AM, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Service

Gareth Griffiths, Head of Paying for Care, Welsh Government

The Committee heard evidence from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services and Gareth Griffiths.

The Committee considered the evidence provided by the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services and agreed to request an update on the transition process and the outcomes of reviews carried out by independent social workers in six months.

The Committee agreed to publish an interim report of the evidence received as soon as possible and to invite the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services to give evidence to the Committee at the earliest opportunity.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to:

• produce a summary of the evidence received, with a view to preparing a report or a detailed letter to the Minister setting out the evidence received and the Committee’s conclusions or recommendations; and
• request a copy of the results of the deep dive review of all cases where there is an intention to reduce the local authority’s direct support for recipients of the WILG, and details of any actions that the Welsh Government will be taking as a result of this.

The Committee considered correspondence from a number of stakeholders and agreed to write to the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care to:

• seek a detailed update on the progress of the transition arrangements to date including the outcome of the review of all support needs which was due to be completed by the end of September; and

• ask whether, as a middle way between ring-fencing and funding through the Revenue Support Grant, he will consider requiring local authorities to provide a report detailing actual expenditure on care packages for previous recipients of the Welsh Independent Living Grant, including the number of recipients, the average amount received per person and the total amount awarded.

5.5.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care in relation to the Welsh Independent Living Grant.

Huw Irranca-Davies, Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care

Gareth Griffiths, Head of Paying for Care, Welsh Government

The Committee heard evidence from Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care and Gareth Griffiths.

Members discussed the evidence session and agreed to seek additional evidence from a range of stakeholders in relation to the subject of the petition.

6.3.a The Committee noted the letter to the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care in relation to the Welsh Independent Living Grant.

Nathan Lee Davies, Petitioner

Adam Samuels, Supporter

Angie Evans, Supporter

The Committee heard evidence from the Petitioner, Angie Evans and Adam Samuels.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Children and Social Care together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to:

·         seek written evidence about the closure of the Welsh Independent Living Grant from organisations that support disabled people; and

·         invite the petitioner and the Minister for Children and Social Care to give evidence to a future meeting.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to pass the petitioner’s comments to the Minister for Children and Social Care and ask for:

• his response to the concerns raised over the ability of some local authorities to adequately provide the support that people with disabilities require to live independently; and
• details of the monitoring being undertaken in relation to local authorities’ implementation of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to

·         Consider the petition further in the context of the budget announcement due later that afternoon; and in the meantime

·         Write to the Minister for Social Services and Public Health to share the concerns of the petitioner and ask:

o   whether she will publish the results of the public consultation and minutes of the stakeholder group as requested by the petitioner;

o   whether an Equality Impact Assessment of the decision was carried out and can be provided to the Committee and petitioner; and

o   for her views as to whether the planned transitional arrangements will ensure that the aims of the Social Services & Wellbeing (Wales) Act will have been put into practice by local authorities before the planned closure of the Welsh Independent Living Grant.