By Mark Isherwood

MS for North Wales

Calling for a Welsh Government Statement on its Tourism policies, I said “thousands of small businesses, key to their local economies, are being overwhelmed by the number of new regulations and costs”, and urged the Welsh Government to respond to the Welsh Tourism industry’s call for a review of the cumulative effect of policies currently affecting tourism, including business rate relief, the 182-day rule, council tax premiums, and of proposed policies such as statutory licensing, tourism tax, and changes to the school year.

I also called for an update on proposals for improved connections across the Menai Strait.

Questioning the Counsel General, I asked why the Welsh Government is “devoting so much time and resource to devolution of Policing to Wales, when it is cutting budgets elsewhere”, especially when calls for this have been rejected by both the UK Conservative Government and the most senior Welsh Labour MP in Westminster.

Intervening in the Senedd Debate on the Local Government Settlement 2024-25, I raised the concern in North Wales that, once again, four out of the six North Wales Councils are four out of the six receiving the lowest settlement, including the area with the lowest prosperity per head, and the area with the highest older people's population.

Questioning the Social Justice Minister, I again asked her when a Welsh Benefits System will be introduced for all the benefits the Welsh Government is responsible for.

I Chaired the Welsh Parliament Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which included an Evidence Session with the Chair and Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Other engagements included Cross-Party Group on Diabetes; Civil Enforcement Association, to discuss standards in the enforcement industry and safeguards to protect vulnerable people; St David’s Hospice Care; International Reception and annual St David’s Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast for Wales; Popham Kidney Support World Kidney Day event, where I met a Peer Mentor from Wrexham; National Parks; and Natural Resources Wales perception survey.

I also had a call with a North Wales Farmer, who emphasised the threat presented by the Labour Welsh Government’s proposals for Wales’ farming sector; met with Ed Swan from Ffrith Farm, Treuddyn, on the steps of the Senedd, where NFU Cymru members had created a symbolic display of 5,500 empty pairs of wellies to represent the jobs forecast to be lost through the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals; and attended a meeting with North-East Wales GPs to hear about the many challenges they are facing.

For my help, email Mark.Isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219.