By Mark Isherwood

MS for North Wales

Speaking in the Welsh Parliament debate ‘Remembering and supporting our Armed Forces Community in Wales’, I paid tribute to “all those who have served and continue to serve in our Armed Forces, particularly those who paid the ultimate sacrifice”, emphasised the need to strive for peaceful resolutions to all conflicts; and expressed gratitude for the contribution made by the Armed Forces to the Covid-19 response in Wales.

I also called for more support for past and present members of our Armed Forces and their families, spoke of the need to ensure that all public bodies honour the Armed Forces Covenant, and welcomed the announcement in the UK Autumn Budget of funding for ‘The establishment of a Veterans Commissioner for Wales’.

The following day, I sponsored and attended the Royal British Legion Centenary Senedd Reception.

On Sunday, I attended and laid a wreath at the Annual Service of Remembrance at the R.W.F. Memorial, Bodhyfryd, Wrexham.

Questioning the First Minister, I challenged him over support for the care home sector in Wales during the pandemic, highlighting a distressing case in which a Flintshire care home owner killed himself after 12 of his residents died in the first few months of the pandemic.

I told the First Minister that the care home owner’s wife, who ran the care home with him, said she believed her husband's distress at seeing the patients struggling led directly to his death, wanted the Welsh Government held to account and ‘wants answers’, and asked him to justify his continued rejection of calls for a Wales-specific Covid inquiry.

Questioning the Climate Change Minister, I referred to proposals for new Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in North Wales, to the potential offered by the UK Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill for a new nuclear power station on Anglesey, and to evidence that in a future UK grid consisting of mainly renewables and nuclear, nuclear would be able to adjust power output as electricity demand and supply fluctuates throughout the day.

I was elected as Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency at its first meeting this Senedd term, attended the Cross-Party Group on Housing and, as Chair of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, met the Committee’s Clerking Team and the Auditor General for Wales to discuss our work programme ahead.

Other engagements included the ‘VIP launch’ for Mold’s ninth ‘NovemberFest’ and Autism charity Your Space’s ‘Winter Festival’ in Llay.

If you need my help, email Mark.Isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219.