Shadow Minister for North Wales and Clwyd West MS, Darren Millar, has criticised the Cabinet Secretary for Social Care for failing to mention the scrapping of the universal winter fuel payment in her written statement on International Day of Older Persons.
Speaking in yesterday’s Business Statement in the Welsh Parliament, Darren also expressed disappointment that there was no oral statement to mark the event, which is a global celebration of the wisdom, achievements, and rights of the elderly, held every year on October 1.
He said:
“I was surprised that there was no oral statement from the Minister for Children and Social Care today given the fact that it's International Day of Older Persons.
“I know that there was a written statement, and that referred to various things, including celebrating older volunteers, the need to address ageism, the age-friendly Wales programme, and even t'ai chi sessions, but it did not refer, of course, to the winter fuel payments that many of our vulnerable older people are going to be losing this year, including 30,000 people in Conwy and Denbighshire.
“I do think that it's pertinent for the opportunity for the responsible Minister to actually have something to say about those things. I was very disappointed not to read any reference to it in the written statement that was issued.”
Speaking after the meeting, Darren added:
“Thousands of pensioners across the UK are going to really struggle this winter now that this vital provision has been taken from them. In her response, the Cabinet Secretary made no apology for omitting this important issue from her statement. Instead, she referred to pension credit and the need for more pensioners to take up this benefit. However, she failed to make any reference to the thousands of pensioners who fall just below the threshold for receiving Pension Credit who will be faced with a choice between heating and eating this winter.
“We have a growing population of older people in Wales and we should be looking after them, not causing them stress and worry at what should be an enjoyable time in their lives.”
