Dai Havard

Labour Party | Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney

HAVARD IN THE HOUSE - ‘Realising Potential’

Our communities grew from the need and opportunity to work. I become angry when see our communities and people, too often, pilloried in national media as the so-called benefits capital of the UK – too ready to imply that because we have a legacy of ill-health, unemployment and under investment that we are in some way feckless and useless people. We know that is not true but we also know that we have big problems with health and a large number of people claiming incapacity benefits. The issue is what we do about it. I have been pressing for better services to help people gain work or return to work. We have seen a big reduction in unemployment, particularly for young people in the last four years but have to help those who find it difficult to work because of ill-health to gain appropriate work and support those who were effectively cast aside by the Tory policies of the 1980’s and early 90’s.

We have gained ‘Job centre Plus’ into our area and now have related schemes such as ‘Wellbeing in work’ and ‘Want to Work’ schemes, showing the power of collaboration between Westminster, the Assembly and local health and employment agencies to help people. I chaired a conference in Pentrebach involving the Disability Rights Commission, DWP and others in December to see how we can move forward. I have sponsored two pieces of research to help inform the debate that has now started to reform the services needed and the future benefits system. It is important that we turn the declarations of additional targeted support to both individuals and communities such as ours into a reality. We know we need sustained investment in our communities allowing us to realise our own potential. We are all affected by these issues and I would urge those interested to make a comment to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about his ‘Green Paper’ on changing the systems - before 21st April 2006. The Library services I am sure will be pleased to help you or you can go
www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/welfarereform or telephone 020 7712 8521.