Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Member of the Senedd for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, has raised concerns about the lack of access that elected representatives have to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS.
It is common practice, and, indeed, expected by the electorate, that Members of the Senedd from all political parties have direct access to Cabinet Ministers to ensure the challenges facing their constituents are raised and their voices are heard.
Yet the Cabinet Minister has continued to place obstacles in the way of those conversations taking place, making it more difficult for elected representatives to advocate on behalf of the people they serve.
Janet commented:
"I am deeply concerned with the lack of access to meetings with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care. As following a request to meet with Mabon, I have received several, additional emails querying why I want to meet him, including a request for all of the information and issues, I would like to raise, be summarised in an email, of which they will then respond to if further information in required.
“This process has caused the meeting to be pushed back to late September. While in the mean time I have attended a useful meeting with the Deputy Minister for Transport, and have another arranged with the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Energy, and Connectivity.
A Cabinet Minister should be accessible to every elected Member of the Senedd, regardless of political party. Refusing or restricting that access undermines accountability and sends the wrong message to the people we all represent. My constituents expect me to fight their corner, and Ministers should be willing to listen, engage and be held to account, not hide behind barriers."
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
