Vale of Clwyd MS, Gareth Davies secures support for older people’s bill

Welsh Conservative and Vale of Clwyd MS, Gareth Davies, has tonight won Senedd support for a Bill on a rights-based approach to services for older people.

Davies’ Member’s Legislative Proposal was debated in the Welsh Parliament this afternoon and was officially passed this evening in a vote by Members of the Senedd.

The proposal – the first to be debated in the sixth Senedd – would embed a rights-based approach in the development, planning and delivery of public services that affect older people in Wales.

The purpose of the Bill would:

a) place a duty on Welsh Ministers to have due regard for the United Nations Principles for Older Persons when making decisions that may impact upon older people in Wales;

b) extend the due regard duty to local authorities, local health boards and other Welsh public authorities;

c) place a duty on Welsh Ministers to promote knowledge and understanding of the UN Principles for Older Persons amongst older people and Welsh public authorities;

d) place a requirement for Welsh Ministers to consult the Older People’s Commissioner, older people and other relevant stakeholders before making or revising the older people’s rights scheme; and

e) place a duty for Welsh Ministers to issue guidance to Welsh public authorities.

Commenting after the conclusion of the debate, Gareth Davies MS said:

“It’s a great honour – as one of the Parliament’s newest Members – to have brought forward the first proposal for legislation of the sixth Senedd and I’m delighted a rights-based approach to services for older people enjoyed cross-party support this evening.

 

“This was a key plank of the Welsh Conservative manifesto in the recent Senedd election as we cannot allow the needs of older people across Wales to be neglected any longer.

 

“The proposal will ensure that public bodies providing services that affect older people have due regard the UN principles for older persons and are grouped together in five themes: independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment, and dignity – things that most of us take for granted.

 

“Over the next two decades, the number of people aged over 65 is set to grow by around 40 per cent and while our demographics are changing, our society is not adapting, meaning that the rights of older people are being sadly eroded.

 

“I hope this Bill will prove a step in the right direction and ensure that the rights of older persons are respected and protected.”