SUMMER 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 4
GPSJ
NEWS
Plaid Cymru calls for urgent action from UK
Government on cost of living
‘We were promised that things
would be di昀昀erent under
Labour, but the claim of change
has failed to materialise’ - Liz
Saville Roberts MP
Today (Monday 1 September) Plaid
Cymru have called on the Labour
UK Government to implement a
number of measures as part of
the Autumn 2025 budget to get to
grips with the cost-of-living crisis.
As MPs return to Westminster
today after the summer recess,
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster Leader,
Liz Saville Roberts MP says that
although the cost-of-living crisis
began under the Tories, “people
aren’t any better o昀昀 under Labour
today either.”
Plaid Cymru have outlined that
in order to tackle this, the UK
Government should:
• Support households with the
cost of energy and housing
• Boost incomes and guarantee
the basics
• Fairly tax extreme wealth and
bumper pro昀椀t margins
Energy and housing:
25% of households in Wales
(340,000) are in fuel poverty.
Current support like the Warm
Homes discount has risen by
only £10, while energy bills have
increased by £500. Plaid Cymru is
calling for energy support grants
similar to the Energy Bills Support
Scheme (2022/23) and targeted
support for winter.
Around 70,000 households in
Wales face a gap between rent
and social security due to the
bedroom tax and outdated Local
Housing Allowance rates. Plaid
Cymru urges the UK Government
to scrap the bedroom tax and
uprate the allowance to at least the
30th percentile of rents in Wales.
Income support:
Raising the personal allowance
and unfreezing the basic income
tax threshold would bene昀椀t the
bottom 50% of taxpayers earning
under £28,400. Plaid Cymru also
calls for an Essentials Guarantee
to ensure those on the lowest
incomes can a昀昀ord food, heating,
and other essentials.
Fairer taxation:
Plaid Cymru opposes Labour’s
increase in Employers National
Insurance Contributions, which
a昀昀ects public sector recruitment,
small businesses, and care homes,
and is partly passed on to workers
and consumers. The party urges
a reversal and alternative revenue
measures.
Plaid Cymru instead proposes
a 2% annual wealth tax on assets
over £10 million (£24bn potential
revenue) and equalising Capital
Gains Tax with Income Tax (£12bn
potential revenue) to fund public
services and reduce wealth
inequality.
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster
Leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP
said:
“The signi昀椀cant fall in living
standards due to the rapid
increase in the price of essential
goods and services may have
begun under the Tories, but people
aren’t any better o昀昀 under Labour
today either. The increase in living
costs continues to hit young
people, families, and pensioners
across every part of the UK.
“But while ordinary people are
struggling to make ends meet
and to pay for the bare minimum
such as food and housing, large
corporations and the ultra-wealthy
are racking up eye-watering
pro昀椀ts. Energy network owners
alone pocketed £3.9 billion in
excess pro昀椀ts from high energy
bills, money that came directly o昀昀
the backs of ordinary people. And
with further energy price increases
expected this winter, the pressure
on families and pensioners will only
deepen, while those at the top
continue to bene昀椀t.
“We were promised that things
would be di昀昀erent under Labour,
but so far, the claim of ‘change’
has failed to materialise. Plaid
Cymru has presented the UK
Government with practical policies
ahead of this year’s Autumn
Budget that would truly get to
grips with the rising living costs.
These measures would provide
direct support to households in
our communities as well as tackle
the growing wealth imbalance in
the UK. It is time for those with the
broadest shoulders to pay their fair
share, and for communities across
the UK to be given the security and
support they need not only to get
by, but to thrive.”
Offshore marine protected areas
Extra protection for Scotland’s
marine environment with new
measures coming into e昀昀ect
from October.
Fisheries management measures
for Marine Protected Areas within
o昀昀shore waters between 12 and
200 nautical miles from the coast
will come into e昀昀ect from 16
October.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
are designated sites that protect
our nationally important species
and habitats and are a key step
in safeguarding and conserving
marine biodiversity in Scotland’s
seas.
Site speci昀椀c measures being
introduced include restrictions
4
on certain 昀椀shing activities that
could damage these habitats and
species, such as bottom-towed
gear.
These measures have been
developed through collaboration
with industry, scientists,
environmental organisations and
communities and are based on the
best available evidence – they will
help protect biodiversity, support
sustainable 昀椀shing, and build
resilience to climate change.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate
Action Gillian Martin said:
“Scotland’s seas are an
integral part of our national
identity, and this is a major
milestone in protecting our marine
environment. It’s important, now,
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL SUMMER 2025
more than ever, that we address
the twin crises of biodiversity loss
and climate change and these
new measures will help to support
and enable marine ecosystems
to 昀氀ourish and build climate
resilience.
“With these new protections
in place, Scotland’s marine
environment will be better
equipped to support thriving
marine industries, protect food
security and secure the ecosystem
services that we all rely on.
“This achievement is the
culmination of many years
of dedicated, collaborative
work across science, industry,
environmental organisations and
local communities. I’d like to thank
all those involved in progressing
this work to help safeguard these
important ecosystems.”
Joint Nature Conservation
Committee (JNCC) Marine Species
Team Leader Declan Tobin said:
“This is a landmark moment for
MPA protection, following 昀椀fteen
years of collaboration. JNCC is
proud to have supported Scottish
Government in developing these
measures, turning science into
action for a brighter and more
sustainable future for our seas.”
