Helen Mary Jones raises working conditions at DVLA’s Swansea office

Plaid Cymru Mid and West MS Helen Mary Jones raised continued problems with working conditions at Swansea’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) office in the Senedd.

Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Economy, Transport and Tackling Poverty Minister, Helen Mary Jones MS said:

“The vast majority of employers have behaved very well during the pandemic, but we know that some have not. I want to draw the Welsh Government’s attention again to the ongoing situation at the DVLA. Now, obviously, the DVLA is not a devolved employer, but the Welsh Government does have a responsibility around enforcing the coronavirus regulations and ensuring that people are able to work safely.

“I am still receiving correspondence from people from the east of my region, in communities like Llanelli and Llangennech, who work at the DVLA, and they are still very concerned about being pressurised to work in unsafe circumstances, to the extent that some of them don’t even want me to use their names, they don’t want me to pass things on, even confidentially, to Welsh Ministers, because they’re so worried. Now, I know that Welsh Government has sought reassurances from the UK Government.

I’m asking the Welsh Government to have further conversations to see what more can be done to enable those workers to work safely. This is an example of a really big employer that has got no excuse for not engaging in best practice.”

Replying in the Senedd, Hannah Blythyn MS, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government said:

“It should not be the case that people are in fear of giving their information to a Member in order to make the case for them. I can assure the Member that we will continue to strongly make the case for workers at the DVLA with the UK Government. We’re in close contact with and speaking to the Public and Commercial Services Union, who are representing members there, and I’m happy to keep both Helen Mary Jones and other Members updated with regards to that.”