From this September, more of Wales’ students will be able to access the £40 a week Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) thanks to changes from the Welsh Labour Government. EMA helps learners aged 16 to 18 with everyday costs like travel, meals and study materials so they can stay in education. Since 2020, more than 3,000 learners in our corner of North East Wales have benefitted from this support and I know it makes a real difference to families, especially alongside schemes like the £1 bus fare for young people. Applications for the 2026 EMA open on April 27^th – you can find out more at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/further-education-funding/education-maintenance-allowance.

The weekend saw International Long Covid Awareness Day. Across the UK, thousands of children and young people are living with long Covid – many are facing symptoms for months or even years that disrupt school, daily life and their future opportunities. I’m thinking back to when I met with the brilliant team from Long Covid Kids at the Senedd to hear directly about the impact long Covid is having on young people and their families and, recently, constituents have been in touch to share information about long Covid and raise awareness about the 100,000+ children and young people across the country living with long Covid, with tens of thousands experiencing symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more. For many young people, these symptoms can seriously affect school, daily life and development during critical years, yet there are still no licensed treatments or clear long-term care pathways.

In the Senedd last week I raised the growing threat of deepfake videos and AI-generated content ahead of this year’s Senedd election, something regular readers will know I’ve spoken about often. We’ve already seen examples of Welsh politicians falsely shown in compromising situations – this isn’t satire, it’s dangerous misinformation that risks damaging our democracy and targeting individuals, particularly women. I’ve been clear – sharing these images should make you just as culpable as creating them. We must work with partners across the UK and beyond to protect the integrity of our elections and ensure voters can access credible, trustworthy information. You can see many of my contributions in the Senedd on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HannahBlythyn.

The day before, during First Minister’s Questions, I raised the need to invest in our NHS infrastructure. After more than a decade of Tory austerity and the pressures of the pandemic, I’m under no illusion about the challenges our NHS faces, but we also have a responsibility to invest and plan for the future. That’s why it’s so important we’re backing our NHS with real, long-term investment, including £4bn investment in NHS infrastructure across Wales, the redevelopment of Wrexham Maelor Hospital – transforming care for people in our part of north Wales – the £33m for the first phase of the Royal Alexandra Hospital redevelopment in Rhyl and a new surgical hub in Llandudno to help cut waiting times. These investments mean modern facilities for patients, better working environments for staff and faster access to treatment.

Last week, the Senedd approved the Building Safety (Wales) Bill, a vital piece of legislation tabled as part of the response to the Grenfell Tower fire in London in which 72 people died. The Bill establishes a comprehensive new building safety regime for residents of shared buildings across Wales, regardless of building height or tenure. It is broader in scope and ambition than equivalent legislation in England and delivers on the Welsh Government’s commitment to make building safety a guiding principle for how homes and buildings are managed across the country. Everyone deserves a safe, warm and secure home and this legislation changes the way fire safety is managed with criminal penalties for those who don’t comply, strengthens accountability for safety risks and empowers residents with clear routes of redress and a stronger say in matters affecting their homes.

Finally, the Sustainable Farming Scheme application window is now open. From this week until May 15th, farmers can apply through the Single Application Form. Our farmers produce world-class food while caring for our countryside and supporting local communities. Future support must work with farmers, giving stability and long-term certainty to family farms. Many are already delivering important work on soil health and habitats and this scheme recognises that. If you need support or advice, please reach out and don’t leave it until the deadline. Find out more at www.gov.wales/single-application-form.

As always, if you would like advice and/or support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on any of the following contact details – 52 High Street, Mold, Flintshire, on 01352 753464 or by email hannah.blythyn@senedd.wales. You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – www.facebook.com/HannahBlythyn. Constituents are, of course, welcome to contact my office to arrange an appointment to see me, you don’t need to wait for an advice surgery.