Local Assembly Member Paul Davies recently met the local Pembrokeshire Branch of the National Autistic Society.

Branch Officers from Pembrokeshire travelled to Cardiff last month to listen to the debate on the Autism (Wales) Bill. They were very frustrated and angry that the Bill was defeated by the Welsh Labour Led Government and felt that their representations and concerns were ignored by the ruling party.

Paul Davies stated, ‘I was pleased to meet with the local NAS branch and I took the opportunity to thank them for the brilliant work they do on behalf of people living with autism and their families in Pembrokeshire.

I share their concerns and anxiety about the availability of future services available, given the Welsh Government is only proposing a Code of Practice which will not put services on a statutory footing.

I don’t feel that this is in any way a replacement for the Bill. The Bill would have given people absolute clarity about the services which are available and firm timescales for medical professionals to work towards.

This is an issue very close to my heart, and I won’t stop battling, alongside colleagues and Charities, to improve services’.