Ben Lake MP has joined forces with consumer champion, Which?, and over 80 fellow parliamentarians in signing a letter asking for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to bring an end to rip-off overdraft fees.

The Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament is concerned that residents in Ceredigion might still be paying excessive fees on unarranged overdrafts, some of which may still cost over seven times more than a payday loan according to new research from Which?

Despite scrutiny from the regulator, Ben Lake MP feels not enough has been done to protect consumers from these sky-high fees.

Ben Lake MP has tabled an Early Day Motion at Westminster to congratulate Cwmni Cletwr on its fifth anniversary.

Cwmni Cymunedol Cletwr is a community-owned business which opened its doors in 2013, a couple of years after the original family-owned garage and village shop closed. The business has since grown from strength to strength; in 2017 the shop and cafe moved to a new purpose-built premises, and has developed into a vital community hub providing a varied programme of events, talks, and classes all-year round.

The business is run by a combination of paid staff and a large pool of volunteers, and the project is constantly responding to new opportunities and listening to the needs of the local community. The business plays a vital role in tackling the growing problem of rural poverty and social isolation, whilst also providing local employment and volunteering opportunities for young people.

Welsh Government confirm the extra funding to in order to fill historical underpayment

Elin Jones, Assembly Member for Ceredigion, has welcomed the decision to award £27 million of extra funding to Hywel Dda Health Board, following a review into the excess costs put on the health board due to the unique circumstances of the region that it covers.

Elin Jones AM & Ben Lake MP hold public meeting at Tregaron to discuss challenges and opportunities facing town

A public meeting organised by Elin Jones AM and Ben Lake MP identified the need for jobs and economic development as top priorities for the future of Tregaron.

The meeting was held on Thursday 24^th of May 2018 at the Memorial Hall in Tregaron, and gave residents and businesses the opportunity to voice their views and concerns on both the challenges facing the town, and the opportunities for development over the coming years.

Tregaron, like many other towns across Ceredigion and west Wales has faced increased challenges over the recent years, and the public meeting followed on from a similar event organised by the AM and MP in Llandysul in late 2017.

Proposed work on Dorglwyd Junction set to be delayed

Elin Jones AM and Ben Lake MP have expressed their frustration following a recent statement from the Welsh Government noting that work on the A487 Dorglwyd junction from Comins Coch, would be delayed.

The junction has witnessed several crashes and close-calls over recent years, with local residents calling for the development of a roundabout or similar traffic-calming measures.

The Welsh Government announced in September 2016 that a feasibility study would be undertaken by the following Summer as to consider potential options to improve the junction.

Ben Lake MP voices concerns that UK Department for Transport proposals could hinder the sustainability of the community transport sector in rural Wales.

Following a the UK Department for Transport’s consultation on community transport permits (Section 19 & 22), MPs debated the impact of the proposals during a debate at Westminster.

Currently, an organisation operating in the UK that accepts any sort of payment for providing transport to passengers must hold either a public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence or a private hire vehicle licence. However, organisations that provide transport on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis can apply for permits under Section 19 or Section 22 of the Transport Act 1985. As holders of the section 19 and 22 permits don’t need a PSV operator’s licence or the costly regulations including DVSA maintenance and standards, their low operating costs enable them to be more competitively priced when bidding for publicly funded contracts.

Ben Lake MP for Ceredigion supported Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer to hand in a petition started by Lauren Backler, calling for the bowel cancer screening age to be lowered from 60 to 50, in line with Scotland and international best practice. The petition has been signed by more than 445,000 people.

Lauren, 27 from Eastbourne, started the petition in honour of her mum who sadly died from the disease at 56 years old. Ben Lake MP joined Lauren along with MPs from across the political divide. They were also accompanied by supporters of the charity that were diagnosed with bowel cancer in their 50s or those that have lost loved ones from the disease after being diagnosed in their 50s.

On 8 May, the Welsh Affairs Committee welcomed members of the Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs to provide evidence on the long-term future of farming and agriculture in Wales.

The outcome of Brexit negotiations will undoubtedly impact upon Welsh agriculture, and this evidence session gave YFC members a platform to share their views and to represent the next generation of farmers. The YFC members gave the Welsh Affair Committee insight into what they believe to be the challenges and opportunities facing young farmers as we transition from the EU. The members also emphasised the importance of developing a new agricultural policy that will allow farming businesses to be productive, profitable and progressive post-Brexit.

Ben Lake MP and Elin Jones AM meet Ceredigion Food Bank representatives to discuss the current demand in the county and to understand why people in rural communities are increasingly in need of emergency food supplies.

This week, the Trussell Trust announced their annual food bank stats. In Ceredigion between April 2017 and March 2018, 1515 three-day emergency food supplies were given to people facing crisis by the Trussell Trust Foodbank Network, 580 of which were for children.

Wales will have no say on the level of funding for the UK’s replacement of EU farm payments, a UK Government Minister has confirmed.

Responding to questioning from Plaid Cymru’s Agriculture spokesperson in Westminster, Ben Lake MP, the UK Government’s Agriculture Minister, George Eustice MP said that future levels of funding will be matter for the UK Government as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review process.

Under the current arrangements in the EU, Common Agriculture Policy funding decisions are made every seven years, and the Welsh Government attends internal negotiations alongside the other UK countries before the UK agrees the regulatory framework with the other EU institutions. If future decisions on farming payments are made in the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, they would be made every three years rather than seven, with no representation from Wales.