Since being elected Member of Parliament in 2017, Ben has worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. He has successfully handled over 5,000 pieces of casework and made over 1,200 contributions in Westminster since 2020 alone.
Ben has been a highly respected spokesman on the economy and has supported small businesses tirelessly in Ceredigion; he has been Vice-Chairman of the Welsh Affairs Committee and a member of the Public Accounts Committee; supported the WASPI women's campaign for justice; consistently voted in favour of action to address climate change; challenged the high street banks on their branch closures and lobbied the regulators to establish local banking hubs; successfully improved broadband and mobile phone connectivity in Ceredigion; opposed trade deals harmful to Welsh farmers; and fought for a fairer financial settlement for public services in rural areas.
Committees
- Ben is a long-standing member of the Welsh Affairs Committee, where he has scrutinised the work of the Welsh Government and the UK Government in Wales. As a committee member, he has also scrutinised broadcasting, tourism, banking, and floating offshore wind in Wales.
- Ben was recently appointed to the influential Public Accounts Committee. As a member of the committee has scrutinised issues including relating to the Rwanda Bill, the Civil Service, and HMRC.
Economy
- Ben is the Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on the economy in Westminster and has been the focus of his contributions in Westminster in recent years. Ben has lead the party’s response to the Chancellor's Budgets and this year, he called on the government to properly fund our public services and deliver comprehensive tax reform.
- Ben serves as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency, which advocates policies to deliver affordable warmth for low income and vulnerable households.
- This year, Ben joined a cross-party group to write to the Financial Conduct authority to relax the rules around banking hubs, and also launched a petition calling for Community Banking Hubs for Ceredigion. As a member of the Welsh Affairs Committee, he also questioned Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds and HSBC on banking services in rural Wales.
Health
- Although all health matters in Wales are devolved to the Senedd in Cardiff, Ben has fought strongly to improve health and social care services across the constituency, and has called for more investment in the NHS, especially in rural areas. He has met regularly with the Health Board to discuss mental health services, dentistry and the future of our local GP surgeries, and has written regularly to the Health Minister in the Welsh Government on behalf of his constituents.
- Last year, Ben launched the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Bowel Cancer. The cross-party group raises awareness of the disease, and brings together campaign groups, charities and non-governmental organisations to promote the issues important to those affected by the disease.
- Ben and his Plaid Cymru colleagues voted to ban disposable vapes and to disallow anyone born after 2009 from buying tobacco products.
- Ben voted for an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill this year, which would speed up the compensation for victims of the NHS infected blood scandal.
Environment
- Ben has consistently voted in favour of action on the climate, voting for a ban on fracking, and publishing a parliamentary motion calling for a ban on deep sea mining.
- In 2021, he voted for an amendment to the Environment bill which would have forced water companies to reduce their discharge of raw sewage into rivers and seas.
- In his role as a member of the Welsh Affairs Committee (WAC), he has called water companies and regulators in Wales to account over water quality in Wales. The Committee also held an inquiry into the potential risks of pollution from abandoned metal mines.
Digital Connectivity
- Improving digital connectivity, including broadband and mobile phone signal, has been one of Ben's main priorities since being elected in 2017 and although there is more work to be done, the situation has improved significantly in recent years. Full Fibre broadband connection in Ceredigion has increased from 7% in 2017 to 41.4% in 2024.
- Ben was one of a group of cross-party MPs representing rural constituencies who managed to secure investment from the UK Government to improve telephone signal in rural areas - Shared Rural Network.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NivIn7ChF1g
Transport
- Ben has strongly objected the severe cuts to public bus services in recent years, including the termination of the Fflecsi Bwcabus Service in the south of the county, and the reduced services across the county.
- Ben has called on the UK Government to reform the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme to help areas in Wales where a lack of public transport has led to higher dependency on car use for essential journeys, and introduce a temporary rebate scheme for key sectors such as haulage and public transport.
- During a Welsh Affairs Committee evidence session last year, Ben challenged Transport for Wales officers regarding the poor rail services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=294706366705041
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBlI-RnsOvw
Agriculture
- In April, Ben served on the public bill committee stage of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, raising the issue of farmers being victims of dog attacks on their livestock.
- Ben has called for better support for agriculture on funding and energy costs, and opposed damaging trade deals such as the UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand deals, calling for a seat at the table for Wales for any future trade deals.
- Earlier this year, Ben used a Westminster Hall Debate to call for the strengthening of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. Ben raised the concerns of farmers in Ceredigion over heightened input costs due to inflation, and large grocery businesses exercising unfair trading practices.
Foreign Policy
- Ben and his Plaid Cymru colleagues have consistently called for and voted for a ceasefire in Gaza and an immediate release of the hostages since the conflict began in October. He has also called for a Palestinian Visa Scheme, signing a parliamentary motion to that end in December, and challenging the minister about the dangers facing civilians in Rafah at a debate in May.
- At the start of the war in Ukraine, Ben challenged then Home Secretary Priti Patel to waive visa requirements for Ukrainians, to ensure that eligibility could be based on people’s intrinsic worth as human beings, not human value.
Education
- Following the news about cuts to Aberystwyth University, Ben called on the UK Government to make it easier for universities to attract international students. Ben wrote to the Home Secretary urging him to maintain the graduate-route visa.
- At a Westminster Hall Debate in September, Ben called on the UK Government to consider the challenges faced by students facing substandard accommodation due to price constraints.
Justice
- Ben has consistently advocated for reforming future drug policy, working with the Transform Drug Policy Foundation to reform the Misuse of Drugs Act. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, he recently took part in an inquiry on reducing the harm from illegal drugs. Ben Lake in Parliament 2019-2024
- In February, Ben spoke in Parliament to seek immediate redress for those affected by the Post Office Horizon Scandal, not just for the money they paid, but for the financial and personal harm caused to their lives.
Immigration
- Ben has consistently opposed the Tories’ draconian immigration policies, voting against the Rwanda Bill and the Illegal Migration Bill at every stage of their passage.
- Last year, Ben and his Plaid Cymru colleagues tabled an amendment to the Illegal Migration Bill which would have ensured that the Bill was consistent with the Welsh Government’s commitment to being a ‘Nation of Sanctuary.’
Equalities
- Ben is a longstanding champion of the WASPI Women, and spoke at a debate in March to speak in support of the 5,000 WASPI women in Ceredigion, calling on the Government to compensate those affected.
- Ben has consistently voted to promote the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, voting in favour of same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland in 2019, and signing several parliamentary motions calling for the banning of conversion therapy practices.
- Over the past few years, Ben has consistently voted to support the right to abortion, repeatedly voting to protect “buffer zones” for abortion providers. Ben Lake in Parliament 2019-2024
To see Ben's voting record, go to: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25669/ben_lake/ceredigion
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