March 2026 Newsletter

We began March celebrating our beautiful county and country on St David’s Day. There has been much more to celebrate this month, including the brilliant work of local organisations, clubs and schools who do so much for our community, and some particularly exciting news about banking services in the south of the county.

In Parliament, I continued to champion the interests of Pembrokeshire, raising constituents’ concerns directly with the Government.

I also had the chance to meet with many of you at my regular surgeries. As always, please get in touch if there is anything me and my team can help you with.

Best wishes,

Henry

In the Community

A Banking Hub for Pembroke Dock

This month we had some brilliant news about access to banking services in the south of Pembrokeshire.

After over a year of working with LINK, government ministers, the regulator, Lloyds Bank, the Post Office, and the community, LINK recommended a banking hub for Pembroke Dock. It was a huge community effort, with people from across Pembroke Dock and all levels of public office coming together to help improve local services.

The banking hub will provide much-needed face-to-face banking for residents in the south of the county, many of whom have had to travel significant distances since the closure of the Lloyds branch. I will continue to work with the community and LINK to ensure that it is opened as quickly as possible within the next three months.

Access to in-person banking services remains vital for communities across Pembrokeshire, and I will continue to work hard to ensure these services are delivered.

Grassroot Sport

It was a real pleasure to visit Hakin United Football Club this month. The club brings fans and players from across the community together through their shared love of the game.

It was fantastic to see the difference that the UK Labour Government’s funding has made, allowing the club to buy a new tractor for pitch maintenance and improving the playing experience for everyone who uses it.  

I am a big believer in the importance of grassroots sports clubs like this one. They do so much in communities across Pembrokeshire, and I will continue to champion and support them. Wishing The Vikings the very best of luck for the rest of the season!

Cracking Down on Crime

I am continuing to work closely with the police and Government to make Pembrokeshire’s streets safer. If you have any concerns about anti-social behaviour in your community, please fill out my latest survey.

The information you share will help us build a clearer picture of what is happening across the community. Your feedback will directly support joint efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour effectively and make sure concerns are followed up in the right way.

Street Pastors Visit

Pembroke Street Pastors do amazing work for our community.

This month I attended there Annual General Meeting where I learnt more about the crucial support their volunteers provide to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. They also offer assistance to young people after a night out, providing footwear, snacks and blankets to keep them warm.

A big thank you to the Street Pastors for having me along.

Stepaside School & Pufflings Nursery

I had the pleasure of visiting Stepaside C.P. School for World Book Day.

The pupils I met were full of enthusiasm, and it was great to see some of their creative costumes. With its brilliant facilities and dedicated teachers, the school provides a vibrant learning environment where pupils can thrive.

The pride of the whole school community in making Stepaside C.P. a supportive place for children to grow was clear to see.

A huge thank you to all the hardworking teachers and staff for everything they do.

Supporting our Tourism Sector

Our beautiful county is a popular destination for tourists from across the world, and our tourism and hospitality sector plays such an important role in Pembrokeshire’s economy.

So, it was great to meet with business-owner Susie Mock and Councillor Nick Neuman this month to discuss the challenges facing the tourism sector in Broad Haven.

It was a positive and constructive conversation, and I look forward to continuing to work with the sector and the council to unlock barriers to growth and provide good quality jobs for local people.

Welsh Water

I know Pembrokeshire has been let down by Welsh Water. Its environmental performance has been shocking – with serious pollution incidents across the county and repeated storm overflow spills – and yet executive pay has still risen.

I have been working hard locally and in Parliament to make sure the situation improves.

Most recently, I visited Tenby Wastewater Treatment Works to see firsthand the improvements that are being made there.

This follows two reports I have co-authored, calling for more accountability and regulation in the water sector, and landmark legislation from the UK Labour Government cracking down on polluting water companies.  

I have also continued to engage with local campaigners, who do so much to protect our rivers and beaches, and residents who have been impacted. I will not stop until Pembrokeshire’s waterways are fully protected, clean, and safe for everyone to enjoy.

Poverty Action Roundtable

It is appalling that more than one in five children in Mid and South Pembrokeshire are living in poverty.

This month, I convened the third Poverty Action Roundtable, bringing together brilliant local organisations who do so much to support families across Pembrokeshire. We discussed the cost-of-living pressures on households, particularly those reliant on heating oil. Dyfed Powys Police were also there to discuss domestic abuse, and what is being done to tackle it.

More broadly, the UK Labour Government has also taken significant steps to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG). It published its VAWG Strategy in December 2025, which focusses on taking preventative measures to tackle the root causes of abuse before it can take place, including supporting schools to challenge misogyny and harmful sexual behaviours. It also sets out measures to ensure that perpetrators are pursued relentlessly, and that victims and survivors receive comprehensive support.

The UK Labour Government has taken decisive action to tackle child poverty, including ending the two-child benefit cap which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty. I also welcome the Welsh Labour Government’s commitment to tackle child poverty, including its investment of an additional £50 million in childcare, and continued commitment to fund up to 30 hours of combined childcare and nursery education for three- and four-year-olds.

No child should have to grow up in poverty, and I will remain focussed on ensuring that children in Pembrokeshire can have the best start in life.

In Parliament

Helping Households with the Rising Cost of Heating Oil

I know that many people across Pembrokeshire have been impacted by the rising cost of heating oil since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. As a rural community, we are disproportionately impacted by this. Many of you have contacted me with your concerns, which I have taken directly to Ministers.

I am pleased that the Government is taking action, with £3.8 million of targeted support for Wales to help off-grid households who are reliant on heating oil. We are also strengthening the powers of the regulator to crack down on price gouging and protect consumers from opportunistic suppliers.

More broadly, I will continue to support the Government’s efforts alongside international allies to deescalate the conflict in the Middle East and bring stability to the oil market.

If you are struggling with prices, please contact me and I will do everything I can to help.

Championing our Family Farms

Family farms are the backbone of Pembrokeshire’s rural economy, culture, and food production. The UK’s upcoming negotiations with the EU will reduce trade barriers on agricultural products, presenting a significant opportunity for our local economy.

This month, I asked the Minister to confirm that the interests of Pembrokeshire’s farming community will be at the centre of these negotiations.

I will keep working with both the UK and Welsh Labour Governments to make sure that Pembrokeshire farmers benefit from our new relationship with the EU.

Access to Healthcare

I know that for many in Pembrokeshire access to healthcare is a postcode lottery.

From speaking to constituents, it is clear that too many people across the county are being forced to travel great distances to access essential health services. Plans to downgrade services at Withybush Hospital risk making this situation worse.

I spoke up about these issues in Parliament this month, and made the case for closer cooperation between UK and Welsh Governments to ensure rural communities like ours get the healthcare they need and deserve.

In my role on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, I have been also gathering evidence on cross-border healthcare, and the impact this has on constituents.

I will keep fighting until everyone in Pembrokeshire has fair access to healthcare.

Protecting Jobs & Energy Security

Pembrokeshire plays a key role in powering Britain, with 20% of the UK’s energy coming through the port of Milford Haven.

It will also play a key role in our energy transition, with exciting opportunities including in floating offshore wind, hydrogen, and battery storage.

However, this energy transition must be a just one. It cannot come at the cost of jobs and industries that have powered this country for decades.

That is why I have been calling on the Government to scrap carbon taxes and lift the ban on licenses for new oil and gas fields in the North Sea to protect British manufacturing and jobs, and strengthen our economy and energy security.

This month, I also visited the Port of Milford Haven where we discussed jobs and skills development for young people in Pembrokeshire. I will continue to work with them and other local businesses to ensure that Pembrokeshire’s energy sector can thrive, and continue to support jobs and livelihoods across our community.