Jane Hutt
Welsh Labour · Wales
“But, clearly, this is something where I think it's important that people do turn to the opportunities that we have through the Warm Homes programme, through take-up not just through the Fuel Bank Foundation, but also through the discretionary assistance fund.”
“Thank you very much, Sam Rowlands, and thank you for bringing this to our attention as a result of the cross-party group on outdoor activities meeting in Llanberis and meeting with all those volunteers in mountain rescue.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Darren Millar. The Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership has heard your question about apprenticeships. I think it would be helpful to have an update on the positive progress that's been made in terms of delivery of apprenticeships.”
“In fact, I know Luke Fletcher was hosting this. Many of us attended, because this was an example of innovation at Cardiff and Vale College with their junior apprenticeship scheme route. I'm sure the Minister for Further and Higher Education was interested in that as well.”
“But I can say, you’ve raised this question, it is being considered, and there may be opportunities for a modal shift, which could be developed with the south-west Wales regional transport plan engaging with the corporate joint committee, and also having an influence on investment in the strategic road network by the Welsh Government in ou…”
“But it is also important that we link this to the Warm Homes programme. Of course, Jayne Bryant, the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government is responsible for that programme, but is working very closely with me in terms of delivery. And I know that we’re going to be updating on this very soon.”
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“Even before the election and before the new UK Government, we had been making progress with the Ministry of Justice, working on disaggregated data, emphasising the need for this data to be disaggregated to Wales, so that Robert Jones and academic colleagues do not have to go through the route that they have of freedom of information. And Rob has been involved in data mapping work. We're grateful for his support, and we're developing more capacity on data analytics, because we now have the race disparity evidence unit, which is also part of equality evidence and disability evidence as well. So, I'm taking forward the points that you make. We'll be meeting not just with Rob Jones, but with UK Government colleagues.”
“The Counsel General was answering questions about how we're progressing with the youth justice and probation work as a result of the manifesto commitments from the new UK Labour Government, but one of the things that I've—. I've met more UK Government Ministers in the last few weeks, and I think other Ministers and Cabinet Secretaries have, than I ever met from the previous Government. I'm talking to them about the sentencing review. I'm talking to them about the justice data landscape. And also we have made progress.”
“Yes, it's a jagged edge and I absolutely pay tribute to the work of Dr Robert Jones and Professor Richard Wyn Jones, as well. The jagged edge summed it up, didn't it, about the interface between devolved and non-devolved in all areas of work, but particularly the criminal justice system was something that we recognised. I'm hoping to meet Dr Robert Jones shortly, to look particularly at his prisons report, but also a key point, I think, is about data and evidence. You will see that one of our key cross-cutting themes that we're addressing—and many come from the Equality and Social Justice Committee—is about data and research. This is where we have got an opportunity with the new UK Government. So, I want to assure you that that is something that we're now progressing.”
“I've mentioned in my oral statement that we are appointing four regional convenors and developing regional community forums to enable everyone who wants to engage in terms of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, enabling us to influence and them to influence all aspects of power and responsibility from the health service to local government, and indeed to business, employment and the private sector. There is a whole chapter, as you will see, on crime and justice in the refreshed plan, and it is important as well, in Wales, that we actually ask our criminal justice partners and launched a criminal justice anti-racism action plan in September 2022. And that was something that—. This is the Welsh way. We work together.”
“The First Minister and I met with many community groups, just after the horrendous events in Southport, and not taking for granted at all that this wasn't having an impact on our communities. During the school holidays, I was meeting people and communities in Butetown, meeting Muslim women, hearing the experiences that they were having. Because, of course, it's global, isn't it? With social media, it's global. And I think, also, the fact that we are now developing—.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. And thank you so much, I have to say—diolch yn fawr—for making that key point, that what we need is anti-racist, which is what we're now refreshing, an anti-racist Wales action plan, which actually drives that message: the zero tolerance of racism, zero tolerance of racial inequalities across every policy area that we're responsible for in Wales, and our partners. And we have to recognise—and we have plenty of examples of how we are addressing this, and I've given you some today in my oral statement—that we have a long way to go to actually deliver on that zero tolerance of racism, which of course, we understood over the summer months, in the many meetings that I had—.”
“We've all got to take that on board as political parties in terms of the forthcoming elections. But I would like to just finally say that that strategy was particularly focused on public appointments, enhancing public appointments, and I am glad to say that that is having an impact. It is to do with shadowing; it is to do with encouragement; it is to do with targeting. But, actually, the current representation of ethnic minority people on boards has increased from 5 per cent to 14.9 per cent in two years as a result of that targeted approach.”
“I'm doing a statement on that next week, and I hope there will be support from across the Chamber about what we're saying for guidance. But this point that's coming over is it's not just about not being able to get jobs, not feeling it's worth being able to get jobs, but also barriers to black, Asian and minority ethnic people. And that's why you have to have that recruitment target, to ensure that people feel that they have got an opportunity, that we do want to ensure that they can have an opportunity for those jobs. But also it's about promotion. That's another action point: 'Ethnic minority staff are successful in promotion at a level that matches their organisational population share.' We've got a really important strategy that is about reflecting Wales in running Wales. Isn't that important, that we reflect Wales in running Wales?”
“As a result, at least 6% of all staff at all levels of the Welsh Government will be from an ethnic minority.' Now, that is an ambition that we will be holding—and, indeed, this is something that the whole Welsh Government and Cabinet has supported—working with the Permanent Secretary responsible for recruitment policies, to deliver, because we know, as I've said, that a more diverse workforce, particularly in terms of our public services, will deliver the policies and the resilience that we need to serve our communities in the most appropriate way. Also, and this is something, of course, where I've been meeting with groups of people, the Wales TUC most recently; I'm meeting with them about our diversity and inclusion guidance that we're developing for political parties.”
“I really welcome that recommendation, but I would like to draw your attention—. And I hope you have actually read the refreshed plan, because it actually does describe in detail how we want to go about ensuring that we deliver on that very recommendation that came from the cross-party Equality and Social Justice Committee. And just to say, yes, in that plan, in the refreshed plan, leadership from Welsh Government as an employer is absolutely critical. We have an action, a recruitment target: '20% of all successful candidates recruited externally to be from an ethnic minority background in order to reflect the 6% of the population in Wales that are ethnic minority.”
“I did mention in my opening statement that I was very thankful to the Equality and Social Justice Committee for the work that they did on 'Action, not words: towards an anti-racist Wales by 2030'. Now, that is a cross-party committee, which I understand you are a member of, and, on your point, the point that you make about our targets in the Welsh Government to have a more diverse Welsh Government public service, I do note that recommendation 1 was that: 'The Welsh Government should continue performing a central leadership role by prioritising actions that demonstrate its commitment to an anti-racist Wales.' Well, obviously you don't agree with that, from the words that you've said today, because it goes on to say, 'redoubling efforts to diversify its workforce by the 2025-26 financial year and sharing best practice in relation to anti-racist recruitment, mentoring and retention policies with other organisations; 'improving its performance on narrowing the ethnicity pay gap'.”
“Well, thank you very much, Joel James. I was hopeful, when you started with your comments and questions, that you were actually seeking to recognise the importance of this 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan'—the refreshed 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan'—that actually has been co-produced by black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Wales, in your constituency, in your region, and with commitment not just across this Government, in the public sector, by local government, the third sector, and all the equality organisations that have engaged. So, I struggle to see or to hear of anything positive from the points that you made. I do want to say that it was really important today that the First Minister congratulated Kemi Badenoch on being elected by the Conservative Party to be their leader.”
“There will be improvements in the experiences of ethnic minority women accessing maternity and neonatal health through investment into a national maternity digitalisation project. In housing, the Get Into Housing project is encouraging diversity in housing association workplaces by offering work placements to ethnic minority people experiencing long-term unemployment. In culture, there has been significant work to reflect anti-racism, including the community-led Reframing Picton exhibition addressing historical injustices.”
“This is extraordinarily challenging and requires our long-term commitment to systemic and cultural change. And when we remove barriers and tackle inequality and discrimination, public services become more efficient, social cohesion improves and we create and support thriving communities for current and future generations. The first 2022-23 ArWAP annual report, published in December 2023, detailed the progress made across government. Achievements include, for example, over 25,000 education practitioners having accessed resources and professional learning through the Welsh Government's diversity and anti-racist professional learning project. This translates into teachers and professionals being much better equipped to understand and embed anti-racism.”
“Inequality and racism continue to be felt very deeply by ethnic minority people and communities in Wales. The recent violent disorder in England and racism and Islamophobia that accompanied and followed in Wales and across the UK have been deeply disturbing. Conflict in the middle east has also led to a rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism. Black, Asian and minority ethnic people are seeking reassurance that we remain committed to an anti-racist Wales. The refreshed plan is an important part of providing this reassurance. Since the inception of the Senedd, successive Governments have sought to mainstream equality, and this plan strives to embed anti-racism in policy making, leadership and culture across the Welsh Government and the wider public sector.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. In June 2022, the whole Senedd endorsed the bold and ambitious 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan', marking a commitment to tackle systemic and structural race inequality and take an actively anti-racist approach. This helps to deliver on our programme for government commitment to build a fairer, more inclusive Wales. The ‘Anti-racist Wales Action Plan’, ArWAP, was co-produced with direct input from our black, Asian and minority ethnic people and organisations across Wales, and it was developed in the context of the deep racial inequalities highlighted by the racist killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. It was also a response to the disproportionate number of deaths of ethnic minority people during the pandemic.”
“Thank you very much for drawing that to our attention and recognising the very troubling situation that Josh and his family are in. As you’re aware, of course, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approval is critically important in these situations, but, clearly, an update on those circumstances from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care will be forthcoming, I’m sure.”
“Diolch yn fawr, Mabon, and this is for the Deputy First Minister, but also, of course, the Cabinet Secretary for north Wales is listening to this question. Again, it’s very much an issue for Gwynedd Council and the community that are affected. So, I will bring this to the attention of the Deputy First Minister for an update and reassurance on those points about Fairbourne, and the support for the community, sustainability, and 'What's next?', really, is what people want to know.”
“Thank you very much, Sam Rowlands. Well, as we've said, and as the First Minister said, we very much welcome the budget last week, and I'm glad you welcome it as well. It was a budget where the overall settlement for 2025-26 is more than £1 billion higher than it would have been under the previous UK Government, and I think it's important that we put that on the record again: £1 billion higher than under the previous Conservative UK Government. But I'm especially pleased with the capital budget of £234 million. And I think now, obviously, it is for us, as is the case, we have our consequentials, but we then decide how we are going to allocate those consequentials, and the draft budget, of course, is being prepared and will then come to all committees for scrutiny.”
“So, again, you've raised an example of need in terms of access to ambulance services and linked it to the air ambulance service, and I've given you an update on where they are in terms of that situation, which of course we hope will soon be resolved.”
“Well, obviously, again, any case like that is regrettable, and it is reported and recorded in the Senedd, and I'm sure that appropriate representations have been made in terms of that particular case. I mean, just to report on the Wales air ambulance, and of course the emergency medical retrieval and transfer service, just to update Members, we, the Welsh Ministers, understand that permission has been granted for the judicial review claim to proceed, which names them as an interested party to a challenge to the decision of the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee's decision in respect of the consolidation of the EMRTS scheme, currently delivered from bases in mid and north Wales to a new base in north Wales.”
“Now, this is something where, in terms of the detail, I'm sure that the Cabinet Secretary will want to give more explanation of what this will mean, but I think this is something where we can see that this is a new Labour Government that acted on the interests of our miners who served our country, our nation, and who now deserve the justice for that pension scheme, which this new Labour Government is giving.”
“Well, thank you for that question, Delyth Jewell. Again, following the First Minister, I think this is a moment of celebration, and it is something—. Again, I've already mentioned one piece of legislation that's so important for workers' rights that's been swiftly implemented by our new UK Labour Government, and now we see another example, in the budget last week, of that victory for the miners in terms of the pension schemes and, indeed, for all of those who supported their cause. And just to clarify for colleagues, of course, today, this will transfer £1.5 billion—£1.5 billion—from the mineworkers' investment reserve fund to pension scheme trustees.”
“And, indeed, obviously there is a formal complaints process, but also we obviously hope that the constituent who was affected is now receiving, I'm sure, all the care that's required.”
“Well, thank you for drawing that case to the attention of the Senedd and to myself as Trefnydd. Obviously, every case and example of that is very regrettable. I'm sure also that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care will want to take note of that case that you've explained, and it is also very admirable that—. It shows the community response, doesn't it? And we know also that, so often, paramedics can be on the scene before ambulances. I think we also have, across the Chamber, examples where we are told, 'Oh, someone fell ill and an ambulance came very quickly', so we must make sure that we have consistency. But it is important that you do draw this attention to the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust.”
“Diolch yn fawr. That's a really important question that I need to follow up, obviously, with the relevant Cabinet Secretary, but with the fact that you've linked it as well, and a north Wales perspective, to the national park development, I will raise it with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales. But it is a real opportunity as well, as I know that this provides an opportunity for people to visit Wales because of the splendour of our night skies. Diolch yn fawr.”
“Diolch yn fawr. Nid oes unrhyw newidiadau i fusnes yr wythnos hon. Mae busnes drafft y tair wythnos nesaf wedi'i nodi yn y datganiad a chyhoeddiad busnes, sydd ar gael i Aelodau yn electronig.”