13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
Just on that gender pilot, has any of the learning of the budget, has that influenced, has it fed into, the development of this draft budget?
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
But no dialogue with the UK Government as yet on this.
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
It's also relevant for comprehensive school-aged children as well, isn't it, of course?
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
In comprehensive schools too.
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
So, you don’t have a date at the moment for when the ticket will come back. In terms, then, of the training that you mention in your paper for local authorities regarding those with no status, no recourse to public funds, we know that this has caused problems…
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
Just a couple of brief questions about the nation of sanctuary. I’m sure that you agree, Cabinet Secretary, that the support for the aspirations of a nation of sanctuary are more important than ever, and our support for asylum seekers and refugees, in light…
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. We were expecting, weren't we, some sort of timetable for the phases of the Welsh benefits charter. A year ago, you launched that and said that we would have an announcement about the timetable as to how it would be implemented…
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
Thank you. One other thing that a lot of people were looking for, I think, in this budget was some kind of action taken by the Welsh Government to mitigate the fact that the UK Government have removed the winter fuel payment for a large number of older people…
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
So, you are content with the allocation that you have given in your budget for this year, that it will mitigate the impacts for those groups affected and who provide services, like the one that Tenovous have quoted.
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
'It’s equivalent to the cost of running our benefits advice service.'
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
So, I can take it from your answer that you do think that the uplift is sufficient. For example, I said that Tenovous said that they think the increase in their costs in light of this will be £0.25 million annually.
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
Thank you very much. Good afternoon. I would like to go back a little bit to what you were discussing with Julie Morgan in terms of the importance of the third sector. You mentioned how important they were in terms of that preventative impact that your budget…
13 January 2025 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Budget 2025-26
Jane wants to come in.
8 January 2025 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Yes, I think we’ve seen the need for crisis support skyrocket. We’ve had figures from Citizens Advice and other agencies telling us this. So, it is disappointing that, after a year, only three—and two of those are very much interlinked, the school essentials…
8 January 2025 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I didn't hear there an answer to my question around who exactly have you been speaking to as regards UK Ministers on this, and when we can expect also that research that's being done, that feasibility on the devolution of the…
8 January 2025 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. As the new year begins, I’d like to know what new approach is being taken by the Welsh Government to fixing the gaping and widening holes in the safety net that is meant to support our most vulnerable citizens. Because while the new UK…
7 January 2025 , Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Delivering for Wales
Well, we’ve heard some second-rate rhetoric today, I must say. Let’s look at the hard reality in Wales, because you boasted about the ‘real results’, as you called them, of the partnership in power, with two Labour Governments either end of the M4. Well, here…
13 November 2024 , Plenary
Short Debate: Violence against women, domestic abuse, and sexual violence—The scourge of Wales today
As chair of the cross-party group on violence against women and children, I would like to thank Mabon for bringing this important debate before us. We do have to continue to discuss domestic violence, and what's revealed in the report is heartbreaking and…
13 November 2024 , Plenary
Debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee Report, 'Restoration of opencast mining sites'
I too would like to share my thanks to members of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee for their work in delivering this essential report, and I would like to echo what Delyth Jewell said, that I think that this should mark a turning…
13 November 2024 , Plenary
Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee Report, 'Do disabled children and young people have equal access to education and childcare?'
I’d like to thank the Children, Young People and Education Committee for this important report. I was a member of the committee at the beginning of the inquiry, and I have been following the work throughout. I am Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on children's…
12 November 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Diversity and inclusion for political parties
This is all good stuff, but it has no teeth, and there's the rub. We can't know it'll make any change, and you even acknowledge that in your statement. And as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on equalities, I want to take this opportunity to once again reiterate…
11 November 2024 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Disability and employment: evidence session 13
Thank you, and perhaps it’s something the Government could look at when they're working on the strategy that we say that we need. Do you have anything to add, Richard?
11 November 2024 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Disability and employment: evidence session 13
Can I just ask whether you have any examples? You've mentioned good practice in Wales, and perhaps they're not shared in the way that they should be, or it would be beneficial for them to be shared. Are there any international or European programmes that you…
11 November 2024 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Disability and employment: evidence session 13
Yes, so that the needs of Wales are considered in these programmes that are funded by the UK Government?
11 November 2024 , Equality and Social Justice Committee
Disability and employment: evidence session 13
Richard, you mentioned earlier the political change that we've seen since the general election at the UK level, so the Welsh Government now will, hopefully, have a more fruitful relationship with the UK Government. What should the Welsh Government prioritise…
