, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Government
The correspondence you're referring to was formal correspondence from Tonia. You didn't receive private correspondence?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
I just wanted to confirm what we've heard—that there's an acceptance of the issues around culture within and across the WRU and the acceptance that there is a rupture in the WRU's relationships between itself as an institution, if you like, and then the…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
So, you have witnessed that.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
There's recognition that there are some great people working within the game in Wales, and we recognise that. But what there is is a tragic, if you like, toxicity that exists at board level. And both of you sit on that board. Okay, you've just been appointed…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Yes, and Hayley says that, that there are dedicated and hard-working staff, most of whom are a credit to the game, and she is very clear that the failure is at board level to tackle the toxic and oppressive culture within the union. That's a different thing…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Yes, and she says that in her letter.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
No, you're not surprised. Nigel, sorry, you were—. I cut across you.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
But it's more than that—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Contents. I accept 'passion'—the word you used—but it's also an analysis, isn't it? It isn't just passion, it's an analysis of a broken culture and a broken relationship. I can't think of anyone with whom the WRU has a healthy relationship at the moment.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
But were you surprised?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Are you surprised? Were you surprised when you read that e-mail? Sorry, Ieuan, it was addressed to you. I can imagine you were shocked to actually see it written down, but were you surprised by the contents?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
It's been part of my life, and to hear—. I want my children to share the same pride as I did in the 1970s, and to experience the same things that I did. I want them to feel that sense of who we are as a country, and the WRU were central to that. One of the…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Thank you. It's heartbreaking, isn't it, to see and to hear what we've seen and heard. I think for those of us for whom rugby has been a part of our lives growing up to adulthood—. I'm 58, I'll be retiring soon—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
But it was the WRU, of course, that designed these NDAs. So, it would be for the WRU to actually enable that person, if they so wish, to have those restrictions lifted, to enable them to speak openly about their experiences. And I think that's quite an…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Yes, I noticed.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
But you not having a problem isn't the issue, is it? Because it's a legal instrument that needs to be lifted by the WRU. So, what we would—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
I'm grateful to you for that. The point that Hefin asked you on NDAs—I just wanted to clarify your answer to that. Because one of the allegations that's been made over the last period is that the WRU has used NDAs to prevent members of staff from speaking…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Well, you should, it's very illustrative.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
I don't disagree with that, but my question was—I think the statement last night was very positive, by the way, I've got no issue about that—my question was about your knowledge about what was happening. You're both giants of our game. You must have had an…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union
Thanks very much. Can I challenge you a little bit on your assertion, Mr Evans, that you were shocked by what you've learned? I was reading parts of your autobiography that were scathing about the WRU in different ways. You said that there were people on the…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
Well, you've certainly made my case about the need for parliamentary scrutiny, if nothing else. And I don't disagree with you, as it happens, Darren. It's right and proper that government is about choosing and making choices, and the point that I make is that…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
Oh, come on, he's trying to defend the UK Government; give him a chance. [Laughter.]
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
I welcome very much the Minister's speech this evening in asking and recommending that this Senedd does not give consent to this LCM. I think we should be doing that for two reasons: for the constitutional reasons, but also for policy reasons. I agree with my…
, Plenary
Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution: Interim Report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
There we are. I'm very grateful to you, Presiding Officer, and so is the Chamber. [Laughter.] Home rule, of course, was one of the founding principles of the modern Labour Party, and those people who haven't read 'In Place of Fear' will chart Aneurin Bevan's…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
I'm grateful to the Minister for that response. It's certainly true to say that partnership working is a feature of the response of the Welsh Government. I'm not convinced it's a successful feature, I have to say. There's almost the equivalent of a whole…
