Speeches and questions

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Okay. I've got two requests for brief supplementaries. I'll go to Heledd first, and then I'll come to Hefin. So, Heledd.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

We'll go to back to Tom, okay. Tom, carry on.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Heledd, is it on this point?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you. We'll move on to Tom Giffard.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

We'll move on to Heledd Fychan.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Right. Okay. Thank you for that.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you for that. I'm going to go to Jenny for a supplementary.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you. I've got two requests for brief supplementaries—firstly, to Alun, and then I'll come to Jenny. So, Alun.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you. Back to you, Hefin.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Forgive me interrupting, Hefin. Would you commit to, perhaps, updating the committee at interim periods during the course of that?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you for that. We'll move on to Hefin David.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

That's useful, and I appreciate the fact that you're saying—. I don't think that we've actually received those recommendations, so it would be useful if you could send those to us, please.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

But that's what I was going to ask you, if a redacted version—. Because obviously no-one would want to compromise anyone's information that they had given, wanting it to be anonymous. But could a redacted version of that report be—

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you. And the report, it will be published.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

We appreciate your honesty.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

There was a review in 2021 into the women's game, could you tell us how the WRU responded to that and would you commit to making those findings public?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you. I'm going to bring in Alun.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you for that. When you say the very graphic nature of some of these reports that have come out, could you tell us why it took that happening for action to be taken, rather than it happening when these reports had first been made clear to you?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you for that. I'll bring Alun Davies in in a moment, but could I just press you on that, because your words are obviously heartfelt, and I appreciate that, but in terms of why you think this has happened, what would be your analysis of that?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you for that. So, we'll move on to questions. Why do you think the WRU is in this situation?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you so much. On behalf of Members, I really would like to thank you for accepting our invitation to give evidence today. It's a really important issue; it's something that has the interest of Members of the Senedd, members of the public, and obviously…

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

And, Mr Nigel Walker.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

Thank you very much.

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

We are having an evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union, following allegations surrounding the Welsh Rugby Union. Can I invite firstly Mr Ieuan Evans to introduce himself for the record?

2 February 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

Good morning. I'd like to welcome Members to this meeting of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee. We've received apologies this morning from Carolyn Thomas, and Jenny Rathbone is substituting on her…