29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Thank you for that. I'll go to Llyr and then to Hefin.
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
[Inaudible.]—and I understand that, again, from an operational point of view and whether you are in keeping with the letter of what's expected of you, I know that that is certainly one consideration, but in terms of, again, that mission statement that you…
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Thank you. Diolch, Carolyn. Before I bring in Hefin David, Jose, we really do appreciate the fact that you've given us the time this morning, and into this afternoon now, but a lot of the answers that you're giving do seem to be focusing on the business needs…
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Thank you for clarifying that. Carolyn, you wanted to come in on something.
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Thank you for that. And just to clarify, please, Jose, the 18,000 figure that you have noted for the English language line that you were comparing the Welsh language line with, that 18,000 figure, is that for Wales only or all of the UK, please?
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
I'm going to bring Tom in in a moment. Tom has been very patient with us. But I'd like to put this to you, Jose: from what you've just been saying about your decision that was referred to in that letter—that you have determined that all of these customers can…
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
I think Llyr wants to come in on this.
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
[Inaudible.]—you say everything is possible, but would it be possible to continue offering the Welsh-language telephone line, then?
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Alun Davies.
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
There are Members who want to come in on this point. I'll go to Tom first and then I'll go to Alun. So, Tom.
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
I have some words here that are taken from HSBC's mission statement, which is on your website. In the section 'Our values in detail', it says, and I'm quoting HSBC here, 'We value difference. We were born speaking different languages. We were founded on the…
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Thank you for that. Just to check, those three colleagues of yours who answer the Welsh lines, is that the only thing that they do?
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
Good morning, bore da. We're very grateful to you for making the time to be with us this morning. If it's all right, we'll go straight into questions. Could you expand, please, Jose, on why HSBC has come to this decision and how that decision was made?
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
HSBC UK Welsh Service Line: evidence session with HSBC UK
I don't see that there are any declarations, so we'll move immediately to our evidence session with HSBC UK on their decision to bring the Welsh language helpline to a close. I'll ask Jose Carvalho to introduce himself for the record.
29 November 2023 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Good morning and a very warm welcome to this meeting of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee. I will first ask if any Members have any declarations of interest this morning.
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee Report, 'Report on operation of interim environmental protection measures 2022-23'
I'd like to thank the committee team and our Chair for their work. I would also like to say from the outset that I also thank our interim assessor. There is extensive criticism of the situation in our report, I know, but this is not a criticism of her or her…
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
We are aware of the challenges of past and present, so let's look towards a future of even greater co-operation, where peace will flourish and, in the words of my equally beloved Heaney, a time when our hopes and our histories may rhyme.
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
In closing this debate, Llywydd, I'd like to thank everyone who has taken part in this important chapter in the history of Wales-Ireland relations, and indeed in Wales's own history and its status as an international country.
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
The Prif Weinidog spoke about the sense of wonder we get at finding those artefacts, those stones. I'm going to do it one final time. Yeats said: 'The stone's in the midst of all'. Those things are important, and there really is a Yeats quotation for every…
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
I thank the First Minister. I will echo your thanks to Denise McQuade. The work that's going on is excellent, and it's so important.
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
BIPA does have a hugely important role. As you say, it's a child of the Good Friday agreement. The BIPA members of our Senedd play an active part, I know, and lead from Wales the conversations about language rights. That was something that really struck us as…
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
Thank you very much, Tom, for that. Heledd has a personal history with Ireland. No, we didn't have enough of you talking about that; we benefited from your closeness to Dublin. Heledd talked about the positive impact that Eluned Morgan had on international…
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
Tom set out at the start that, yes, we can look at this relationship between these two nations purely through economics, but as you said, Tom, that relationship runs so much deeper than that. Tom set out some of the common challenges, including post-Brexit…
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
Thank you very much, Llywydd, and I thank everyone for taking part in this debate, which has been an extremely good debate.
29 November 2023 , Plenary
Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee Report, 'Wales-Ireland relations: Exploring an old relationship in a new age'
But I look forward to hearing what other Members have to say in our debate this afternoon, and I hope that this will be the start of the process of deepening the relationship between our nations and our countries. Thank you very much.
