, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
I have to say, Dirprwy Lywydd—you can hear the reactions in the Siambr here—that I'm really proud of the work we've been able to do, within the Siambr, in Wales, in our Senedd, by working together to create a better Wales for all of our LGBTQ+ community. And…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Can I thank Hefin David for not just his interest in this matter, but actually his absolute commitment to this, and the support that he's provided for Sean and for his mother, Sarah, as well? It was a privilege to have the opportunity to meet both of them…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Since publishing our LGBTQ+ action plan, we are working with partners to implement actions in the plan. Alongside this, we have published an LGBTQ+ action plan tracker, so that everyone can monitor progress. The tracker also provides information on services…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
Diolch. I thank Hefin David, actually, for not just the work you do as chair of the Unison group, but actually in terms of the work you've done with Sean in supporting him. And I agree with you that Sean is an absolute inspiration, and I'm really pleased we…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
Diolch, Sioned Williams for that impassioned contribution. I don't know whether you've worn the green because you were talking about Ireland and Dublin. I haven't read the article that you refer to, but I certainly will go and look it up. In terms of the line…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
Can I thank Altaf Hussain for that considered contribution to this statement today here in the Senedd? I want to start by thanking you for what you said with regard to the repeal of section 28 and that it should never have happened. It's not always easy, as…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
Working with Plaid Cymru as part of the co-operation agreement, we have also taken steps towards our commitment to see an end to conversion practices. We are expanding support services for survivors of conversion practices across Wales and a working group of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
In addition, Welsh Government supported Mas ar y Maes at the Eisteddfod in August last year, where I joined the designated Member to launch Camp Cymru and, as a committed learner, I delivered my first speech entirely in Welsh.
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
We’re here today talking openly about LGBTQ+ rights because of all the people who came before us and the pioneers who have paved the way as part of our all-too-recent history. Just a few months ago, we marked the twentieth anniversary of the repeal of section…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: LGBTQ+ History Month
LGBTQ+ History Month offers us an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and celebrate the lives of LGBTQ+ people.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Thank you very much. Diolch, pawb.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
So, I think at this point, I think—. As I said to you, I very much welcome the work the committee's doing, and that of Audit Wales in terms of the governance, but also looking at the function as well as form, and then the funding of fire and rescue…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Yes. On the first point in terms of—. Jane Dodds makes a really salient point around the three fire and rescue services in Wales and mid and west doing certain things and what's happening elsewhere. And this is the work that we've been trying to do to get…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Of course, you do have instances of the shared control rooms, and also the co-location of stations. Thank you, Chair.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
On the point around a broad emergency service in terms of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and fire and rescue services, to my knowledge, there hasn't been consideration of that as a whole-scale change, if, Chair, you're talking about things like…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
I think I might ask the chief fire adviser to come in on that one.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
We haven't ruled out an independent review of other fire and rescue authorities or other services in Wales. I think it goes back to the balance between actually making sure that we do have that assurance, and I absolutely recognise that we need to have that…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
I would absolutely think that there is a strong case for change. The position that we're in now—and I don't think it's just because of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service—and where, perhaps, local authority partners are now, and the WLGA, there is a moment…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
As I said, we know that the impetus, shall we say, for why we're having this conversation today is what has happened with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the intervention that was made there in response to those serious and systemic management…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Thank you, Altaf. As we've previously discussed here today, and in the Senedd Chamber, sadly, many of the abhorrent incidents and behaviours that were shone a light on in the south Wales fire and rescue culture review are reflective of behaviours elsewhere…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Diolch. Altaf. As we said, the commissioners have an arduous and complicated job ahead of them but one that is incredibly important as well. One of the things I said previously is that they would remain in post for as long as necessary, and until all the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Diolch, Altaf. I think we touched on it briefly previously. I said in my statement on 6 February that, whilst there were particular serious and systemic problems in terms of mismanagement and misconduct in South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, which is why the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Diolch, Jane. I'll ask Liz to pick up on that one, if that's okay.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
That's being advertised as we speak.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
—somebody to come in to look at that more and focus on the transformation and the cultural change that is really needed, not just to actually be able to tick off against the recommendations of you, but make sure that is embedded and sustained for the future…
