, 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 one of the things that was first brought to my attention in this role would've been the 2018 White Paper. Shall I touch on that? Would that be appropriate?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Can I start, Chair, by welcoming the work of the committee on this? I think it's really important and, hopefully, it should be really valuable in informing how we move forward in terms of the governance of fire and rescue authorities and 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, sure. I'll ask Liz to go first.
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Can I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that very fitting final contribution for today's statement? Absolutely, dwi'n cytuno. I agree with everything he said—that actually, yes, trade unions are important to support workers here in Wales, but it's absolutely…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Thank you so much for that passionate and committed contribution. Sarah, I know how committed a trade unionist you are as well. And I absolutely agree with you that we need to work together with trade union movements, with trade union colleagues, to actually…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Diolch Mabon ap Gwynfor for that contribution and for recognising the role that collective bargaining plays within workplaces. Clearly, we want to get to a point in Wales where levels of collective bargaining are higher again. Actually, one of the things I…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
I thank my colleague and constituency neighbour Jack Sargeant for his contribution. I absolutely agree that the rights that we perhaps sometimes take for granted today were not only long called for but hard fought for as well over decades and decades. And…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Thanks, Luke Fletcher, for your contribution and for making the good point about how we actually spread that kind of union protection and support in those workplaces that probably have been traditionally harder to reach by their very nature or perhaps how…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Can I thank Sam Kurtz for his contribution? It was bizarre to bump into you in another Parliament just yesterday as well. But on the point you make, I think my colleagues who are candidates for a certain position did meet with a delegation who were there at…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Diolch, Rhianon Passmore, for your contribution and recognising the role HeartUnions Week has in terms of promoting what trade unions do, not just in the workplace, but in Wales as well. I always like to say that a trade union is not just for HeartUnions…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
I'll address the final points that you made in your contribution first, before coming to the broader points you made. I'm obviously aware of the position of the FBU and the motion that they passed. Obviously, the appointment was made by the four…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Diolch, Llywydd. Don't worry, I'll be much more concise in my response. So, Joel James asked me can I see—[Interruption.] I don't think you'll need to, don't worry. Joel James asked me if I can see the benefit of the Conservative Government's anti-trade union…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Welsh Government support for the trade union movement is driven by our firm belief that trade unions are fundamental to fair work. The trade union movement has shaped who I am, and I'm proud to be part of a Government that values the contributions the labour…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: HeartUnions Week
Thank you. Last week, trade unions across Wales and the UK celebrated HeartUnions Week, an annual event that showcases the vital work of trade unions.
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
So, normally, obviously, we would expect fire service management to manage their staff fairly and well, as it should be, and we would expect fire authority members to show leadership and hold management to account, and where that doesn't happen there is a…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
Thank you, Joyce Watson. You touch on—. I think you reflected, as others have reflected in the Siambr not just today, but in January and prior to that, that what we've seen as—. There have been a number of instances over the past couple of years alone where…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
I thank Vikki Howells for those important questions. I'll touch on one firstly, in terms of the time frame. We've said that the commissioners will be in place until we can see and measure that sustainable change, and the review and the report itself sets out…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
Thank you, Jenny Rathbone, for the points that you highlighted there, and I think it links to the previous point by Sioned Williams in terms of where we are in terms of what the lessons may be for the future governance more broadly of fire and rescue…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
Diolch, Sioned, for your contribution and the work that you are doing in this area as well. I think, to touch on the challenges and issues of governance and accountability, which I think this review and the consequence of the actions that have been taken have…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
Joel James, towards the end of your contribution there, you said that, in my previous statement in January, I said that nothing was off the table in terms of the action that Welsh Government may take, and, to be clear, today I'm taking decisive action to the…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
In my oral statement the following week, I explained the seriousness of these findings. It's not just that some members of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service staff behaved appallingly, it is that the organisation failed to deter, detect or deal with that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values—Next steps
On 3 January, Fenella Morris KC published a damning report on the culture and values of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. It exposed discriminatory and abusive behaviour at all levels, and a serious failure of leadership and management.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
You referenced the Betsi Cadwaladr pilots—that's the targeted smoking cessation support offered to pregnant people in Wales. They've implemented the 'Help me quit for baby' service model, which I understand offers specialist, bespoke and flexible support for…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you very much for your supplementary question. I agree that it's important to help people to cease smoking.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
We know that people living in our least well-off communities are more likely to smoke than those living in the most affluent areas. The impact of tobacco use, particularly during pregnancy, is a key component of the deep-rooted health inequalities that the…
