, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you very much. A really important question. It follows on from the question from Mark Isherwood in terms of the take-up of benefits and the take-up of those benefits that aren't devolved, like pension credit, and that is an area where the older people's…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, I'm very grateful again for the work that we've done together, as part of the co-operation agreement, to take us forward to the point where not only did we launch the Welsh benefits charter last week, and, in fact, in Torfaen, but my colleague the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
I think there clearly have been moves towards joining up a Welsh benefits system for many years, but they've tended to be fragmented and piecemeal, with no strategic lead. We are responding to this with the creation of a coherent Welsh benefits system. It…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, I can say that you'll hear much more about this on 20 February, and I think, Llywydd, you will want me not to say much more today, because that will be the oral statement. But can I just say that this Welsh benefits charter is very much based on not…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you very much. I'm really glad, Mark Isherwood, that you've drawn attention to our Welsh benefits charter, which I'm very proud that I launched last Monday. I launched it in Blaenavon resource centre. In fact, the designated Member, Siân Gwenllian, was…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you for raising that really important point about the needs of farmers in terms of digital inclusion in the agricultural industry, as you say, in terms of the profile. Just looking at the statistics, 93 per cent of adults in Wales are now using the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you for your question. Tackling digital exclusion is a social justice and equalities priority, and we are committed to ensuring citizens are digitally confident to make informed decisions on how they use and engage with digital means, and our latest…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you, Mark Isherwood, and I do agree with you—it's universally recognised that the Equality and Human Rights Commission is heavily underfunded and that it doesn't have the resources to fully enforce the protections offered by the Equality Act. But…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you for your question. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the UK-wide statutory body whose role it is to promote and enforce human rights and non-discrimination laws with a focus on the non-devolved Equality Act 2010. It works independently and…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Thank you very much. I think this needs to be fed back to the Holocaust Educational Trust, and, indeed, the community support worker who we funded to help reach out, and we'll do that. I'm very conscious of the fact that I got some indications of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Thank you very much, Jenny Rathbone. That’s an important contribution in itself, because you are talking about the impact culture can have on us in terms of that experience you had with 'Stumbling Stones', the contributions that were made at that concert, but…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch yn fawr, Samuel Kurtz. Thank you for the role that you played last Wednesday, and, indeed, again, I repeat and recognise the important contribution that was made, the testimony by Eva Clarke. Your visit to Auschwitz, as everybody has expressed the…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch yn fawr. Your statement stands on its own strength: the fragility of freedom; your experiences, as well, are on the record. They're important, and we respect them and your engagement. I just want to mention one point, as well as the curriculum and what…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Thank you. Diolch yn fawr, Delyth Jewell, for those very important comments. We're extremely concerned about reports of increases in hate crime targeting Jewish communities, and we do encourage members of those communities to report any hate incidents. They…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch yn fawr, Darren Millar. Thank you, again. I know that you were hoping to be at—. You helped organise the powerful event last Wednesday with the cross-party group and Jenny Rathbone. It was extraordinary hearing about the life story and circumstances of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch, Jack Sargeant. I have acknowledged that important event that took place at Father's House Sabbath Congregation in Flintshire. I think that the important point, not only in terms of your contribution and the guest speakers who attended, but the…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. And thank you, again, for your contribution to this statement, and also for just drawing attention to the courage of people who've stood up and not stayed silent, very much following on from the point of Mark Isherwood's about…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
So, I think the investment that we’ve made has been important. I’ve only mentioned some of the events that took place over the weekend, and some more to come in terms of our support for community events and the 'light the darkness' national moment. We’ve got…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch yn fawr and thank you very much, Mark Isherwood, for your contribution to this statement, and it is an important contribution. As you say, we have a duty to stand up against hate and persecution, and commemorating the Holocaust is important to ensure…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Holocaust Memorial Day
Diolch yn fawr, acting Presiding Officer. Saturday was Holocaust Memorial Day, and here at the Senedd we marked this day by illuminating our building in purple. In the darkness, this light reminded us of the millions of people who were persecuted and killed…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
I'll be coming on to that, I can assure you, just at the end of my response. I will be getting to that very quickly, Dirprwy Lywydd. But I do want to turn very briefly to the local government formula. There have always been calls for a fundamental review of…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Well, of course, Peter, from your long experience in local government, you said the right thing—these are earmarked reserves. You know how difficult it is to use earmarked reserves, but, actually, councils are using them, they are using them prudently, and…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I thank the Welsh Conservatives for tabling this debate today on local government, and thank Members across the Chamber for their contributions? I'd like to start by recording my thanks, once again, to local government, to…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Formally.
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: The Child Poverty Strategy for Wales
Diolch yn fawr, John Griffiths. Can I thank you for all that work you did way back, as Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee? I've still got the report you produced, which was calling for devolving the administration of benefits…
