Hannah Blythyn: This Government is committed to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion across the Welsh public sector. We're using all levers at our disposal and are committed to taking a social partnership approach to encourage and influence employers to take action to ensure a more diverse workforce.
Hannah Blythyn: I thank the Member for her question. And I think the fact that you're here now—. And we've all talked before about how visibility in public life is really important too, in terms of actually setting an example and not wanting to be the only one but the first of many, and to actually encourage people to put themselves forward as well, and to have a more representative Senedd not just in...
Hannah Blythyn: There can be no place for hate and crimes of this nature in the Wales we all want to see. A statement issued last week set out the range of preventative work, support for victims, and awareness-raising that the Welsh Government is delivering. We work closely with partners through our hate and community tensions board, community cohesion programme, and the national hate crime report and...
Hannah Blythyn: Well, I thank the Member for this important question, and I share with her the concern about the increase in numbers of recorded hate crimes. And this undoubtedly includes additional crimes taking place, but also it reflects better awareness of hate crime and increased confidence to report it, and better recording of such hate by police forces across Wales. And we very much, as you say, do...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. The remembrance period offers an opportunity for us all to remember, reflect and recognise the contribution of those who have served and those who continue to serve. It's a time to pause and to collectively pay tribute to the all too many who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and to reaffirm our support for veterans and communities across our country. It's a privilege...
Hannah Blythyn: Reflecting on more recent conflicts, particularly with recent events in Afghanistan, I think it is right and appropriate that we take a moment today to recognise all those men and women who served in Afghanistan. And I would also like to place on record my thanks to all those who provided much-needed assistance—those people who bravely worked alongside our forces and are now in the process...
Hannah Blythyn: We will remember them.
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I genuinely thank all Members for their thoughtful and heartfelt contributions to the debate this afternoon? I think Alun Davies hit the nail on the head when he opened by saying it's been a somewhat fractious afternoon in some of the debates and discussions we've had. But, actually, the tone and the nature in which this debate has been approached is...
Hannah Blythyn: There were so many contributions from Members and I'll do my best to try and encapsulate and sum them up. Mark Isherwood talked about the role of those third sector voluntary organisations, and we absolutely recognise that, in Wales, we've been able to do what we have done and we'll be able to continue to build on that work because we work in partnership. I tried to note down all the...
Hannah Blythyn: Altaf Hussain talked about—. I absolutely support and echo the comments regarding the contribution of armed forces personnel from all faith backgrounds and all corners of the Commonwealth, and I know Jane Hutt attended a service in Cathays Park recently along with Race Council Wales and others to recognise the role that black and ethnic minority personnel have played in serving in...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. Llywydd. I move the motion today and will set out why I believe that the Senedd should support it. We’ve recently marked the remembrance period, as we do every year, to pay tribute those who’ve served in our armed forces, both past and present, and I know Members in this Chamber took part in a debate as well as attending services and events, as we always do, as I did in my own...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I thank the Chair of the committee for your contributions in the debate, and also the correspondence we've had on this matter? As I said in the opening remarks, much of your concerns and disappointment are shared by myself as well, and I certainly take the points that you made with regard to the level of detail provided subsequently, and that's certainly...
Hannah Blythyn: I am next due to meet with Royal Mail in early December to discuss the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on postal services in Wales. I will also be updated on the preparations to meet the increased demand at Christmas and plans for Royal Mail to become a zero-carbon business.
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank the Member for his question? He certainly raises a very disturbing phenomenon. We will have all known people that have perhaps contacted us in our constituency capacity to raise concerns not just on scams of this nature, but other scams, which is why we all actively in the Welsh Government support scam awareness campaigns. I'm actually due to meet Royal Mail in the next couple of...
Hannah Blythyn: Llywydd, I always take what we read in the newspapers with a strong pinch of salt, and it's not for me to comment on alleged practice like that. It's certainly something that we would raise both in social partnership with the employers and with the trade unions, but it wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment on that without knowing the detail of it.
Hannah Blythyn: Llywydd, I need to refer the Member to my earlier answer—that it's not appropriate for me to comment on individual matters without being appraised and fully informed of the detail of that. But I would take the opportunity, perhaps, just to remind the Member that although I lead responsibility within the Welsh Government for Post Office and Royal Mail matters, they are actually non-devolved.
Hannah Blythyn: We're using all of our influence to improve real living wage adoption, including leading by example ourselves as a real living wage employer, progressing our commitment to the real living wage in social care, and encouraging employers to actively explore the benefits of the real living wage.
Hannah Blythyn: I thank John Griffiths for his follow-up question, and you're absolutely right there that the living wage is important and it's key, but it should always be seen as a baseline rather than a benchmark, and those other things you listed around terms and conditions, security of employment and progression are incredibly important as well. Using the threat of dismissal—we've heard of fire and...
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank the Member for his question and his interest in this area? We know it's important to all of us, and actually paying the real living wage—. [Interruption.] That's the strangest heckle I've had in here to date. [Laughter.] Paying the real living wage, actually, isn't just about bringing benefits to the individual; it does bring benefits to those employers as well, because you're...
Hannah Blythyn: All public bodies are expected to meet their due-regard duties contained within the socioeconomic duty and the public sector equality duty. Monitoring of these is overseen by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which provides regular progress updates to Welsh Ministers.
