Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. Can I thank Hefin David for his contribution there? Just to clarify, as I read the statement I thought, actually, it's not overly clear. All three fire and rescue services, to put it on the record, have responded as they were asked to do to the chief fire and rescue adviser's report on training, but only north Wales has actually set it out in responding to each recommendation with a...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I would like to start by thanking the Senedd committees, Members and staff for their scrutiny of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill so far.
Hannah Blythyn: Much hard work goes into the Senedd's scrutiny role, almost all of it behind the scenes, especially in relation to legislation. This is my first Bill as responsible Minister, and I wish to put on record my thanks to the committees for their careful Stage 1 consideration and considered recommendations. I'd like to start by addressing the Equality and Social Justice Committee recommendations...
Hannah Blythyn: I am, however, happy to accept recommendation 4. We accept in principle recommendation 7 and accept 8. Regarding the membership of the council, I share the committee's view that membership should be broad and representative. Work has already started with social partners to ensure that the nomination process of the social partnership council reflects this, and I will update the committee on...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Llywydd. I felt under pressure in the time remaining for me to respond anyway, given what Jenny Rathbone said that it was whistle-stop tour when I tried to cover off as many of the responses to amendments as possible. I was very keen, probably much to the malign of my officials, to do a lot of work to provide as much of the rationale behind the Government's position at this stage as I...
Hannah Blythyn: I'm getting there, don't worry. Thank you very much for that, Peredur. That commitment there is to work on those shared ambitions we have, to actually make that impact on—. Like you said, I never thought I'd get so excited talking about public procurement, but it is one of the levers that has that huge potential to make a real difference in communities across Wales. Very quickly, because I...
Hannah Blythyn: As a Government, we stand with our LGBTQ+ communities. That's why LGBTQ+ rights are embedded in our programme for government, and why we are developing our bold LGBTQ+ action plan. After reviewing more than 1,300 consultation responses, we aim to publish the revised action plan in February 2023.
Hannah Blythyn: I thank Sarah Murphy for raising this, and also for your support for the LGBTQ+ action plan. As you said, it's an incredibly important piece of work that we're doing and, obviously, it's not just about having that plan, it's the difference it actually makes in practice. And can I also pass on my thanks and recognition to Ollie for speaking so candidly about this and sharing the experiences of...
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank the Member for his contribution there? The point he refers to is one of the points that we consulted on as part of the draft action plan, and I don't think I'm jumping the gun by confirming that it will be there and expanded on in the action plan itself when it's published early next year. You raise a really valid point in terms of actually things that you can do to tackle that...
Hannah Blythyn: Post Office and Royal Mail matters are not devolved, although I am of course interested in any issues that affect Wales and Welsh communities. My officials stay in regular contact with both organisations. I last met with Post Office in October and with Royal Mail in July.
Hannah Blythyn: I think this is a matter that the Member follows quite closely, and has been in touch via correspondence previously. And, I know that it's something that impacts on all of our communities, particularly the more rural communities in Wales that are dependent on the universal service obligation. I think the first thing to say in terms of the Post Office and the Royal Mail is that they're...
Hannah Blythyn: These allegations reveal appalling and completely unacceptable behaviour that has no place in the fire and rescue service, nor anywhere else. South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority has already announced a review of its own processes and culture. This needs to be truly independent, robust, and comprehensive.
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank Joel James for raising this today? It's right that we have an opportunity to address this on the floor of this Senedd, and I absolutely agree with him that the allegations that were brought to light in the ITV news report were absolutely abhorrent, but you're right that it shouldn't take a news report for action to be taken on these issues as well. You talked about the bravery of...
Hannah Blythyn: I absolutely share—well, actually, to say that I share Joyce Watson's disappointment is probably an understatement. The Member raises some really salient points about what I and Jane Hutt and you can do moving forward now, and I'm more than happy to take that up with regard to the debate and actually how we bring people together. You talked about the White Ribbon campaign and your...
Hannah Blythyn: I agree with Sioned Williams.
Hannah Blythyn: And with the points you raise in terms of—I don't think we can downplay just how shocking this is, but alas, for many of us here, sadly, it's not surprising because we know this sort of behaviour is endemic, not just in workplaces but across society. We've talked before, when we've talked about everyday sexism, misogyny, that it's not all men, but you can probably guarantee that just about...
Hannah Blythyn: Whilst Royal Mail remains a reserved matter, I have regular contact with both the Communications Workers Union and Royal Mail, given the significance of the service to both workers and communities across Wales. I last met with the CWU and Royal Mail, separately, on 11 and 16 January.
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank Carolyn Thomas for her question? I know this is an area that the Member's very committed to and passionate about, not least because of her own background as well. And it is good to have people here with lived experience, especially when something is in the headlines in the way she describes it in her question. I absolutely agree with Carolyn Thomas. We completely oppose the UK...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. Can I thank Mike Hedges for helping answer my question there in advance? I will say at the outset that I welcome Joel James putting on the record that he recognises that it's a person's right to take industrial action, and the decision to take industrial action is one that is never taken lightly by any worker or trade union. Here, we support the right of all workers to take industrial...
Hannah Blythyn: The fire and rescue authorities determine almost all of their funding themselves through levying contributions on their constituent local authorities. The fire and rescue authorities in Wales do not receive core funding from the Welsh Government.
