Jane Hutt: We are mindful that events in Ukraine can have a direct impact on the number of Ukrainians who may arrive in Wales. Although we have seen a small number of individuals seeking to return to Wales after a period back in Ukraine, we are still not seeing a significant change at present. In December, I updated Members via a written statement about UK Government’s financial announcements in...
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Mark Isherwood, and I look forward as well to my visit on Friday to the Polish integration centre. Also, just in terms of links to the third sector and faith groups, I'm also very much looking forward to meeting Link International in north Wales during my visit later this week. Also, I will be holding a meeting next week with the third sector, which includes the faith...
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams, and thank you again for recognising the challenges that we face but also the responsibilities that we are taking as a nation of sanctuary, and as a supersponsor. This has been an important responsibility, and that's why, indeed, we provide that wraparound support, which is what was always a key objective of the supersponsor route, and we do provide that...
Jane Hutt: The Minister for Finance and Local Government and I met during the draft budget planning process to discuss ways of addressing the cost-of-living crisis and other inequalities through the draft budget. This included meetings as part of the Cabinet sub-committee on the cost of living.
Jane Hutt: This year, the Welsh Government has provided support worth £1.6 billion, through programmes that protect disadvantaged households and families experiencing hardship. This includes funding for the provision of free school meals, the school essentials grant, our fuel support scheme and our childcare offer.
Jane Hutt: When bailiffs collect debts, the amount owing increases and families face more stress. This is why early intervention from single advice fund services is important. During April to September 2022, SAF services helped people in mid and west Wales to write off debts totalling £697,000 and claim £3,463,636 additional income.
Jane Hutt: Thank you for the question. Warm hubs across Wales are now offering a range of support, depending on their location and their facilities. This includes a simple warm space with refreshments, to more substantive food, activities, free access to computers and Wi-Fi, and charging points for phones and tablets.
Jane Hutt: I will join you in congratulating faith communities who have played a part, as you say, across the board, all denominations. And indeed, on Monday, in our Cabinet cost-of-living sub-committee, we heard from the Muslim Council of Wales and, indeed, from the Church in Wales as well—Archbishop Andy John was talking about the food and shelter and fuel campaign that the churches have run. So,...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Vikki Howells. And again, the representation across all constituencies—yours in the Cynon Valley—of volunteers running these projects, instigating these projects, and I want to put on record again my sincere thanks to all of the volunteers who are responding, helping to support their communities. Also, just to confirm, this goes back to our £1 million warm hubs...
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Altaf Hussain. Thank you so much for making that strong statement this afternoon. I also watched the programme, as many did, I'm sure, across this Chamber. The details in those testimonies were absolutely devastating. I was just thinking again of the impact on those and the courage of the women who came forward—such courage to take after experiencing the harassment, the...
Jane Hutt: Thank you, again, for those very strong statements in support of our violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence strategy, which, as I said, is now tackling the root cause of the violence, misogyny and sexism that women are facing. This is a societal problem that needs societal responses. It requires all of us, including all with any power, to be challenged in terms of their...
Jane Hutt: I'm very sad that we have got to finish what were very powerful and strong questions with that very unfortunate tone. I'm very proud of the stance that we're taking. The fact is that we've got an LGBTQ+ plan actually being presented in this Chamber. I hope that will receive the support of the whole Chamber in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and the strong actions that we're taking. I call on you, the...
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr. That's a really important question in terms of the ways in which we have been seeking as a Welsh Government to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and, indeed, particularly the impact on fuel poverty. As I said in my response to questions and scrutiny in terms of the draft budget, unfortunately, we did not get the funding from the UK Government that would enable us to move...
Jane Hutt: I thank you for that question, and I would also like to recognise and congratulate Jack Sargeant. Jack Sargeant has called over the past few weeks consistently for a ban on the forced installation of prepayment meters, and it is also a ban that I have endorsed and also raised with UK Ministers. I have met with energy providers. As I just said, I met with them again on Monday, and the first...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Gareth Davies. We are working with the police and other partner organisations to promote community safety in Rhyl, Prestatyn and across Wales. Policing is a reserved matter, but we work closely with the police on strategic issues and provide significant funding for police community support officers to protect communities across Wales.
Jane Hutt: Well, Gareth, as I've said, we're committed to keeping communities in Wales as safe as possible, both in Rhyl and Prestatyn, and across the country. We have sought to do that through our programme for government. Even though it's not devolved, we, the Welsh Government, have maintained our funding for 500 police community support officers, and we're increasing their number in these very...
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Jenny Rathbone. As part of the disability rights taskforce, the Welsh Government has set up a working group to focus on access to services. This working group is integral to driving forward changes to improve access to all services in Wales.
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Jenny. Of course, it was really important to be there at the RNIB event—and I think many others joined us—and to speak to the director of the RNIB about these very points of evidence that you've given us. But, I thought what was most important about the event was the panel of people with sight loss who gave their lived experience of accessing healthcare information....
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Mark Isherwood. Thank you for that evidence on the implementation of the blue badge scheme, and the feedback that you've given. I certainly will be—. It's not my portfolio, but this is about taking forward access to services, and that includes all services' objectives. So, I will be taking that back to look at those issues.
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Luke Fletcher. Our financial support schemes have been designed to complement schemes delivered by the UK Government. Early engagement with the DWP and HMRC has enabled a proactive approach from local authorities, allowing them to utilise DWP data to reach as many people as possible.
