Jane Hutt: We continue to work in partnership with the NHS, the police and the third sector to provide access to sexual assault referral centres in Wales. This joint working ensures access to trained and experienced professionals for help and support, and to provide advice for victims of sexual assault.
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor, and thank you for putting that focus on our SARC programme. It is so important that we do have that access to sexual assault referral centres across the whole of Wales, and focusing particularly on rural Wales and north Wales, where you, obviously, are the representative. We do have robust collaborative working arrangements to ensure that there is that...
Jane Hutt: Well, I thank Joyce Watson for that question, and also in recognition of her diligent and long-standing commitment to addressing the needs of victims in terms of improving the sexual assault referral centres' provision. And also focusing particularly in terms of the need for justice for those victims and the importance, as I said in response to the first question from Mabon, of this...
Jane Hutt: The Welsh Government supports credit unions that provide an alternative community banking service. We also work with LINK, which runs a financial inclusion programme to protect access to free cash for all, but especially for those in more deprived communities where there is a greater reliance on cash.
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Russell George. It is always good and important to drive things forward when we get that cross-party support for a proposal. It has been clearly supported by the Welsh Government, taking on the pioneering work of Ken Skates, and I also would say Jack Sargeant as well, who raised many questions on this point. But, I have to say that it is across this Welsh Parliament that Banc...
Jane Hutt: I thank the Member. Rhun, thank you for raising that again, because this has been raised with me by many Senedd Members, that voluntary organisations are experiencing difficulties with regard to access to banking services. There are difficulties in terms of identifying an account that's free and suitable for the needs of a voluntary organisation, as well as even being able to open one in the...
Jane Hutt: I would say to Huw Irranca-Davies that I think we all join that expression of almost despair about the way that the commercial banks have left our communities. We will be making those representations. I think that we could all repeat examples of the same kind that you describe, and the fact that there is no commitment to the community. What about corporate social responsibility, which there's...
Jane Hutt: The discretionary assistance fund continues to provide vital support to the most financially vulnerable people in Wales. Since March 2020, over 300,000 emergency payments have been made, totalling more than £20 million. I recently announced that the additional flexibilities provided throughout the pandemic will be extended until March 2022.
Jane Hutt: Thank very much indeed, Buffy Williams, representing the Rhondda and the communities where you know the hardship that is already being experienced because of that cruel and senseless cut to universal credit. And let's remember, that £20 was going to be spent in the local economy as well as meeting the needs of those families. We discussed this this morning—I mentioned the Equality and...
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Altaf Hussain. In my response to the question from Buffy Williams I did say, and I think this is important to acknowledge, that since March 2020 last year, over 300,000 emergency payments have been made—300,000—totalling more than £20 million. But I did say, in response to questions this morning at the Equality and Social Justice Committee, that we are looking at accessibility...
Jane Hutt: Wales will receive £25 million consequential funding related to the household support fund, and I've been working with ministerial colleagues to identify priorities for this funding, which will provide immediate support to vulnerable households over the winter. This includes help with rising domestic fuel prices. I will announce further details shortly.
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Luke Fletcher, for that important question. I've said this more than once standing here, I think, over the last week or so since we heard we'd got a measly, derisory £25 million. Twenty-five million. You know, this is £20 off in terms of the universal credit, £6 billion that has been wiped out, and a measly £500 million for the whole of the UK—£25 million for Wales. And...
Jane Hutt: Improving the energy efficiency of lower income households through our Warm Homes Programme is helping to save on average £300 annually on energy bills. Additional support for families impacted by increased fuel costs and the removal of the Universal Credit uplift is being provided through our Discretionary Assistance Fund.
Jane Hutt: We are strengthening our Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy to tackle male violence and underlying attitudes of misogyny in order to make Wales the safest place in Europe to be a woman. Violence against women and girls is a societal problem which requires a societal response.
Jane Hutt: The Welsh Government provides core funding for the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and County Voluntary Councils to enable them to support local voluntary organisations and volunteering groups across Wales. £169,854 of this funding is provided to Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) to support their local third sector.
Jane Hutt: Our digital inclusion and health programme, working with organisations, has supported over 4,000 citizens from Carmarthenshire to gain the motivation and basic digital skills needed to use the internet effectively. Having basic digital skills, motivation and confidence can help people gain and retain employment, access health services and support well-being.
Jane Hutt: Llywydd, Wales is an outward-looking nation, and we will always strive to be globally responsible. Our Wales and Africa programme is an important demonstration of that.
Jane Hutt: This year, we are celebrating 15 years of the Wales and Africa programme, which continues to adapt to challenges and opportunities. It has a prominent place in our international strategy launched in 2020. In this statement, I will focus on two of the biggest challenges we are facing—COVID-19 and the climate emergency—and how the Wales and Africa programme is responding. The pandemic has...
Jane Hutt: Well, I thank the Member for his outline opening support for Wales and Africa and for the partnerships, which, of course, extend in every constituency, of which many Members here are very proud and which have received our all-important small grants funding. Of course, you raise important points about conversion, exchange and currency issues, issues that, of course, affect all work to support...
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Heledd Fychan. I'm very grateful for your support for my statement today. You started by raising the issue about access to vaccines. I will repeat again what I said in terms of vaccination rates in sub-Saharan Africa averaging only 6 per cent. And the point that we all make is that none of us is safe until all of us are safe, and we are global citizens and we have those...
