Jane Hutt: Thank you very much. Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. This is about our nation of sanctuary; how we work together, as we always have, to support those who are fleeing, as you say, the obscenity of war, the terror. I recall, right from the word go, Putin's aggression. We talked about Putin; we think also of the Russians who now are threatened and leaving Russia themselves. The human cost of...
Jane Hutt: I thank Huw Irranca-Davies very much for that suggestion, that proposal, but also just for your description of how these support groups—. And particularly in your community, you've told me about the Maesteg support group, but I think all across Wales, we have similar groups that are hosts and Ukrainians coming together. On Monday, I'm visiting a Ukraine centre in Cardiff, which was set up...
Jane Hutt: We would love to be able to have the same kind of support from the UK Government for the Ukraine family scheme, as they are providing for the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The UK Government has never given a penny towards the family scheme, as I'm sure, Mabon, you're aware. We've called for it. In fact, the former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in one of his last PMQs, actually said that he...
Jane Hutt: Thank you for that question. I've written to the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for levelling-up, with the Scottish Minister Neil Gray MSP, about Ukraine, and also to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about uprating welfare benefits, and I was pleased to receive a letter from Chloe Smith MP yesterday.
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Huw Irranca-Davies, for those two really important points in my portfolio for different Ministers in the UK Government. I met with the Scottish Government Minister Neil Gray earlier on today, and we now understand that there’s a new Minister for refugees in the department for levelling-up, so we’re writing to him today to again call for an increase in the £350...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much to Altaf Hussain. I’m obviously working very closely with the police and crime commissioners and chief constables in the Policing Partnership Board for Wales. Of course, policing is reserved; it’s not devolved yet—that’s what we want to see. And we’re working very closely on issues around community cohesion. I hope you will join me in looking at the issues that...
Jane Hutt: We will be spending £1.6 billion on targeted cost-of-living support and universal programmes to tackle poverty and to put money back in people's pockets. A new cost-of-living Cabinet committee, chaired by the First Minister, has been set up to focus Welsh Government efforts on supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis.
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Peredur. Of course, that report by the former equality and local government committee was an important report, with recommendations that we agreed to take forward. And I hope that you were able to see the report that was produced, which we commissioned—it's a review from the Wales Centre for Public Policy—to understand the best levers and means that we have to address...
Jane Hutt: Well, you know perfectly well that the key levers for tackling poverty are powers over the tax and welfare system, which sit with the UK Government. [Interruption.] Can I just remind the Member that child poverty fell year after year under the Labour Government—year after year under the Labour Government—thanks to Gordon Brown's intervention? Tax credits, interestingly, he said—. He...
Jane Hutt: Can I just say that tax credits, in terms of the UK Government responses, are crucial in terms of tackling poverty? Joe Biden's doing that now and actually making an impact in the States. Child poverty came down under a Labour Government; child poverty has risen under both the coalition and Tory Governments, and through direct and deliberate policies, including the ones that I've just...
Jane Hutt: Of course it was a Welsh Labour Government that, in its manifesto, and then delivered through the programme for government and delivered it within its first year, delivered the real living wage for our social care workforce. A real living wage. Also, I have to say, in addition to the living wage, funding has been made available to our social care workforce, as you know, and, indeed, not just...
Jane Hutt: I don't know whether you heard my responses to earlier questions, Mark Isherwood. I did say, and I'll just repeat, that child poverty fell year after year under the Labour Government and it has risen year after year during the last 12 years of coalition and Tory Governments, as a result of direct and deliberate policies. Did you hear Gordon Brown this morning when he said it's been proven...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood. Before I answer that question, I do want to say, in terms of the programmes that tackle child poverty, that the roll-out of our free school meals for primary school pupils—as part of our co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, working with local government—means that the commitment for every primary school pupil to receive a free school meal by 2024...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Sioned Williams. Of course, the First Minister did answer this question yesterday from your leader, and he did comment on the Scottish Government's Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill that is before the Scottish Parliament. Also, he recognised in his response to that that, in respect particularly of protecting social tenants in Wales, for example, over the...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Sioned Williams. These are crucial issues in terms of getting the money into people's pockets and into their accounts. You know that we're developing and working with organisations like the Bevan Foundation on a benefits charter for Wales, and also working with local government to get that passporting of benefits—that streamlining of benefits. Tomorrow, I'm meeting with...
Jane Hutt: Thank you for that question. The key levers for tackling child poverty—they are powers over the tax and welfare system—sit with the UK Government, and we will continue to do all we can with the powers that we have to tackle inequalities and improve outcomes for all children in Wales so they can fulfil their potential.
Jane Hutt: Thank you for those very important questions. The way we try to tackle poverty with our powers is about universal approaches, such as the free schools meals to all pupils, which will help many of those who are on that brink of being disadvantaged or finding it hard at this present financial time. Just to say, in Powys County Council, this actually now includes an additional 1,067 learners...
Jane Hutt: Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds. I think it is important that we see this now as all-Wales—rural, urban, and not just the most deprived, but all families experiencing poverty and disadvantage. It does go back to this huge question of where this £45 billion for tax cuts, which are going to benefit the most wealthy, is going to come from, because if it comes from public services or welfare...
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Paul, for the question. I've provided Third Sector Support Wales with a three-year funding agreement of £6.98 million per year. And in response to the cost-of-living crisis, today I can announce an additional £2.2 million to continue supporting infrastructure over the next three years to help protect the most vulnerable people in Wales.
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much. I welcome the fact that you focused on the equality and inclusion grant. We have consulted widely about this to make sure that we can reach those. Of course, there are many organisations that would like to benefit from the equality and inclusion programme, so I can assure you that this is now being taken forward and bidding arrangements and timelines will be made available.
