Jane Hutt: I certainly would want to join the Member in congratulating Network Rail and for developing such an innovative rail safety awareness and education programme, which engages young people and is crucial in terms of rail safety, and also gives them the opportunity to take responsibility in terms of their own safety and their peers' and their communities' safety.
Jane Hutt: I'd like to thank Jayne Bryant for that question. I'm very grateful that she shared the video, Anti Social Bob, produced by Newport youth offending service, and it's a video that was developed with young people at its heart. It does actually show the real cost of anti-social behaviour, not just to the young person but the wider impacts on family, friends and communities. We know that using...
Jane Hutt: The Welsh Government is committed to making our communities safer. We work closely with our four police forces, the UK Government and a raft of other agencies to drive down anti-social behaviour, reduce crime and, importantly, the fear of crime.
Jane Hutt: I think what is important in terms of the Act is that it provides us with opportunities to use the Act to inform policy, and it's very important that 'Planning Policy Wales' and the developments and the review are being informed by the well-being of future generations Act. But we can look at a whole range of issues in terms of the seven goals—a prosperous Wales, a healthier Wales—in ways...
Jane Hutt: Our focus is on strengthening the implementation of the Act and supporting our partners to realise the benefits of contributing to the seven well-being goals, and working in a collaborative, integrated and preventative way that looks to the long term and involves people in all their diversity.
Jane Hutt: Data is crucially important, in terms of the way that we measure our outcomes and seek to deliver on our objectives. Just in terms of some data, in terms of public appointments, for example, we are collating and verifying diversity appointments data for 2018-19, but we know from 2017-18 that 6.9 per cent of all ministerial appointments and re-appointments were declared to be from BAME groups,...
Jane Hutt: I thank Suzy Davies for those questions. In fact, I also welcome the fact that Neath Port Talbot council has achieved the Chwarae Teg fair employment award, and, of course, part of that is about tackling the gender pay gap. In terms of the opportunities that we have to focus, particularly I would say this week, on making sure that we have a diversity in our ministerial public appointments, we...
Jane Hutt: As I set out in my oral statement last week, equality is a central priority for the Welsh Government. This is reflected, for example, in our gender equality review, the 'Nation of Sanctuary' plan and our framework for action on disability.
Jane Hutt: Well, I thank Darren Millar for that recognition that—. In fact, we have debated this, probably with you, in the Chamber in terms of supporting the extension of no-cold-caller zones. I'll certainly go back and look at that and report back to you, not just as an ambassador, but in response to this debate. When I was saying that not all scams are conducted on the doorstep, we know that...
Jane Hutt: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This is an important subject, and very timely, with this year's Scam Awareness campaign starting this week. I know many Members will have been contacted by people, as Caroline Jones has and has reported—often older and vulnerable people who have been victims of scams. As you're aware, policy on stopping scams isn't devolved. Similarly, fraud of any kind is a crime...
Jane Hutt: I think, Suzy Davies, you raise a key point. In terms of delivering on strengthening equality and human rights, it has to be a cross-Government responsibility. I think it's very relevant if we look at the Fair Work Commission's report, in terms of understanding how we can address this. I mentioned in my statement that, actually, in terms of commencing the socioeconomic duty—which I believe...
Jane Hutt: I thank the Member for her questions. Of course, there have been calls over recent years for us to undertake our own legislative action to strengthen and advance equality and human rights, particularly in the context of the UK's exit from the EU. We have to ensure that we do take the right actions in terms of the strengthening of those rights, including issues that might arise in light of...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, John Griffiths, and can I thank your committee for being such an important force—a force of scrutiny and also of inquiry and providing evidence in terms of the way we should be addressing these issues in terms of equality and human rights? I was a member of the external affairs committee where we worked together on that letter to the First Minister and had that...
Jane Hutt: I'd like to thank Leanne Wood for raising a very important dimension. I think it's a dimension in terms of understanding and strengthening equality and human rights that we obviously now need to look at across Government, not just in terms of my portfolio. Interestingly, this did come up last week when Jeremy Miles and I went to the civic forum to talk to disabled people about the impact of...
Jane Hutt: I think you cover a great deal of ground in your questions. I think it is very important that we do look at the issue of human rights, particularly in relation to the opportunities that we have to build on the founding legislation of the Welsh Government. You will be aware, of course, that we are looking at a holistic approach to human rights in Wales, because we want to fully support the...
Jane Hutt: Thank you very much, Mark Isherwood, and you did tell me this morning that you were attending an event at Cardiff University, and I'm sure that, indeed, the statement made by the First Minister and me would have been welcome because, of course, we also welcome the fact that the North Wales Association for Multicultural Integration network is an important partner in terms of taking forward...
Jane Hutt: To demonstrate and reaffirm our commitment to these principles, we're taking forward work to explore options to safeguard equality and human rights in Wales. This will begin with commencing the socioeconomic duty in Wales, as well as working with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to review and strengthen the Welsh regulations for the public sector equality duty. We're also...
Jane Hutt: I welcome today’s opportunity to update Members on the work that the Welsh Government is undertaking to advance and strengthen equality and human rights in Wales. In the First Minister’s office I have the responsibility and scope to make a step change in our goals to create a fairer, more equal Wales. We continue to live in difficult and uncertain times, where austerity is falling...
Jane Hutt: Well, Mohammed Asghar, I think Darren Millar has said that you will consider this definition in your—Welsh Conservatives will consider it, which I'm grateful for. We're considering—the Welsh Government is considering—it, with the Scottish Government. So, this consideration obviously will take into account points that have been made in terms of operational issues. But I would hope that...
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Jenny Rathbone, and our First Minister this morning spoke of the Iftar outside City Hall, which he attended on Sunday night. He spoke of the importance of Ramadan this week and of the contribution made by the Muslim community. This is a time when we're marking 20 years of devolution. On Monday night, some of us were at a lecture given by Aled Edwards, who is a pioneering—and I...
