Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her contribution? I very much look forward to the work that you will do. I welcome what you will do as a committee to quite rightly scrutinise this legislation, but also to work with us as we develop it and move things forward, and I really very much welcome your contributions in terms of recognising the value that this legislation potentially brings, and...
Hannah Blythyn: I thank Mike Hedges for his contribution. I know this is something—. You demonstrated it then, but I know it's something you've raised time and time again, and, like myself and many others in this Chamber and beyond, feel very passionately about actually how we use all the levers we do have at our devolved disposal in Wales to make a difference when it comes to fair work. Of course, fair...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. Can I thank the Member for his contribution and the commitment from Plaid Cymru to actually work with us? This Bill proposes to harness the power of public procurement and the broader benefits it can bring, because the measures outlined in the Bill seek to leverage the power of the public purse to pursue, and deliver more importantly, outcomes that are beneficial, more broadly, to our...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I will try my best to address some of the more substantive contributions from the Member there, given this is a significant and landmark piece of legislation, and it should be treated with respect as such. However, I would say, once again, the Member does, at best, misunderstand the intent of the legislation, not least the content, but seeks to deliberately...
Hannah Blythyn: The Bill fulfills a key programme for government commitment to place social partnership on a statutory footing in Wales. It provides for a framework to enhance the well-being of the people of Wales, including by improving public services and through social partnership working, promoting fair work and carrying out socially responsible public procurement. The Bill establishes a social...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you, Llywydd. On behalf of the Welsh Government, it's a pleasure to present the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill today. In doing so, I'd like to thank all our social partners—employers in the public and private sectors, and the trade unions in Wales—for all of their contributions to the work of developing this important legislation.
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank Hefin David for your kind and supportive words, and also thank you for speaking out and speaking up to defend not just your constituents, but the trans community in Wales? And you're right, a lot of these things, particularly on social media, are designed to divide. And I think we do have a responsibility, however hard it might be, to actually call that out and to challenge, in...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you for your support.
Hannah Blythyn: I very much welcome and appreciate the position and the support taken by colleagues in Plaid Cymru on this really important issue and one that, as you said, creates real harm and horrors. That's why it's very important, alongside the action we're taken towards a ban on conversion therapy, that we raise awareness of the horrors and the harm that it does cause, at the same time as making sure...
Hannah Blythyn: Can I start by welcoming Altaf Hussain back? It's the first time that I have had the opportunity to welcome you back into this Chamber and to see you here, looking so well. I welcome your words of support and the recognition that no-one should be ashamed to be who they are and should be forced to change who they are. I very much regret the tone that you then took about accusing us of...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. Dirprwy Lywydd, I wanted to take the earliest opportunity to update Members following my written statement at the start of Easter recess in response the UK Government's shifting position on an LGBT conversion therapy ban. The UK Government has repeatedly made commitments to end the discredited practice of conversion therapy—in the Queen's Speech, by the Prime Minister, by UK...
Hannah Blythyn: I thank my colleague Jack Sargeant for his contribution and for the work he is doing around supporting and amplifying the voice of young workers, which is really important. Can I absolutely join with you in condemning the experience of that young woman worker and what she's faced in the workplace? But I think, unfortunately, all of us here will say that's probably not atypical; that's...
Hannah Blythyn: I thank Jenny Rathbone for her contribution and for raising and flagging the challenges that we do face in both a national and an international setting, because, obviously, the legal protections are not there and are definitely not strong enough to protect workers in workplaces right across the UK and beyond. In terms of what we can do, you're right to identify those areas where we can...
Hannah Blythyn: I thank Mike Hedges for his very passionate contribution, and I know this is an area that Mike has campaigned on and articulated in this Chamber for a number of years. The short answer to your question around whether I would condemn fire and rehire is 'yes'. We're absolutely committed to using all the levers we can to go as far as we can to make sure that, actually, that practice is not being...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch yn fawr, Peredur, for your question. If I touch on the last point first, and reiterate what I said to Joel James, our position as a Welsh Government is clear: we do not believe we should promote low wages as a reason for investing in Wales. I was disappointed by the approach that Cardiff capital region took in emphasising lower rates of graduate pay relative to some parts of the UK. I...
Hannah Blythyn: This Welsh Government's position is clear: we're very much committed to Wales being a nation of fair work and do not believe you should promote low wages as a reason for investing. And I do welcome the start of the Member's contribution, with his constructive suggestions around the work we're doing in the social care sector and the real living wage, but I note that, towards the end, he...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. A better deal for workers is central to a fairer, more equal and more prosperous Wales. Not only is this the right thing to do by workers, but it also benefits our workplaces, our economy and our country as a whole. We're working in partnership across Government and with our social partners to use every lever we have to promote and enable fair work, address labour...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, acting Presiding Officer. I very much welcome the opportunity to respond to today's debate on behalf of the Welsh Government in support of those who have served and those who continue to serve. As a Government, we are very much committed to building on our work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families in Wales. It would be remiss of me not to start today by talking...
Hannah Blythyn: Real living wage adoption across Wales is improving—the proportion of all employee jobs paid below the real living wage was 17.9 per cent in 2021, compared to 22.1 per cent in 2020. Our actions include funding Cynnal Cymru as the accreditation body and urging all public bodies to lead by example.
Hannah Blythyn: I received a full update on the current position with the Post Office network last week. I am aware of the recent Citizen Advice 'Gaps in the network' report that highlights an increase in temporary post office closures. I will be meeting with Post Office Ltd soon to discuss this matter.
