Thank you, Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to respond to this debate today. Turning to the amendments first, if I may, we will be supporting amendment 1. The Welsh Government has already outlined its three-phase approach to evaluating the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, which will include assessments of eligibility of individuals requiring care and support. The approach being taken will provide information on whether the Act is achieving the aims the Welsh Government has set out, which place the individual at the centre and require local authorities to co-produce care plans with individuals to determine and achieve the specific care and support outcomes.

Llywydd, we will be opposing amendment 2, but I do recognise the sentiment of the Conservatives in this. The recently published national indicators for the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 set the framework for reporting on ‘The Wales We Want’. To introduce a new set of indicators for the strategic equality plan would be very likely to duplicate the work and would be a cause of duplication and confusion with specific departmental targets and indicators for the work that underpins the delivery of the equality objectives. So, while we recognise that, we don’t think that is necessary and we do believe this is already covered. Equality is built into our founding legislation and it influences everything we do, Llywydd. Our actions continue to be impact assessed for equality, and our policies and legislation are developed to meet the needs of people, with careful consideration placed on equality of opportunity.

If I can turn to the points raised by many Members and the contributions in today’s debate, and, first of all, the issue of Mark Isherwood. Mark Isherwood opened the debate and finished off by saying that warm words needed to be changed into action. Well, I agree with the Member, but he also has to recognise the indirect consequences of actions placed by others onto us here in Wales. I refer the Member to the UK Government in terms of benefit sanctions that are imposed on people across the UK, and, if the Member isn’t aware of that, I’d also ask the Member to perhaps have a look at the film ‘I, Daniel Blake’, which will be very vivid in terms of how that Member may then have a refreshed view.

Sian, thank you for your contribution. An interesting proposal regarding geographical strategy and how that may operate, and I’m sympathetic to the approach, but the simple facts are that two thirds of the population live in the south of Wales, and a million around the rest. We’d have to look very carefully about distribution on a needs basis, but I will take your point seriously and ask my team to have a look further on this. The well-being plans will be critical in the way that we move forward into equality moving forward.

Gareth Bennett mentioned his experience with some people recently. I think I share his point, actually—we’re not short of legislation on equality here in Wales or in the UK, but I think it’s about the way we interpret that and deliver. I think we can have all the legislation in the world, but if it doesn’t work at the front door then that’s the bit we need to concentrate on—making sure that public bodies, including Welsh Government, act upon what the legislation says.

Julie Morgan’s contribution, again, was on Gypsy/Travellers—a champion for this cause—and I’m grateful for her continued support around equality. The issue of ring-fenced funding and specific elements of that, whether that be Gypsy/Travellers or school uniforms, is one of controversy in local government, and has been for a number of years. But I will ask my colleague for local government and finance to have a conversation with him about specific issues around Gypsy/Traveller families and how they could be disadvantaged if finance, like the Member raised with me, does have the unintended consequences on the ability to deliver for this very vulnerable group.

Hannah Blythyn’s contribution was on the LGBT network, and, again, championing that. Thank you for her contribution. I know she continues to be very open about the fact that people are disadvantaged by the whole process, and her and her colleague, actually, who sits next to her, are very good companions to have in this field, which drives this project forward.

Janet—the equality of refugees. I just refer the Member to the point that I recall giving evidence to the committee about the two-tier system that the Member refers to. I don’t recognise that there’s a two-tier system, but what I do recognise is that the UK Government has many strands of refugee/asylum packages, and I have made representation to UK Ministers to say we need to streamline that so people are treated equally at the start of that process. I hope that the Member will be able to help me with that proposal.

Joyce is absolutely right, and the issue around hate crime is one that has concerned me for many years. I think the fact that it is considered a crime on the basis of being critique of the colour of a person’s skin or a person’s sexuality, but yet it isn’t an action around everyday sexism, whether that’s male or female generated, and I’ve asked my team to look into that very specifically, because I think they are under-reported crimes that happen on a daily basis, and it becomes the norm, which is not acceptable.

Dawn, thank you for your contribution in terms of the local government diversification budget. The issue for us has to be about how can we get democracy to reflect the make-up of our communities, and I know there are some great pieces of work that have gone on. I pay tribute to South Wales Police in the fact that they’re moving towards the ethnic minority groups to try and introduce them back into policing, because that reflects better the communities that they represent and it’s something that we can learn from.

I pick up the final points from Councillor McEvoy in his contribution. Some of those were just simply wrong. It concerns me that he made reference to the violence against women strategy, and made a very specific point about my commitment to the way I’ve not changed any legislation, or had an impact on the issue around violence against women. I beg to differ, but that is the Member’s opinion. I can say that two women will escape from domestic violence this week, because they will be dead. The fact is that two women a week die across England and Wales from domestic violence, and I will not stop—and I know Members in this Chamber will not stop either—until we have tackled those very issues that we have to around equality in relation to that. [Assembly Members: ‘Hear, hear’.] The Member is wrong, also, to suggest that there aren’t any projects for men, and particularly in Cardiff. We have the Dyn project, which the Member should be aware of. I remain committed to supporting all victims of domestic abuse, regardless of their gender or sexuality—