9. What action is the Welsh Government taking to promote equality for older women in the Cynon Valley? OAQ(5)0652(FM)

We are strongly committed both to supporting older people and to promoting equality between genders. That is reflected, of course, in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the strategy for older people, which supports action to address issues facing both women and men in later life.

Thank you, First Minister. I know you have written previously to the then Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, calling for a review of the miners’ pension scheme. I recently met with campaigners from the UK miners pension scheme association, who highlighted to me how the current workings of the scheme badly affect miners’ widows, in particular, with some, for example, receiving just £10 a week. Would you write to the UK Government again, highlighting the way that reform of the scheme could not only benefit miners, but also promote economic equality for miners’ widows in my constituency of Cynon Valley and elsewhere in Wales?

I met with representatives from the south Wales National Union of Mineworkers a few weeks ago, and they outlined, again, strongly, the case for a review. We will be writing to the newly elected UK Government, requesting it to consider a review of the scheme. As a Government, we have indicated our support for a review of the current arrangements for the surpluses of the mineworkers pension scheme, as Members will know—that’s already been said in Plenary. I wrote to the trade unions this February to reiterate our support for a review.

First Minister, many older women have a problem with mobility—they are quite frail—and we need to shape certain public policies with that mind. For instance, with transport, the improvement in bus services, free bus travel, et cetera, is a help, but really we need to focus on things like community transport schemes as well, which allow people who would otherwise be excluded from at least easy transportation the right to access a whole range of services.

That’s correct, and that’s why we work with local authorities and with bus and train operators to make sure that services are accessible. For example, as part of the work for the south Wales metro, accessibility of trains and stations will be an important part of the development of that project.