1. Will the First Minister make a statement on how Wales has gained from being an ethnically diverse country? (OAQ51135)

Yes. Throughout our history, black, Asian and minority ethnic people have brought skills and entrepreneurship to Wales. And, as we celebrate Black History Month, the theme, ‘Our stars, our future, our history’, supports our ambitions within ‘Prosperity for All’, because we know that a prosperous Wales needs diverse, creative, highly skilled and adaptable people.

I thank you, First Minister, for that answer. Last week, I was delighted to attend and speak at the launch of the tenth Welsh Black History Month. Events, which are held throughout October, help us to reflect on the rich heritage of Wales and the diverse make-up of its people and their contribution to shaping Wales. And it gives us an opportunity as a parliamentary body to reach out to black and minority ethnic people and to encourage them to become engaged with us and the work that we do. As you know, First Minister, our next Assembly apprenticeship scheme will be launched next year. Could I ask you, therefore, what steps the Welsh Government are taking to promote applications from black and ethnic communities?

Well, we’re providing £360,000 in the course of 2017-20 for the all-Wales black, Asian and minority ethnic engagement programme, providing information, of course, to the Welsh Government on key issues and challenges, and that will help us, of course, to ensure that we’re able to recruit in a way that fully reflects the population and make-up of Wales.

Three weeks ago, I attended a meeting in Wrexham with the Polish ambassador from London, the consul general from Manchester, a council representative, various agencies in attendance, and, of course, representatives of the Polish and Portuguese communities, talking about how we could develop a contact centre. In this case, the Polish consul talked about the Polish community business clubs possibly being able to raise the funding to access this. But we need somebody to facilitate a way forward, to tackle the barriers that people in these communities are continuing to face, and also, in consequence, to reduce pressure on statutory services. How could the Welsh Government help facilitate progress in this area?

Well, we look to work, of course, through our engagement with the different communities, through the various fora that we have, and also, of course, the work with the Polish ambassador and Polish diplomatic representatives in the UK. We’re more than happy to work with the ambassador in order to identify where such groups exist in Wales and how we can best engage with them. I’ll write to the Member. If I write to the Polish ambassador, perhaps if I could enclose as part of the letter the words that he’s used in this Chamber, and then of course we can see how we can best work together in order to achieve the outcome that he’s described.

First Minister, on Friday I was with the ethnic youth support team in Swansea, and they were saying that they would like to have much more support going into schools and education venues in regard to trying to get communities to work together. And so, in one school, they had a white girl wearing a hijab, and she walked down the street, and then she came back and said how different she felt she’d been treated because she was just wearing one piece of headwear that was different to how she would usually dress. And I think these types of things would help children who’ve never been introduced to other communities, or other ethnicities, in their lives to try and understand how it is to live in those everyday experiences. So, I was wondering whether you were able to speak to them—I know they work closely with the Welsh Government—in providing them with additional resource to go and do this in other schools across Wales, to make sure that, when we start at a young age, those potential problems may be alleviated by starting as early as we possibly can?

Well, can I suggest that the organisation involved goes through the usual route—talks to the Minister’s officials—and then, of course, we can consider what resources might be made available in the future?