6. Statement by the Leader of the House: The Centenary of Women's Suffrage

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:55 pm on 6 February 2018.

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Photo of Ann Jones Ann Jones Labour 5:55, 6 February 2018

I realise now that I'm probably speaker No. 3 from the back benches, so I shall practice what I preach to you all and be very brief in just asking you a question.

Can I welcome the statement, leader of the house, and also today recognise that it was the brave women in 1908 who set the second suffragette branch up in Rhyl, who went forward and helped those women on their way? As many have noted, it's a partial franchise for women today, and we move on and we will all celebrate.

There are a number of things that you've mentioned, and there are a number of things that the Assembly are doing. Particularly the one I wanted to mention is the women's suffrage in Wales exhibition, which starts on 5 March and runs through to 18 March. It takes in International Women's Day, which this year the Assembly have dedicated over to the women's suffrage movement. I just wanted to say to you, or ask you, and ask the Government—part of the work stream that I'm concentrating on is women in public life, and a lot of what you've mentioned are things that I will be involved in, but can the Welsh Government and the Assembly Commission work very closely together so that we don't duplicate events, that we get the maximum window dressing, as I've heard it being said today—I don't care how many windows we dress in purple, white and green because I think that's what we need to celebrate—and that we move forward together, as an Assembly Commission, as a Welsh Government, as the people of Wales, the representation of Wales, to celebrate the work of women? I just wonder whether you will agree that that is the best way forward.