Well, indeed—a point well made. 

We must be resilient in the face of extremists. Together, we must continue to build a strong and diverse society, where people of every race, faith and colour are valued for their character and their actions. We all want to help create a peaceful and harmonious country, where our children and future generations can thrive. 

'Prosperity for All' sets out the Welsh Government's vision for Wales as a vibrant, welcoming and cohesive place to live and work—a country we can proud of, which is outward looking and where people of all backgrounds are respected and valued. This vision underpins our new 'Nation of Sanctuary—Refugee and Asylum Seeker Plan', which sets out cross-Government commitments to provide equality of opportunity, reduce discrimination and promote good relations for people seeking sanctuary in Wales. 

Every local authority in Wales showed leadership in response to the Syrian refugee crisis by agreeing to resettle families in their area. A United Nations delegation visited us following the first resettlements, and was very impressed with the welcome that had been provided by Welsh communities. Individuals in Welsh communities have led the way in coming together and forming community sponsorship organisations, who have themselves been able to welcome refugee families with minimal Government support. A fantastic example of wanting to contribute to the communities that have embraced them was the election of a Syrian refugee to the Youth Parliament last week from my own constituency. I'm very proud of that, Deputy Presiding Officer. This shows that leadership and a commitment to equality can arise anywhere, but the experiences of those who migrate to Wales remain very mixed, even when they have been here for many years or decades. 

Earlier this year, the Windrush scandal exposed tragic examples of individuals being forgotten as policies are developed. Thousands of British subjects and citizens have faced insecure immigration status, despite previous assurances that they are part of Britain. Some were deported and others have been denied healthcare, lost their jobs or been unable to return to Britain. The full extent of the scandal is still being explored, but the public outrage, including from Wales, demonstrated the public's commitment to fairness. I would like to hope that such a policy would never be developed in Wales, but we must be vigilant and redouble our efforts to put people at the centre of our policy making.

This is especially important with the uncertainty affecting our society as a result of Brexit. No-one feels this more than the 80,000 EU citizens who live in Wales, and the smaller number of Welsh citizens currently living in the EU. We have a responsibility to these members of our community. We need to use every tool at our disposal in the coming months to ensure these individuals are reassured that we value their contribution to our economy and our community, supported to apply for settled status and do not experience additional barriers in the future. 

Last month saw the anniversary of the passage of the Human Rights Act 1998. To mark this, the Counsel General was asked to deliver the Eileen Illtyd memorial lecture on human rights 2018, 'A Human Rights Act for Wales?' In his lecture, which I was privileged to attend, the Counsel General said that

'a piecemeal approach to human rights protection may well not capture the same benefits that a dynamic and comprehensive approach could bring.'

I want to reiterate that we are acutely aware of these questions, and are committed to looking at ways of strengthening rights and protections in Wales. 

Members will also recollect our recent debate on the option to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Welsh law. Since then, I've been reflecting on these issues, taking into account calls from a variety of stakeholders for the Welsh Government to take action to safeguard equality and human rights in the context of Brexit, and do more to embed international treaties in Welsh law. In my recent discussions with, among others, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, I've been clear that it is not a matter of whether we will do something, but what action will be most effective. 

In consequence, I've asked officials to consider the potential impact of a range of actions, including new legislation enacting the socioeconomic duty in the Equality Act 2010, and strengthened regulation. A crucial question is how any such action would relate to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This work will be linked to phase 2 of the gender equality review. To move it forward, we will be convening a seminar early in the new year to engage with key stakeholders and scope the work that will be needed in more detail.

In the face of unprecedented change, we must, and will, be proactive, ambitious, forward thinking and continue to do whatever is within our powers to ensure that Wales remains a modern, inclusive place to live and work. Our clear goal, Deputy Presiding Officer, is to strengthen and build on these rights for the future. Diolch.