Hate Crime following Brexit

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister – in the Senedd at 2:53 pm on 16 January 2019.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 2:53, 16 January 2019

I thank the Member for that question, and I recognise the point that she made in relation to the spike in hate crime, which we've discussed in this Chamber before, and it's absolutely shocking that that should arise in the context of the debates that we are having now. I absolutely will give the assurance that she asks for that we'll send a very clear signal that there is no place for hate crime against any of our communities here in Wales. I know that she has an event coming up in the Senedd in a few days' time, I believe, from which I'm sure that signal will also be sent out. 

As part of the preparedness work in relation to Brexit, we have expanded the community cohesion programme and funded a EU citizens' rights project, which will work together with the third sector and local government to ensure that there are appropriate services, and also stepped-up engagement with our all-Wales black, Asian, minority ethnic engagement programme, through the equality and inclusion funding stream.  

She will also know, of course, of the hate crime inspection report that came out recently by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, which highlighted some particularly good practice here in Wales, in particular in the Gwent area.