Today, the Welsh Government is publishing the ‘Nation of Sanctuary—Refugee and Asylum Seeker Plan'. The plan captures a range of actions to improve the lives of people seeking sanctuary in Wales, and these actions span across Welsh Government and beyond. They reflect the joined-up approach needed to improve and enhance the experience of refugees and asylum seekers in Wales.

The plan represents a significant step towards our ambition of making Wales a nation of sanctuary. The name we've given this plan is a clear statement of our intent. Wales has a long and proud history of welcoming refugees, but we want to move beyond welcoming individuals, by harnessing their skills and enriching our communities.

Our previous refugee and asylum seeker delivery plan was published in March 2016. Since then, the humanitarian concern prompted by the Syrian refugee crisis led to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee undertaking an inquiry in this area. They recommended that Welsh Government revise its plan to better suit the needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Wales. As a Welsh Government, we also wanted to show stronger leadership and direction in this area, and we agreed to develop and consult on a revised version of the plan.

The nation of sanctuary plan has been developed through co-production. We met and listened to people seeking sanctuary and engaged with the organisations that represent them, both before and during the consultation. Their participation and views were crucial in the creation of the revised plan and I'd like to thank all of them for dedicating their time and to supporting this process. This engagement helped us to better understand the current challenges that these individuals face on a daily basis, which is crucial if we are to provide effective support to address these problems. I would also like to thank the members of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee for their excellent report, 'I used to be someone', and its recommendations, which created a strong basis for our discussions with those seeking sanctuary.