2. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on Welsh Government efforts to promote equality in South Wales East? OAQ54283

The Welsh Government is committed to creating a society where diversity is valued and respected, where people do not face discrimination and prejudice, and a society where everyone can participate, flourish, and have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, across the whole of Wales.

Thank you for your response. You may be aware that the decision to close Pontllanfraith leisure centre was recently overturned, on the basis that Caerphilly County Borough Council had failed to take into account the effect of closure on disadvantaged people in the area as part of its equality duty. Minister, would you agree that the council failed in its duties to disadvantaged people in this regard, and can you inform us how your Government intends to ensure that local authorities comply with their duties in relation to equality in future?

There's a wider point to be considered here as well, which is that vulnerable people's needs are too often neglected due to their voices not being heard and pressures caused by austerity. It's too easy for them to fall between the cracks of services when referrals aren't chased up and services don't talk to one another. When people are vulnerable, be they victims of abuse, those with alcohol and drug addiction, people who are homeless, veterans of the armed forces, it affects every aspect of their life. So, Minister, could you tell me what work the Welsh Government is putting in place to strengthen referral pathways for people in these precarious situations to reduce the number of cases that drop off the books?

Well, I'm glad you also recognise, Delyth, the impact of austerity. Of course, that impact has a huge impact in terms of the ability of local authorities to not only maintain crucial services like our leisure services, but also in terms of opportunities to develop services with support from the Welsh Government. I think you raise important issues in relation to equality and human rights because we have a strategic equality plan that's looking towards outcomes. It is about the equality outcomes that we need to deliver. But also we do have public sector equality duties that all local authorities also have to consider and abide by, and, in fact, we are looking to strengthen the outcome of those duties on local authorities because they have to ensure that they are meeting the needs of our most vulnerable, but particularly those with protected characteristics. So, this is an issue where, of course, we have to work collaboratively with our local authorities, recognising the pressures that they're under, but ensuring that the voices of people, particularly those who are the most vulnerable, are heard.

Deputy Minister, with regard to the gender pay gap, it is a fact that women remain under-represented in apprenticeship positions in better-paid industries in Wales. In 2016-17, within construction and engineering programmes, there were only 360 female apprentices compared to 8,330. What discussion has the Deputy Minister had with her colleagues to address the gender pay gap by encouraging more women to take apprenticeships in these businesses and sectors? You've just mentioned the outcome in your party, but what is the duty? You haven't performed the duty to make sure a gender balance in the pay sector is achieved by the Labour Party.

Clearly, the Equality Act 2010 provides those specific duties to ensure that we do protect everyone from discrimination and particularly that includes tackling the gender pay gap. It is the responsibility—. The specific duties that are under the Act ensure that we have to look at those specific duties particularly the gender pay gap, but I would also say that that gender pay gap is something in terms of ensuring that we have the data in terms of the gender pay differences, and we have a gender pay action plan. And I think also we have to recognise that there are also pay gaps that we need to address in terms of ethnicity and disability, and we are looking towards ways in which we can address those as well. But it is important that our Wales-specific duties in terms of the equality Act are there to ensure that we do address these issues, that we have equality impact assessments, we have equality in employment information, and we have that published. And I met with all the local authorities last week to stress the importance of that duty and responsibility.