1. Will the Commission make a statement on participation in the White Ribbon accreditation scheme? OAQ54867

Thank you for that question, and the Commission does actively support the White Ribbon Day every year by allowing the estate to be used for an event that I have managed since 2007. That is advertised across the estate. There are notices posted on Member and staff intranets, and money is raised now through the sale of the white ribbons in Tŷ Hywel and in the Senedd, and that is not to mention that, since 2007, many Members here have actively campaigned and championed the White Ribbon cause.

Thank you for that response, and I commend you for your hard work over the many years, since 2007—it really has been instrumental in raising the profile of the campaign here in Wales, and I was privileged to speak at your event you helped manage at the Senedd just last year. As you will know, as Members will know, following Dad's tragic passing, I have been committed to continuing his hard work to support this very important campaign, so to me it seems logical that our next step is for this institution, this Senedd, to follow in the footsteps of councils like my own in Flintshire and Connah's Quay Town Council and become fully accredited. So, will the Commission meet with me and the White Ribbon campaign to make sure this happens in the future? Diolch.

We have committed to pursue this in the coming year, because last year the Commission has been focused on the overall workplace dignity and respect, and that includes well-being, race and gender equality as some of those items, and that work is being reviewed. I have met with the new chief executive officer of White Ribbon—I did in November—and I did discuss their accreditation scheme. And from that discussion I found that they are actually reviewing that scheme. Since we are also reviewing our scheme, it seemed to make some sense to wait until next year, once that review has been done, and we're also able to assess the schemes that we've got to put the two together and move forward positively next year.

Thank you to the Commissioner.