4. How will Welsh Government policies for a more equal Wales evolve following the experience of COVID-19? OQ55525

The First Minister has been clear that the Welsh Government will put equality and human rights considerations at the centre of the response to the pandemic and recovery in Wales. This will be the guiding principle as we take forward key policy developments over the coming months.

Minister, those living in our more deprived communities have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic in terms of their health, economically and socially, and one aspect of this is higher rates of smoking in these communities—those are significant for vulnerability to the virus but also in terms of lower life expectancy generally. Thankfully, smoking is in decline, with restrictions in public places playing an important part in helping to achieve that. But, nonetheless, the terrible toll on health in Wales continues. So, Minister, would Welsh Government consider extending the existing restrictions, including outdoor areas of cafes and restaurants, which I think is particularly significant now during the pandemic, as those outdoor areas are expanding and growing, and also in relation to events, youth sport events, so that there may be restrictions on smoking at and around those?

Well, thank you, John Griffiths, for drawing attention to the role of smoking in health inequalities. Just to say that ensuring that the health inequity caused by smoking is reduced—that is a priority for this Welsh Government. You've referred to areas where we could widen the ban on smoking. Clearly, our immediate plan is to introduce a ban on smoking, as all Members are aware, in public playgrounds, school grounds and in hospital grounds. But, we are committed to our long-term goal of making more of Wales's public spaces smoke free and helping people to make positive changes to their health and well-being, and we intend to progress work in the next Senedd term to extend the smoking ban to outdoor areas of cafes and restaurants and city and town centres.

Policies to create a more equal Wales should be implemented in consultation with local authorities and local communities, and this is especially the case in plans for Wales to play its part in global efforts to support refugees. However, reports that a military training camp in Pembrokeshire will be used to house 250 refugees, with little or no consultation with the local authority prior to the UK Home Office's decision becoming public, are clearly very concerning. Can the Minister tell us whether the Welsh Government was consulted, and does the Minister agree with me that people seeking asylum should be housed safely and supported in communities, and not detained on a military base?

Well, I thank Leanne Wood very much for raising that question this afternoon in the Senedd. We were only notified of the Home Office proposals on Friday. We are yet to receive the full explanation that we have requested. The Welsh Government is committed to being a nation of sanctuary. We are committed to that, but we need to ensure that the needs of asylum seekers who come to us—and that's, of course, through our refugee and asylum seeking coalition, which I chair—that those needs are met, and are fully met and understood in terms of opportunities for people to integrate and settle. We are working with all relevant partners now to ensure that these concerns are addressed, in terms of this proposal that came forward on Friday. That obviously has to include local authorities and the communities affected, but what's crucial is that public health issues are considered at the forefront in terms of the impact of the pandemic.

Question 5, Rhianon Passmore.

Can you unmute yourself, Rhianon Passmore?

That question has been withdrawn, Llywydd.

Okay, you don't choose to ask the question that's on the order paper.

Question 5 [OQ55527] not asked. 

Question 6, therefore, Mike Hedges.