Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. I'd like to start by thanking John Griffiths and the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee for bringing forward this debate today, for the work that the committee has undertaken to produce a very comprehensive report, 'Into sharp relief: inequality and the pandemic'. I have to say that this is a report that is very fundamentally important to the Welsh Government in terms of our responses and in terms of the wide spread of issues and recommendations that you have brought forward. Of course, we've responded to the committee on each recommendation, addressing the policies and responses to the pandemic from across the Welsh Government, and I think that's a crucial point to make. The committee inquiry took evidence from across the spectrum of Welsh Government responsibilities, and many Ministers are engaged and responding, requiring a cross-Government response to assess that impact of the pandemic and the inequalities it has exposed, which you've all so powerfully spoken of in this debate. And I do agree with the Chair, John Griffiths, that we need to use all the tools available to us to tackle poverty and inequality, and your report and the responses that we have given demonstrate how we can address this and particularly, across all the recommendations, really, do relate to your recommendation 7.

I think the focus on equality and human rights is fundamental. It's key to the report's themes and recommendations. It accords with our commitment to high positive equality impact decisions set out in our 'Leading Wales out of the coronavirus pandemic: a framework for recovery', and also 'Unlocking our society and economy', and, indeed, the report on reconstructing Wales that the Counsel General presented yesterday afternoon. But what's clear from the report, and what we know as we go about our daily lives, and as you've all given such clear evidence of, is that no aspect of society has been untouched by this pandemic. And we know that the impact of the pandemic has not fallen equally, with disproportionate impacts on our black, Asian and minority ethnic citizens, our older people, disabled people, those in poverty, on children, people with co-morbidities—you've spoken about all of these who are most disadvantaged—those who are suffering mental health issues and those who are homeless, among others; in short, the most disadvantaged members of our society. And these disproportionate impacts are at the forefront of our work, and I'm grateful to the many people and organisations who not only gave evidence to you but have actually joined with us in the Welsh Government to help us design appropriate actions. As we've responded to this health crisis, our goal has been to protect the most disadvantaged, seeking to identify and address the disproportionate impacts as they emerge. 

I spoke a lot yesterday in the race debate—the debate against racism and race inequalities—about the work that we've already undertaken, which you acknowledge in the report: the BAME COVID-19 advisory group, under the leadership of Judge Ray Singh, advising us on action to address the horrifying disparity in deaths from COVID-19 among BAME people; the risk assessment tool mentioned in the debate, developed by Professor Keshav Singhal, used now to protect people's lives in the health service, social care and beyond; and, of course, Professor Ogbonna's recommendations to the socioeconomic group, which are being implemented. 

Equality and human rights considerations have been fundamental to all decisions on how to respond to the health crisis and work towards recovery, and we have to reflect on some of the steps we've taken and, again, it's important—this scrutiny through your report helps us with those reflections. And one point I'd like to make in terms of recommendations is that we fully understand the unease that the committee and others have expressed about the Coronavirus Act 2020, section 12, which relates to social care— shared amongst many of our key partners and stakeholders affected. The Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services has asked her officials to undertake a rapid engagement exercise to seek stakeholders' views, and will use the results to inform decisions about suspension or retention of these provisions. This consultation began on 2 October, closing on 2 November, with decisions being made shortly after. If the outcome is to remove the provisions, we anticipate the necessary secondary legislation, made in November or early December, could come into force very quickly, subject to the Senedd's consideration. So, we are already responding to those recommendations.