2. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on efforts to prevent modern slavery in north Wales? OQ56405

I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for that question. We are determined to make all parts of Wales hostile to modern slavery. We are continuing to work with police and crime commissioners and our multi-agency partners in Wales, and across the UK, to protect vulnerable people, and to prevent and put an end to this heinous crime.

Thank you for that response. I had a meeting recently with Soroptimist International on Anglesey, an organisation doing very valuable work in the area of modern slavery and county lines, and raising awareness and so on. They are concerned that the pandemic has made it more difficult to identify modern slavery, with those suffering being more isolated and more hidden from sight during lockdown periods. There's also a risk that economic hardship, as a result of the pandemic, could place more people in a vulnerable position, where they could be open to exploitation. And there's also a concern that the fact that schools are closed makes it more difficult to identify children who've been drawn into county lines. So, can I ask what study the Welsh Government has made of the impact of the pandemic on modern slavery, and what measures are being put in place in order to help victims on the one hand, and to prevent criminals on the other?

I thank the Member for that important question. The fact that organisations like Soroptimist International are coming forward and taking this as an issue for which they're concerned and seeking evidence, and making representations to tackle modern slavery—. Of course, there is a cross-party group on human trafficking, chaired by Joyce Watson, who actually was also responsible for ensuring that we had the appointment of the Welsh Government anti-slavery co-ordinator. We're the first and only country in the UK to appoint an anti-slavery co-ordinator, even though, of course, not all of the consequences of slavery fall to the devolved Government.

But your points about identifying the impact of COVID, not just in terms of people not coming forward, but identifying victims and awareness raising are crucially important, and we do work closely with key agencies across north Wales. And I think you make also an important point in terms of the issues around county lines. So, we're working with our partners to tackle slavery in county-lines-related crime, to safeguard vulnerable people from becoming victims of exploitation. So, our Welsh Government anti-slavery co-ordinator is working very closely with key agencies in Wales to determine scale, types and location of slavery, and also improving intelligence and recording of incidents in Wales, using the national referral mechanism, NRM, to increase cases within the criminal justice system.

Question 3 [OQ56396] is withdrawn. Question 4, Nick Ramsay. Question 4, Nick Ramsay.

Question 4, Nick Ramsay. Am I being heard? Yes, I'm being heard. Nick Ramsay has just disappeared from my screen. No, Nick Ramsay is on my screen. Right, I'm going to move on.

Question 5, Helen Mary Jones.