5. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government LGBTQ+ action plan? OQ57600

We remain resolute in our commitment to making Wales the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe. Our LGBTQ+ action plan is a key part of our programme for government and our co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru. The consultation on the action plan closed in October and an analysis is under way, which will be used to further develop and strengthen it.

I thank the Minister for that response. Of course, this question was tabled before the courts reached the verdict on the tragic and brutal murder of Dr Gary Jenkins, and I'm certain that the Minister will want to join all of us in this Siambr today in paying tribute to him. This was a homophobic attack that took place in this very city, not far from where we speak today. I'm sure that I speak on behalf of every Member when I say that our deepest and sincerest of condolences go out to his family, to his friends and to every person who grieves. He was a man who dedicated his life to our NHS, who is described by all who knew him as kind and compassionate. Dr Jenkins will be remembered as such, and for his service to our nation. Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to Dr Jenkins and to every single person who continues the campaign to secure the equal, safe and just nation that we know that Wales can be when we are at our very best?

Diolch. My thoughts and those of the Welsh Government are with the family, friends, colleagues and all who knew Dr Gary Jenkins. Like everybody here, I was saddened by the horrific homophobic murder of Dr Jenkins. I actually attended the vigil in Cardiff on the steps of the national museum on Sunday evening with hundreds of people, where we were moved by people paying tribute to a kind soul, who was incredibly generous, humane and compassionate, and as you said, somebody who worked hard and dedicated his life to our NHS, and whose life had a positive impact on so many other lives. I think the vigil demonstrated the strength of feeling following this horrific incident, and I know that the LGBTQ+ community in Cardiff and beyond has really felt that deep impact of the attack.

We talked last week as part of LGBT+ History Month about how far we've come, but it demonstrates in the cruellest possible way how far we still have to go. It's the cruellest extreme, but so many LGBTQ+ people, myself included, still face slurs and snide remarks on a daily basis. We don't feel that we can hold the hands of our loved ones to walk down the street. That's why it's so important that we speak out and we use our platform for good in this Chamber and demonstrate the nation that we want to be. As a Welsh Government, that's why our action plan is so important. We've taken action already to make sure that we are, myself and the Minister for Social Justice, meeting with representatives of the LGBTQ+ community in Wales, and with the police, to see what more needs to be done to make sure that our communities are safe, as they should be, and secure, on the streets and in the communities of Wales.

Could I identify with the sentiments of the Member for Ogmore and also the Minister's comments this afternoon? Could I also question the Minister on the reports today on the BBC Wales Live programme about homophobic insults and attacks within the education system? Sadly, they're identifying an increase in that via the Estyn reports that are coming from the inspections that have been undertaken. We can talk all we want about action plans, and I'm sure they're put with the best intention in the world, but the reality is, from the real-life experiences, sadly, people who are going into some of our education establishments are experiencing homophobic attacks. Regrettably, the report does indicate that, where the teaching profession are made aware of these, there is a lack of experience, in some instances, of them being able to deal with them in a sensitive manner. Can you confirm that you work collaboratively with the education department to make sure that—you alluded to this earlier—this silo working isn't happening in Government, and where these concerns are raised by Estyn or other organisations, they are dealt with appropriately and the support and help is put before our teachers, so that when they do get presented with such reports, they are dealt with?

I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for his contribution. I'm familiar with the Estyn report and the reports that have been on the BBC today. It is incredibly sad that young people anywhere still face fear, whether that's physical attacks or just those remarks that make you feel that you can't be yourself and feel uncomfortable. I know that we are working very closely across Government with my colleague the Minister for education to ensure that not only are schools safe places and that children and young people have the support, but, actually, teachers and educators have the right resources and the confidence to deal with these things sensitively and that young people are able to approach them and feel that their school, as it should be, is a safe space.

I was looking at the BBC report earlier, and I think there was an example of a school in Cardiff. They've got a group called Digon, and they actually sit down, when perhaps somebody's said something and perhaps somebody might not understand the intent of the language that they've used, the harm it could cause—. It could just be a flippant remark for them, or they don't understand the significant impact it could have on another person. What they're trying to do—and I think this is a really good approach that we can learn from elsewhere too—is actually sitting down with those young people and explaining the impact that had and why it hurt and why it's wrong, in almost like a restorative justice kind of way, but in a way that actually is peer to peer and they understand. I think that's probably something that we can actually all learn from, whatever age we are.