Social Justice Priorities

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:34 pm on 5 October 2022.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 1:34, 5 October 2022

Thank you very much to Altaf Hussain. I’m obviously working very closely with the police and crime commissioners and chief constables in the Policing Partnership Board for Wales. Of course, policing is reserved; it’s not devolved yet—that’s what we want to see. And we’re working very closely on issues around community cohesion. I hope you will join me in looking at the issues that will arise tomorrow, as we hear about hate crime statistics, and we need to move forward with our Hate hurts Wales campaign. This is a question about engagement with the UK Government Ministers and, I have to say, I have been very concerned about the Home Secretary's open letter to leaders of the police for England and Wales, saying that,

'there is a perception that the police have had to spend too much time on symbolic gestures, than actually fighting criminals. This must change. Initiatives on diversity and inclusion should not take precedence over common sense policing.'

I absolutely abhor that sentiment, because, actually, our Wales anti-racist action plan and our work with disabled people and tackling hate crime is all about community cohesion.