2. What is the Government doing to promote community cohesion following serious allegations made about Gwent Police? TQ683

Thank you for this question. These allegations are very serious and I recognise they potentially have implications for community relations. The allegations in the report are shocking. As a Government, we stand against corruption, misogyny, racism and homophobia in all of their forms; it's abhorrent.

Thank you, Minister. The revelations, as you say, over the weekend about a former Gwent police officer and his colleagues were deeply disturbing. It is abhorrent that racist, misogynistic and sexist material is found on the phone of a police officer. Having met with members of the police federation yesterday, I know they are also disgusted with these serious allegations. If there is a culture of these views within the police, however small, it must be found and thoroughly and transparently investigated. It must then be eradicated swiftly if the public are to have full confidence in the police. Justice must be seen to be done.

What concerns do the Government have over this incident? Will more emphasis be placed on promoting community cohesion in communities where trust in the police is already not the highest, due to previous incidents? And how is the Welsh Government going to help reassure residents of the Gwent Police area and Wales more broadly that they can trust the police, who are there to protect them? Diolch.

Diolch yn fawr, Peredur. As of course you’re aware, policing isn’t devolved to Wales; it’s the responsibility of the UK Government, but we do work together closely with policing partners in Wales and we take this report very seriously. So, I met with the chief constable, Pam Kelly, and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, on Monday morning, Monday the fourteenth, after this was revealed over the weekend. I met them to understand more about their response and to emphasise the seriousness with which we view these allegations.

I have to say that chief constable Pam Kelly and Jeff Cuthbert, the police and crime commissioner, made it very clear also that the content is abhorrent, and most importantly in terms of the confidence and trust that people need to have in the police, they said that any officers identified by the investigation as having breached professional standards or the criminal justice threshold will be held accountable.

So, the chief constable confirmed that they were already working at pace to address the issues raised. I’ve asked to be updated regularly on progress; we’ve asked for the matter to be raised at the next policing partnership board for Wales, which I chair with the First Minister. And also I’m aware that the chief constable, Pam Kelly, and the police and crime commissioner led a briefing to Gwent MSs and MPs on Monday.

What we have to say, and I’m sure we share this across the Chamber: it’s vital for the force to take decisive action and an independent investigation by Wiltshire Police is under way. The force has made it clear, and they made it clear to me on Monday, that firm action will be taken, as I’ve said, and I’ve asked for timescales on their inquiry.

Can I just also say that the fact is that chief constable Pam Kelly has made tackling racism and tackling violence against women a priority in her role as chief constable of Gwent? She is very engaged in our violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence strategy implementation board, which I’m co-chairing with Dafydd Llywelyn, and is very engaged also with our 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan'. So, we have to get that trust and confidence in the police as a result of the actions that they’ve agreed and promised to us.

I thank the Minister.