5. How is the Welsh Government working to combat access refusals experienced by guide dog owners? OQ58733

The Equality Act 2010 is clear: it is unlawful to refuse access to a disabled person with an assistance dog. The Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales is responsible for adherence to the Act and we work with them to help ensure compliance.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Trefnydd, for that answer. Can I also extend my thanks to the Minister for Social Justice for her letter on 10 November to myself on this very matter? Members will be aware of the work of Guide Dogs Cymru, who are campaigning to end refusal of guide dogs entering businesses. When I met with them in the Senedd a few weeks ago, they told me about guide dog owners being asked to leave some well-known establishments, with particular recent examples of places like Tesco and Premier Inn. These businesses do operate here in Wales. I understand what you've said in your initial answer, Trefnydd, but can I ask you what the Welsh Government can do to send a strong message that, in Wales, even one refusal is unacceptable? How can we send that message to ensure that in our nation we have an open-doors policy for guide dogs?

Thank you. It's extremely disappointing to hear what you've just said, Jack Sargeant. That situation is completely unacceptable and, as I've already indicated, it's unlawful. People with assistance dogs are lawfully entitled to access retail premises—you mentioned a hotel, also—and should not be refused entry to premises. We are working with the Welsh Retail Consortium and the supermarket groups to raise awareness of the issue. I meet regularly with the supermarkets, and I'll be certainly very happy to take the issue up. What we really want to do—and I know the Minister for Social Justice is passionate about this—is raise awareness of the impact that people's actions have on such people who have these very difficult conditions and really need their guide dog to assist them with their everyday lives. We also work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to review compliance with the guidance and the regulations. I will, certainly, from my part, do that with the supermarkets, and I'm sure the Minister for Social Justice will take that up too. We also have the disability rights taskforce and the Welsh Government work to advance the rights of people with disabilities via this taskforce. 

I was fortunate to host the Guide Dogs event in the Senedd last month. As we've heard from our colleague Jack Sargeant, Guide Dogs research published last month showed that 81 per cent of guide dog owners responding to their survey had been illegally refused entry to a business or service because they were with their guide dog. They've launched what they've called the Open Doors campaign against illegal access refusals to educate the public and businesses and grow understanding and awareness of how access refusals impact guide dog owners.

But that's not the only barrier that people with guide dogs encounter. Guide Dogs Cymru are also still campaigning for safer streets, stating there are many schemes funded with Welsh Government active travel money where cycle routes are installed on footways without any clear delineation between the cycle lane and the pedestrian footpath. How will the Welsh Government therefore not only support Guide Dogs' Open Doors campaign, but also respond to their call for Welsh Government to introduce much more robust checks before funding is allocated to new active travel routes, to ensure that all new routes are safe and usable for everyone? 

Thank you. The Welsh Government fully supports the Guide Dogs Cymru Open Doors campaign, where we urge all retailers to fully comply with the law. It's horrific to hear you say that 81 per cent of guide dog owners who've been surveyed believe they've been refused entry—we've both just used the words 'illegal' and 'unlawful'. 

In relation to safer streets, I will certainly ask the Deputy Minister for Climate Change about the monitoring that the Welsh Government does in relation to this and the way that schemes in relation to active travel are assessed, and if he believes it's robust enough.