Again, can I thank James Evans for those very powerful comments, which I would associate myself with? And can I start by making some general points in response? Firstly, the issues raised by the BBC investigation programme are without doubt devastating, and I would like to reiterate that we recognise the courage that it took to speak out after experiencing any form of harassment—to do that publicly on the programme that we saw, I think should be commended. Now, last year, as you know, as a Government, we published our national violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence strategy, which clearly sets out our ambitions to make Wales the safest place in Europe to be a woman, and that includes in the workplace. Now, the Welsh Government is not going to be a bystander to abuse, and we are committed to tackling harassment and bullying head on, because women and girls have the right to be safe in all aspects of their lives.

Now, on the specifics, as the First Minister stated here in the Chamber yesterday, we need to see urgent and transparent action that helps restore confidence in the WRU itself. And that requires public recognition on the part of the WRU of the scale and the nature of the issues that were aired in the television programme BBC Wales Investigates on Monday evening. Now, over recent days, I've been engaging with the WRU on the immediate actions that it must take to address these allegations and how it is providing a safe environment for its staff and wider stakeholders that is free from harassment and abuse of all kinds. I note the comments made by the chief executive in the media yesterday that they had fallen short in presenting Welsh rugby to the world and they are working on the necessary changes immediately to ensure that this is a sport that we can again all be proud of and that recognises the importance of gender equality and creating an environment that is free from abuse.

I met the chief executive again this morning, and I stated clearly our expectations for urgent action that will restore the trust of staff, players, supporters, parents and children in his organisation. I pressed for specific examples of what they are looking to implement to ensure the safety of those working for the WRU. And I was advised that these now include employing a people director, refreshing their HR policies, and staff engagement and equality training. Now, that is important, because, at the heart of the programme on Monday was the inequality faced by women, both in the WRU and within the women's game. And women should be able to go to work and engage in sporting activity free from harassment and abuse. Now, on the workplace issues themselves that were raised in the programme, I would say this: if an organisation does not have a problem with its culture, then complaints of this scale and nature would not come forward. And even if a formal process led by an external lawyer doesn't uphold a complaint, it doesn't mean that that incident didn't happen.

Now, what I have seen for myself is that the WRU has made positive recent progress in developing the women's game in Wales, with professional contracts for the national team, a newly formed development team and an under-18 regional competition, to outline just a few examples—all increasing the opportunities for women and girls in rugby. However, the WRU itself recognises that this follows years of inertia in developing the women's game, which is why it commissioned a review into the women's game a few years ago. There have been calls for this document to be made public; I support those calls, as I am of the firm belief that it is more damaging in the way it is being shrouded in secrecy than it is if that report was published. I have made that point to the chief executive this morning, and I have made that point to him previously in discussions with him. The WRU should, in the first place, make that document public and clarify how it responded to the review and how it is planning on further development of the women's game. I'm also aware that there have been calls for a Senedd committee inquiry, which I would of course also welcome.

Llywydd, this is a matter that I, as Deputy Minister for sport, take extremely seriously, and I will continue to press in the strongest possible way for the immediate and transformative reform of the WRU, an organisation that is at the heart of our nation's sporting, cultural and civic life.