Part of 4. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:42 pm on 25 January 2023.
Thanks, Heledd. Again, all very valid points that I would again associate myself with. The WRU has had the opportunity to address these issues over a period of time. The conversation I had with the chief executive this morning was that he set out to me a number of actions that the WRU has already taken. I told him in no uncertain terms that I felt that that needed to be far more explicit, that he needed to be public about what the WRU has done to address some of these issues, primarily in light of the report on the women's game.
The discussions that I've had with him previously on the report into the women's game and why there was a failure to publish was primarily because the women who gave evidence to develop that report were given an assurance that their confidentiality would be respected and their identities would not be disclosed. He made it very clear to me that he felt that, had they not been given that assurance, many of those women would not have come forward. So, he felt that he had to honour that confidentiality. I understand that, and I've made it clear to him that I don't think anybody is looking to identify anybody who has given evidence to that report, and such a report could be published and redacted so that people are not identified, and that's what I've called on him to do. So, we will wait and see whether, in light of those discussions I've had—those further discussions I've had—around that area this week, that actually happens.
There is a new leadership within the WRU. I talked about Ieuan Evans earlier on. He's only been the chair of the WRU for the last couple of weeks or so. He certainly seemed to be saying all the right things when I met with him. I haven't heard what he said in the press conference today. But I think it is now incumbent upon the WRU to actually demonstrate what their commitment is to make the changes that both yourself and Alun Davies have already clearly set out. Certainly, from the programme that we saw, the impression was that that has not yet happened. I think it is now for the WRU to prove that it is happening, and what they are setting out to ensure that it does happen.