Misogyny and Sexual Misconduct

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 2:07 pm on 1 March 2023.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 2:07, 1 March 2023

Diolch yn fawr. That is such an important question for us this afternoon. Although policing isn't devolved—it's the responsibility of the UK Government—we are engaging, as you say, Mabon, in every way we can, to work with the police, to influence the policies and delivery and, indeed, to fund large sections of the delivery of community safety in Wales in particular, and in our schools. It is vital that our police demonstrate the integrity and values the public expect from them. I very much welcome North Wales Police's approach. They've taken a very transparent and decisive approach to this issue, recognising the need to ensure that a minority of officers who don't deliver high standards that the public expect have no place in a police force in Wales.

Can I just say that we discussed this at the policing partnership board, which I co-chair with the First Minister? We discussed it in December, and we talked about the issue of trust in policing, which of course you've touched on. We're going to have this as a standing agenda item on the board, because Welsh policing leads committed, at that meeting, to standing against inappropriate behaviour, ensuring staff who have behaved unacceptably are identified with swift action. As colleagues will know across the Chamber, all police forces across England and Wales are reviewing urgently records of all staff, to establish if there are any other cases that need to be addressed. I'm very pleased that the North Wales police and crime commissioner and chief constable Amanda Blakeman came out publicly about this. They've got to have this information by the end of March. Can I just take the opportunity to remind colleagues of our Live Fear Free helpline, a free 24/7 service for all victims and survivors of violence against women?

And finally, just to say that PCC Dafydd Llywelyn and I co-chair the national partnership board for the delivery of the next stage of our national strategy to strengthen our approach to violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. This is working very actively with our police forces and our police and crime commissioners. We have work streams, including workplace harassment. The workplace harassment work stream is co-chaired by Shavanah Taj from the Wales Trades Union Congress and Mark Travis from South Wales Police. I do expect this to come out with recommendations and address the issues that you've raised this afternoon.