Concise Minutes - Equality and Social Justice Committee


Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 3 (Senedd)

Meeting date: Monday, 12 May 2025

Meeting time: 13.30 - 15.39
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15288


Hybrid

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Attendance

Category

Names

Members of the Senedd:

Jenny Rathbone MS (Chair)

Mick Antoniw MS

Jane Dodds MS

Altaf Hussain MS

Julie Morgan MS

Sioned Williams MS

Witnesses:

Andrew Charles, Welsh Government

John Davies, Welsh Government

Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

Committee Staff:

Rhys Morgan (Clerk)

Mared Llwyd (Second Clerk)

Angharad Roche (Deputy Clerk)

Claire Thomas (Researcher)

 

<AI1>

1       Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

No apologies were given nor any declarations of interest made.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       Social cohesion: ministerial evidence session

Members heard evidence from:

Jane Hutt, MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

Andrew Charles, Deputy Director, Cohesive Communities, Welsh Government

John Davies, Head of Cohesion, Welsh Government

 

</AI2>

<AI3>

3       Papers to note

Members noted the papers.

In relation to item 3.1 Members agreed to seek clarification about how many children would be without provision following the increased funding and places.

 

In relation to item 3.3 Members agreed to seek legal advice regarding Welsh  Government powers to prevent strip searching of children.

 

In relation to item 3.5 Members requested further information Post Custody Accommodation Working group.

 

</AI3>

<AI4>

3.1   Correspondence from the Minister for Children and Social Care to the Chair regarding the expansion of the Flying Start programme

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.2   Correspondence from the Minister for Culture, Skills and Partnership to the Chair of the Environment, Transport and Rural Affairs Committee regarding the Welsh Government’s legislative consent memoranda on the Employment Rights Bill

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.3   Correspondence from the Children's Legal Centre Wales to the Chair regarding the strip searching of children in Wales

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.4   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip to the Chair regarding speech , language and communication needs in the criminal justice system

</AI7>

<AI8>

3.5   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip to the Post-Custody Accommodation Working Group regarding support for Prisoners

</AI8>

<AI9>

3.6   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip to the Chair regarding the Welsh Government's response to the Committee's report: "Anything’s Achievable with the Right Support -  Tackling the Disability Employment Gap"

</AI9>

<AI10>

3.7   Response from the Welsh Government to the Equality and Social Justice Committee's report on the response to the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Employment Rights Bill

</AI10>

<AI11>

3.8   Correspondence from the Future Generations Commissioner to the Chair regarding Social Cohesion

</AI11>

<AI12>

3.9   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government to the Chair regarding the Democratic Engagement Grant

</AI12>

<AI13>

3.10 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning to the Legislation, Justice and the Constitution Committee regarding the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Welsh Government

</AI13>

<AI14>

3.11 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Education to the Chair regarding Free School Meals

</AI14>

<AI15>

4       Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) and (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting

Members agreed the motion.

</AI15>

<AI16>

5       Social cohesion: consideration of evidence

Members considered the evidence and welcomed the Cabinet Secretary’s offer to share Welsh Government’s mis-information toolkit, together with the work plan for Community Cohesion Co-ordinators and an updated list of the social cohesion grant funded projects.

</AI16>

<AI17>

6       Disability and Employment: consideration of response and additional work

Members considered a draft letter concerning support for employment of disabled people and welfare reform. A number of amendments were requested and it was agreed that a revised draft would be circulated to Members.

</AI17>

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