, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
I thank the Member for his supplementary question, and my heart goes out to the people whose premises were destroyed in this terrible, terrible fire. I'm aware of the incident that he refers to, of the operational challenges in terms of access to water for…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
I continue to work with the fire and rescue services across Wales to ensure that people, communities and the environment are kept as safe as possible from fires and other hazards. In the longer term, we remain committed to ensuring the sustainability and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
The Member refers to the anti-racist action plan, which was launched back in June by my colleague the Minister for Social Justice. I'm familiar with the event he refers to that Wales TUC held to mark Black History Month. Nobody should face discrimination or…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
I thank the Member for his question and his interest in this area. Clearly, there are some challenges involved because of where the boundaries lie between what is devolved and what isn't, but clearly we are committed—myself and my colleague Jane Hutt, and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Can I thank the Member for his further questions? I just want to point to one element where people will be surprised that we may agree. It's around the need for diversity of representation as part of the social partnership council, through those bodies that…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
So, I think I should start by saying that the right to withdraw labour and the right to strike is a fundamental human right for workers around the world. But the Member—I don't know whether deliberately or just through misunderstanding—seeks to conflate some…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
Can I thank the Member for his contribution and the work that he has been doing as a member of the Equality and Social Justice Committee in scrutinising this important piece of legislation as it makes its progress through the legislative system in the Senedd?…
, Plenary
Debate: Support for the Armed Forces Community
Diolch, Llywydd. Can I first of all thank Members for their contributions in this debate today, which falls, as we said, in the remembrance period, a time for us all to reflect and recognise those who have served, those who continue to serve and, as we've…
, Plenary
Debate: Support for the Armed Forces Community
This year is especially poignant. Remembrance has its focus on past sacrifices made by those from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, but today, we see terrible bloodshed, loss and distress in Ukraine. Our hearts, our support and our solidarity go out to…
, Plenary
Debate: Support for the Armed Forces Community
Diolch, Llywydd. This debate falls in the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday, when, once again, we will pause our daily lives to reflect and remember all who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in past conflicts. We think also of those who have served over…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
I thank the Member for his question. My point, in terms of the Wales veterans commissioner is that it is an appointment of the UK Government, and therefore not directly accountable to the Welsh Government. As I said, I have met him a number of times, it's…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice
The Veterans' Commissioner for Wales is a UK Government appointment and is therefore not directly accountable to Welsh Government. However, the commissioner is an important advocate for veterans in Wales. I have met him a number of times and look forward to…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. Diolch yn fawr.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
I think the last point you made is really important, around the role for transparency and accountability as part of this legislation, and the publication of reports. But, in terms of the specific point that you raised, that Unison raised, as we've said…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
The future generations commissioner has review powers rather than investigatory powers, and no powers that are specific to procurement. So, the current commissioner used her review powers to look at procurement, given that it's a function of public bodies…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
The purpose of that section of the Bill around contract management is to ensure that the agreed outcomes are delivered by all organisations in the supply chain, and that they're not just pushed on one or another—that it's shared amongst the entire supply…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
I think, as Sue said previously, the hope is for them to work together. They have two very different roles. In terms of the social partnership council it's to monitor and to advise, and the centre of excellence will be more to support and to provide the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
The socially responsible procurement duties in the Bill will apply to the public procurement of food, and all other categories of expenditure. One thing I would say around the statutory guidance is that it gives—I think we've talked through this previously—an…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
This is something we've touched on previously—the need for support and training for public bodies. One of the themes that really came through in last year's consultation responses around the procurement duty specifically was the need to have adequate…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
I'll try and answer as quickly as possible, then. Obviously, Welsh legislation cannot apply otherwise than in relation to Wales, and the current wording in the legislation is there to make sure that, if any contracting authorities now or in the future…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
I think an important point to pick up is that it's statutory guidance and they would have a duty to have regard to the guidance, so it's not that easy just to decide you don't want to adhere to the guidance, but I will bring the lawyer in, to my left, further…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
Thanks, and I know this is something that's, like you said, had a great deal of attention, not just in your evidence sessions but through the—. Peredur has nodded at me and I know he asked quite a lot of questions on this last time and there was a lot of work…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
Thank you. The Bill makes provisions for how a contracting authority should prepare a procurement strategy, including the issuing of statutory guidance that will cover the necessary consultation as part of that process, for its development in initial form and…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
You're absolutely right to highlight that there are potential opportunities to address this really key and emerging challenge, and it's important both in relation to the social partnership council's work and the socially responsible procurement duties. My…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill: ministerial evidence session
I thank Sarah Murphy for her question, and I know that this is an area of work that Sarah's a passionate advocate of, and I've been pleased to be able to work with Sarah through her cross-party group on this, in terms of the role digital rights play within…
