, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
I absolutely agree that it's shameful. And what's also shameful is the claim that Muslim women are somehow voiceless and forced to dress against their will. That's as sexist as it is Islamaphobic. These experiences and the stubbornly high rates of hate crime…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
These crimes aren't just happening in faraway towns and cities, as we heard from Kiera Marshall, they're happening in our communities. When I visited a mosque in September, members of the Muslim community told me about the profound impact that Islamaphobia is…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
No-one should tell a woman what to wear. Respect for women means respect for every woman—respecting the fact that every woman can make her own choices. Home Office figures published last week showed a 13 per cent increase in religious hate crimes recorded by…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
Thank you. It was a statement of fact about what happened in Germany in the 1930s. The face coverings debate, when it is spoken about by Reform UK, is always referencing connection with religious dress. On 6 October, the deputy leader set out their position…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
What, stating history?
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
Absolutely. And the people of Neath showed—. We had a food fair recently where they were there out in the street. They had never had so much support and so many donations after those. The people of Neath came out and they spoke in support of the fine men and…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
Yes.
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
Absolutely, and properly represent their communities and the voice of their communities. Absolutely. That dog whistle varies in volume, it's always there, but it's getting louder. It lingers over those benches, a deliberately intangible thing that leaves too…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Full-face coverings are against British values
Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Before I start, I just want to say, it's been a sad day today. I stood in Aberfan this morning. I stood side by side with that community, which came together in unity in the face of such adversity. But it's been a terrible, shameful…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion: The Armed Forces Bill
To conclude, I believe that support for the armed forces community should unite us all in this Chamber. To recognise the positive effects of this Bill, I recommend that the Senedd supports the Bill and gives its consent. Thank you.
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion: The Armed Forces Bill
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. In closing this debate, I'd like to thank both the committees and the Members for their contributions to today's debate. I think holding this debate today ensures that the Senedd's views are heard and represented in the…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion: The Armed Forces Bill
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the motion, and I recommend that the Senedd does consent to the relevant provisions in the Armed Forces Bill 2026, as is outlined in the legislative consent motion laid for this Bill. The Bill introduces provisions…
, Plenary
The Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Revocation and Transitional Provision) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026
Thank you very much for the contributions, and I'm grateful for the Legislation Committee's work. As I mentioned, this is a focused and technical instrument that does not reopen or alter the policy contained in the principal 2026 exceptions Order. So, its…
, Plenary
The Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Revocation and Transitional Provision) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I move the motion to approve the Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Revocation and Transitional Provision) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026. This is a short and technical amending instrument that is required to keep…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
We are, as I said, already making progress on the preparation of that implementation of the Cynnal pilot, the Welsh child payment. We have heard views and evidence on how such a payment could make a real tangible difference to families, so we want to make…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
Thank you very much for that question.
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
Tackling child poverty is central to our programme for government. We are already delivering on our commitments on free school meals and the childcare offer, as well as developing our Cynnal child payment. Our new child poverty strategy will include clear…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
I'd like to clarify the reason why it says 'seek to pilot': it's because there's a very important decision that needs to be made by the UK Treasury, because what we don't want to do with Cynnal is make families worse off. We want to make them better off. So…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
Thank you for the question.
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
Thank you very much. I think that using that example you used there in terms of Aberporth, somewhere that I'm sure a number of us have visited—a very beautiful place, a pretty place, but there is something hidden, isn't there? And Welsh Government recognises…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
We recognise that rural families can face additional barriers, including restricted access to employment, services and transport, as well as higher costs. That is why our programme for government includes a commitment to legislate for rural-proofing, helping…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
I fully recognise those concerns. I'm sure that they are familiar to us all. Those services are crucial to our communities, particularly for people who perhaps can't use public transport or there is no transport available to take them to the next town. They…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
I just want to let the Member know that I actually met with the Post Office, with Post Office Ltd, yesterday. Again, as I said, they provided reassurance to maintain the network, as is their duty. I'm pleased to say that the Post Office Ltd confirmed to me…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
Thank you, Lindsay, for the question. First of all, I want to acknowledge the concern when a community loses services. I know a number of us have seen this in our communities over the years, on the high street in terms of banks specifically, and, in the same…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice
Post office services play a vital role in supporting communities. These matters, of course, are reserved and are the responsibility of the UK Government, and that Government has stated that their aim is to retain as many branches and services as possible.
