Concise Minutes - Equality and Social Justice Committee

Meeting Venue:

 Committee Room 3 (Senedd)

Meeting date: Monday, 25 November 2024

Meeting time: 11.02 - 15.15
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/14164

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Jenny Rathbone MS (Chair) John Griffiths MS (In place of Mick Antoniw MS) Joel James MS Julie Morgan MS Sioned Williams MS
Witnesses:	Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership Lorna Hall, Deputy Director for Equality and Human Rights, Welsh Government Stephen Layne, Welsh Government Neil Surman, Welsh Government Phil Jones, Cardiff University Simon Lannon, Cardiff University
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

Apologies were received from Jane Dodds.

Apologies were also received from Mick Antoniw, John Griffiths attended the meeting as a substitute.

Jack Sergeant declared an interest as a Member of the UNITE Union.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Disability and Employment: Ministerial evidence session

Members heard evidence from:

Jane Hutt, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd & Chief Whip

Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, Skills & Social Partnership

Lorna Hall, Deputy Director for Equality and Human Rights, Welsh Government

Neil Surman, Deputy Director for Skills, Welsh Government

Stephen Layne, Deputy Director for Fair Work, Welsh Government

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Fuel Poverty in Wales: A presentation with academics from the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University

Members heard evidence from:

Dr Simon Lannon, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University

Professor Phil Jones, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Papers to note

Members noted the papers.

</AI4>

<AI5>

4.1 Correspondence between the Chair and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Chief Whip regarding strengthening and advancing equality and human rights in Wales

</AI5>

<AI6>

4.2 Correspondence between the Chair and the Minister for Children and Social Care regarding the Welsh Government’s response to the Equality and Social Justice Committees report: "Their Future: Our Priority"

</AI6>

<AI7>

4.3 Correspondence from Careers Wales regarding the number of disabled people employed by Careers Wales

</AI7>

<AI8>

4.4 Additional evidence to the Equality and Social Justice Committee Inquiry into Disability and Employment from Ruth Nortey

</AI8>

<AI9>

5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42(iv) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting

Members agreed the motion.

</AI9>

<AI10>

6 Disability and Employment: consideration of evidence

Members considered the evidence received and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education on issues raised during the inquiry.

</AI10>

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