Concise Minutes - Equality and Social Justice Committee


Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 5 (Ty Hywel)

Meeting date: Monday, 22 September 2025

Meeting time: 11.00 - 17.09
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15639


Hybrid

------

Attendance

Category

Names

Members of the Senedd:

Jenny Rathbone MS (Chair)

Jane Dodds MS

Altaf Hussain MS

Sioned Williams MS

Witnesses:

Sarah Thomas, Centre of Sign Sight Sound

Cath Booth, Wales Council for Deaf People

Martin Griffiths, British Deaf Association

Charles Hampton, Wales Council for Deaf People

Tom Lichy, British Deaf Association

Jemina Napier, Herriot-Watt University

Polly Winn, RNID Wales

Biao Zeng, University of South Wales

Committee Staff:

Rhys Morgan (Clerk)

Mared Llwyd (Second Clerk)

Angharad Roche (Deputy Clerk)

Gwennan Hardy

Masudah Ali

 

<AI1>

1       Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

The Chair welcomed witnesses and Members to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Mick Antonw, MS and Julie Morgan, MS.

No substitutions or any declarations of interest were made.

 

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       Stage one scrutiny of the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill: evidence session two

Members heard evidence from:

Polly Winn, RNID

Sarah Thomas, Centre of Sign Sight Sound

</AI2>

<AI3>

3       Stage one scrutiny of the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill: evidence session three

 

Members heard evidence from:

Tom Lichy, British Deaf Association

Martin Griffiths, British Deaf Association

Cath Booth, Wales Council for Deaf People

Charles Hampton, Wales Council for Deaf People

</AI3>

<AI4>

4       Stage one scrutiny of the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill: evidence session four

 

Members heard evidence from:

Jemina Napier, Herriot-Watt University

Biao Zeng, University of South Wales

</AI4>

<AI5>

5       Papers to note

Members noted the papers.

</AI5>

<AI6>

5.1   Correspondence from the Children's Legal Centre Wales to the Chair regarding Deprivation of Liberty Orders for children and “If Not Now, Then When? Radical Reform for Care-Experienced Children and Young People” Inquiry recommendations

</AI6>

<AI7>

5.2   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Education to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and the Constitution Committee regarding the Memorandum of Understanding Welsh Ministers and HM Prison and Probation Service

</AI7>

<AI8>

5.3   Correspondence from Mark Isherwood to the Chair regarding the British Sign Language (Wales )Bill

</AI8>

<AI9>

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

 

Members agreed the motion.

</AI9>

<AI10>

7       Stage one scrutiny of the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill: consideration of the evidence

Members considered the evidence.

</AI10>

<AI11>

8       Social Cohesion: consideration of draft report

 

 

Members considered the revised report and agreed for the final changes to be circulated and agreed following the meeting.

</AI11>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1.          FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.          FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

 

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1          FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

 

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2          FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>