Concise Minutes - Equality and Social Justice Committee


Meeting Venue:

Remote meeting via Zoom

Meeting date: Monday, 16 March 2026

Meeting time: 13.30 - 15.19
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15838


Remote

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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:

 Claire Germain, Deputy Director Tackling Poverty and Supporting Families, Welsh Government

David Willis, Head of Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government

Paul Neave, Head of Social Welfare, Advice and Department for Work and Pensions Policy, Welsh Government

Committee Staff:

Rhys Morgan (Clerk)

Mared Llwyd (Second Clerk)

Angharad Roche (Deputy Clerk)

Claire Thomas (Researcher)

Gareth David Thomas (Researcher)

 

<AI1>

1       Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

No apologies were received.

 

Declarations of interest were made by the following:

Jenny Rathbone stated she is a Trustee at Good Food in Llanedeyrn.

Sioned Williams stated that she is a trustee at PANTRY, a food bank in Pontardawe.

Jane Dodds stated that she established a community meal programme, via her local church

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       Papers to note

Members noted the papers.

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1   Correspondence from Audit Wales to the Finance Committee and the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee regarding challenges and opportunities for Welsh public services

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.2   Correspondence from Ian Barrow Executive Director of HM Prison and Probation Service in Wales and Community Accommodation Service to the Chair regarding cross-government datasets relating to prisoners and their children and families

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.3   Correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee regarding a recent meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.4   Correspondence from the Equality and Human Rights Commission to the Chair regarding Wales Impact Reports

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.5   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip to the Chair regarding the expansion of HMP Parc

</AI7>

<AI8>

2.6   Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales to the Chair regarding the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Armed Forces Bill

</AI8>

<AI9>

2.7   Correspondence from Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan of the South Wales Fire & Rescue Service to the Chair regarding training progress

</AI9>

<AI10>

3       Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public for the remainder of today's meeting

Members agreed the motion.

</AI10>

<AI11>

4       Briefing from Welsh Government officials regarding the Welsh Benefits Charter

Members received a private briefing from the following Welsh Government officials regarding the Welsh Benefits Charter:

 

Claire Germain, Deputy Director Tackling Poverty and Supporting Families, Welsh Government

David Willis, Head of Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government

Paul Neave, Head of Social Welfare, Advice and Department for Work and Pensions Policy, Welsh Government

</AI11>

<AI12>

5       Access to healthy, nutritious and affordable food: consideration of draft report

Members considered the draft report and made a number of small revisions.

</AI12>

<AI13>

6       Armed Forces Bill: consideration of draft report

Members discussed the draft report, made revisions and decided to agree the final report outside of Committee.

</AI13>

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