Petition Number: P-06-1470 Petition title: Scrap the Racist and ridiculous Anti-Racist Wales Plan Text of petition: Did you know that in 2020/21 the Welsh Gov consulted on a Draft Race Equality Action Plan? Renamed the Anti-Racist Wales Plan? No? ONLY 500 people responded to this consultation in total. This “Plan” is to change government policies in order to meet “Equity” quotas. Not equality. I believe this is discriminatory and racist and based on Critical Race THEORY. And anecdotal personal experiences. Not fact. It warns of the “consequences of a colour-blind approach”. This needs to be scrapped immediately. They say: “From our community engagement, and the responses to our consultation, it became clear that an anti-racist approach was needed”. In my view, this advocates discrimination and racism and is a waste of our funds and will have impacts on the whole of Wales. The introduction of ARWP warns “Frequently, the assumption is made that ‘providing the same for everyone’ will be the most appropriate service. Whereas in fact, taking people’s differences leads to a more sensitive, accessible and effective service. Often the consequence of the colour-blind approach is that ethnic minority people struggle to enter jobs, or to progress, or to receive services appropriate to their needs.” “For us, anti-racism involves actively identifying and getting rid of policies, systems, structures and processes that produce radically different outcomes for ethnic minority groups.” This is disgusting and needs to be scrapped. https://www.gov.wales/introduction-anti-racist-wales-html

 

 

1.        Background

In early 2020, the Welsh Government started work on an action plan for race equality, following calls by the Wales Race Forum, and other grassroots organisations. The disproportionate impact of the pandemic [CT1] on people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, the worldwide condemnation of the murder of George Floyd, and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement shone a light on the entrenched inequalities faced by ethnic minority communities and accelerated the work to develop an action plan.

The First Minister Mark Drakeford set up a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic COVID-19 Advisory Group[CT2]  to examine the impact of the pandemic. Taking forward its recommendations a steering group was set-up[CT3]  to develop a Race Equality Plan for Wales, chaired by Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna and the Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Government.

The Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (ArWAP) [CT4] w[CT5] as published in June 2022. The plan aims to “make a measurable change to the lives of ethnic minority people by tackling racism”.

The Welsh Government has since published a progress report[CT6]  in December 2023 and an updated plan[CT7]  in November 2024.

1.1.            The consultation

Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice to the Petitions Committee on 13 December 2024 questions the petitioners claim that only 500 people responded to the consultation and states that:

In reality, the response was far more extensive, drawing on evidence and feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including public and third sector organisations, community groups, and individuals who have directly experienced the impact of racism.

A draft Race Equality Action Plan was published in March 2021. The draft plan included actions and goals across 13 policy areas plus a number of cross cutting goals. Announcing the publication of the Plan, the then Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt MS said: [CT8] 

There are other distinguishing features within this plan that set it apart from other plans of this nature. The principle of co-creation has been fundamental to the development of the race equality action plan. The content of the plan is grounded in the lived experience of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Wales. Around 2,000 individuals have shared their views on what the plan should include and the plan would not have been possible without their contributions.

A consultation on the draft action plan [CT9] ended in July 2021 and received 330 responses from more than 1,992 individuals in total. The Welsh Government published an analysis of 255 out of the 330 responses, [CT10] explaining that “66 responses have been categorised as responses that either contained racist / offensive comments or focused on issues not related to the content of this consultation”. Key themes are identified on pages 6-7, it states that:

Around 90 per cent of responses supported the ambition of the Plan set out in its vision, purpose, values. However, 89 per cent of responses expressed reservations about whether the Plan, as consulted on, would succeed in delivering that vision. A range of factors were cited in support of these reservations. These included: the size of the Plan; missing actions; inadequate or no reference to monitoring, evaluation and lack of accountability.

In the correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice to the Petitions Committee, she states that the plan does not lead to discrimination against the majority population, but rather “it aims to create a fairer and more inclusive Wales, where everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, has equal opportunities”. By addressing racial inequalities, she states this will make communities more resilient and provide “everyone with the chance to contribute and succeed”, and:

The ArWAP is a necessary, evidence-based plan designed to address systemic inequality and create a fairer Wales for all. The misconceptions in the petition do not reflect the true vision, purpose and values of ArWAP. The Welsh Government remains committed to promoting equality and fairness for all people in Wales and will continue to engage with communities to ensure the plan reflects their experiences and needs.

2.     Welsh Parliament action

In October 2020, the Senedd expressed its support[CT11]  for the “need for a Race Equality Action Plan for Wales to address structural and systemic inequality, and advance opportunity for black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Wales”.

Between March 2023 and February 2024, the Equality and Social Justice Committee held an inquiry into the implementation of the ArWAP [CT12] . The Committee concluded that[CT13]  further work is needed if the Welsh Government is to achieve its vision of an anti-racist Wales. Organisations who shared their views with the Committee endorsed the Plan’s vision and comprehensive scope. However, most raised concerns about the implementation and rate of progress.

 

Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this briefing is correct at the time of publication. Readers should be aware that these briefings are not necessarily updated or otherwise amended to reflect subsequent changes.