Inquiry into COVID-19 and its impact on matters relating to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee’s remit
Inquiry into COVID-19 and its impact on matters relating to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee’s remit
Inquiry5
The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee undertook an inquiry into the Covid-19 outbreak in Wales. The consultation has now been closed, due to the dissolution of the Fifth Senedd.
The inquiry considered the impact of coronavirus, and the response to it, on the following areas:
- Local government;
- Housing;
- Equalities;
- Tackling poverty;
- Human rights; and
- Any other issues within the committee’s portfolio.
In October 2020 the Committee agreed to focus particularly on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the voluntary sector. A new consultation letter was issued for this work.
Evidence Gathering
The Committee held a number of evidence sessions to inform its work, which can be viewed in the table below.
Impact of COVID-19 on the voluntary sector
Evidence session |
Date |
Transcript |
Video |
Ruth
Marks, Chief Executive, WCVA Fiona
Liddell, Manager, Helpforce Cymru Noreen
Blanluet, Lead consultant, Co-production Network for Wales Kate
Griffiths, Director for Wales, British Red Cross Jas
Bains, Chief Executive, Hafod Carol
Mack, Chair, Wales Funders Forum Rebecca
Watkins, Foundation Director, Moondance Foundation Richard
Williams, Chief Executive, Community Foundation Wales John
Rose, Wales Director, National Lottery Community Fund |
|||
Nesta
Lloyd-Jones, Assistant Director, NHS Confederation Hayley
Thomas, Executive Director of Planning and Performance, Powys Teaching Health
Board Councillor
Andrew Morgan, Leader, Welsh Local Government Association Daniel
Hurford, Head of Policy (Improvement and Governance), Welsh Local Government
Association Amanda
Carr, Director, Swansea Council for Voluntary Service Bethan
Russell Williams, Chief Officer, Mantell Gwynedd Chris
Johnes, Chief Executive, Building Communities Trust Patience
Bentu, National Community Engagement Lead, Race Council Cymru Rocio
Cifuentes, Chief Executive, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales
(EYST) |
|||
Jane
Hutt MS, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip |
Impact of COVID-19 on matters within the Committee’s
portfolio
Evidence session |
Date |
Transcript |
Video |
Julie
James MS, Minister for Housing and Local Government |
|||
Jane
Hutt MS, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip |
|||
Sara
Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive, Welsh Women’s Aid Yasmin
Khan, National Adviser for Violence against Women, other forms of
Gender-Based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence |
|||
Ruth
Coombs, Head of Equality and Human Rights Commission Wales Hannah
Wharf, Principle External Affairs, Equality and Human Rights Commission Wales Heléna
Herklots, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales Victoria
Lloyd, Chief Executive, Age Cymru Patience
Bentu, Administration and Policy Support Officer, Race Council Cymru Rocio
Cifuentes, Chief Executive, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team (EYST)
Wales |
|||
Miranda
Evans, Policy and Programmes Officer, Disability Wales Megan
Thomas, Policy Officer, Disability Wales Zoe
Richards, Chief Executive, Learning Disability Wales Ansley
Workman, Director, RNIB Cymru Nathan
Owen, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, RNIB Cymru Steffan
Evans, Policy and Research Officer, The Bevan Foundation Claire
Thomas, Policy and Research Officer, The Bevan Foundation Rachel
Cable, Head of Oxfam Cymru Gwennan
Hardy, Senior Policy Officer, Citizens Advice Cymru Catherine
Fookes, Director, Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales Cerys
Furlong, Chief Executive, Chwarae Teg Robert
Visintainer, Project Manager, Men’s Sheds Cymru |
|||
Rhys
Gwilym-Taylor, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Crisis Jennie
Bibbings, Campaigns Manager, Shelter Cymru Katie
Dalton, Director, Cymorth Cymru Clarissa
Corbisiero, Director of Policy and External Affairs / Deputy Chief Executive,
Community Housing Cymru Matt
Dicks, Director, CIH Cymru Cllr
Andrea Lewis, Housing Spokesperson, Welsh Local Government Association Jim
McKirdle, Housing Policy Officer, Welsh Local Government Association Calum
Davies, Welsh Policy & Public Affairs Officer, National Residential
Landlords Association |
|||
Cllr
Andrew Morgan, WLGA Leader Cllr
Emlyn Dole, WLGA Plaid Cymru Group Leader Cllr
Peter Fox, WLGA Conservative Group Leader Cllr
Hugh Evans, WLGA Independent Group Leader Chris
Llewelyn, Chief Executive, WLGA |
Report
The Committee published its report: Impact of COVID-19 on the voluntary sector (PDF, 1.04MB) 2 February 2021.
The Welsh Government responded to the report in March 2021.
The Committee published its report: Into sharp relief - inequality and the pandemic (PDF, 478KB) Monday 10 August 2020.
The Welsh Government responded to the report. A debate on the report and government response was held in Plenary on 7 October 2020.
On publication of the report “Into sharp relief – inequality and the pandemic”, John Griffiths MS, Chair of the Committee said:
"The impact of COVID-19 has hit Wales hard and disproportionately affected already disadvantaged groups in society. We must learn lessons from what has happened and we must act fast to support those who've been hit hardest.”
Business type: Committee Inquiry
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: Complete
First published: 29/04/2020
Documents
- Consultation letter - impact of the pandemic on the voluntary sector PDF 235 KB
- Report: Into sharp relief: inequality and the pandemic PDF 478 KB
- Welsh Government response to report "Into sharp relief: inequality and the pandemic" PDF 898 KB
- Report on the impact of COVID-19 on the voluntary sector
- Welsh Government response to the report on the impact of COVID-19 on the voluntary sector PDF 435 KB
- Report from the Bevan Foundation "Different experiences of poverty in Winter 2020" in relation to the impact of COVID-19 - February 2021
- Report from the British Red Cross "The longest year" in relation to the impact of COVID-19 - 19 February 2021
- Letter from the Bevan Foundation to the First Minister in relation to poverty and COVID-19 - 4 December 2020
- Letter from the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip following the evidence session on 16 November 2020 - 8 December 2020 PDF 257 KB
- Letter from the Older People's Commissioner in relation to the impact on the voluntary sector - 23 November 2020 PDF 367 KB
- Letter to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip - 21 October 2020 PDF 171 KB
- Letter from the Older People's Commissioner for Wales in relation to the inquiry into COVID-19 - 15 October 2020 PDF 527 KB
- Letter from the Public Accounts Committee in relation to the inquiry into COVD-19 - 7 October 2020 PDF 143 KB
- Correspondence from the Older People's Commissioner for Wales in relation to the inquiry into COVID-19 - 17 August 2020 PDF 2 MB
- Correspondence from the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip regarding the impact of Covid-19 on equalities and human rights – 3 August 2020 PDF 555 KB
- Correspondence from the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip regarding the evidence session on 15 May - 30 June 2020 PDF 313 KB
- Correspondence from the Royal College of General Practitioners Wales regarding advance care planning and the committee meeting on 16 June - 23 June 2020 PDF 374 KB
- Letter to the Minister for Health and Social Services and the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip regarding the evidence session on 16 June 2020 - 1 July 2020 PDF 625 KB View as HTML (18) 32 KB
- Response from Minister for Housing and Local Government following evidence session - 10 June 2020 PDF 456 KB
- Letter to the Chair of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee - 8 June 2020 PDF 153 KB
- Correspondence to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, dated 29 May 2020, regarding the evidence session on 14 May PDF 213 KB
- Correspondence to the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the COVID-19 evidence session – 15 May 2020 PDF 186 KB
- Correspondence from Jane Hutt MS, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip to Priti Patel MP, Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding COVID-19 and its impact on BAME Communities - 12 May 2020 PDF 259 KB
- Letter to the Women's Equality Network and the Wales Civil Society Human Rights Stakeholder Group - 28 April 2020 PDF 202 KB
- Letter from the Equality and Human Rights Commission to the Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee in relation to human rights - 20 April 2020 PDF 134 KB
- Letter from the Wales Civil Society Human Rights Stakeholder Group (HRSG) and the Equalities Organisations funded by Welsh Government to the Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee - 8 April 2020 PDF 365 KB View as HTML (26) 6 KB
Consultations