Tag: 2022

PRESS RELEASE : “We are committed to embedding the Social Model of Disability and removing the barriers that are limiting the independence of disabled people,” Welsh Minister vows on International Day of Disabled People [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 3 December 2022.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt has reaffirmed the Welsh Government’s commitment to the Social Model of Disability after hearing from disabled people about the barriers they have had to overcome in society in Wales.

Speaking on International Day of Disabled People (December 3), after meeting people at the Dewis Centre for Independent Living earlier this week, the Minister said the day ‘helps us highlight just how many people experience disability-based discrimination’.

She added that direct payments were ‘crucial’ to help disabled people have independence and the Welsh Government was committed to widening their use. During the Minister’s visit to Dewis, along with the Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan, she met representatives from both Dow Silicones UK Ltd and Admiral, to hear from both companies about how they use the Social Model of Disability in their recruitment and everyday work.

Kim Eversham from Dow, who attended the event with a number of their Project SEARCH interns, said:

We have been running our Project SEARCH programme for four years and, through the programme, have facilitated ‘Learning Disability’ training for Dow employees to spread awareness, change mindsets and attitudes towards learning disabilities.

Through Project SEARCH, we are committed to changing the lives of young people with learning disabilities and autism and supporting individuals to find meaningful jobs.

Paul Billington, Admiral’s Wellbeing and Workplace Support Manager, said:

Diversity is truly valued here, and we work hard to create a working environment where everyone is heard and supported.

We’re committed to providing opportunity to all by removing barriers in the workplace and broadening the conversation of inclusivity and equality.

Our dedicated Wellbeing and Workplace Support team is available to listen to concerns, implement personalised adjustments, and unlock the full potential of all current and future colleagues.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said the Welsh Government has established a Disability Rights Taskforce and was striving to ensure that disabled people are able to control their own lives and enjoy all the benefits and rights that others take for granted.

She said:

The Disability Rights Taskforce and its working groups are meeting regularly and founded on the basis of co-production and mutual respect. They are developing solutions to challenge the structural, physical, and attitudinal barriers that disabled people face which will form our new Disability Rights Action Plan for Wales.

This will build on the ‘Action on Disability: The Right to Independent Living’ framework. With this, we can positively lay the foundations for a truly inclusive Wales.

The Minister added:

Promoting and embedding the Social Model of Disability, in both Welsh Government and public bodies across Wales, is a firm priority of this Government.

Through helping those who, make decisions and develop policy to understand their part in pulling down the barriers that ‘disable’ people, real transformation can begin.

December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Minister opens Cardiff’s new state-of-the art ambulance station [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 2 December 2022.

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, officially opened the Welsh Ambulance Service’s new station in Cardiff yesterday.

The £8 million Welsh Government-funded facility in Pontprennau is the new home of both emergency and non-emergency crews, previously based at the Blackweir station.

The Cycle Response Unit is also based in the new facility, which includes a ‘Make Ready Depot’ where dedicated Fleet Assistants clean and re-stock vehicles, enabling clinicians to spend more time serving patients in the community.

Cardiff’s Healthy Travel Charter has been central to the design of the station, which has electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage, bat boxes and a rainwater harvesting system, which enables water to be re-used for vehicle cleaning.

The Minister also visited the station’s new immersive training room, where simulation technology will recreate real-life scenarios to put students’ skills to the test.

The new station is part of a programme of work to modernise the Welsh Ambulance Service’s estate.

Eluned Morgan said:

I am delighted to officially open Cardiff’s new ambulance station, providing crews with the base they deserve. The state-of-the art facilities will increase the time crews can spend with sick or injured people, as well as excellent training facilities for new and current staff.

Alongside the £3m we’re investing to recruit around 100 additional frontline staff and introduce a new ‘Cymru High Acuity Response Unit’ (CHARU) service, our new ambulance infrastructure will provide a range of benefits to our ambulance staff and the communities they serve.

Chris Willis, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Locality Manager for Cardiff, said:

This project has been many years in the pipeline so we’re thrilled that it’s operational. We have fond memories of our time at Blackweir station, but the building was of its time and no longer fit-for-purpose.

This is a 21st century ambulance station to be proud of, and it means that crews finally get the facilities they deserve, which ultimately means a better service for people in Cardiff.

The Make Ready Depot in particular is a huge advance and not only frees up crews to spend more time in the community but also improves infection control, which is more important than ever.

Chris Turley, the Trust’s Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources, added:

One of our key priorities as an organisation is to ensure our people have access to facilities that are safe, well maintained and fit-for-purpose and which allow them to serve communities to the best of their ability.

We’re grateful to Welsh Government for their investment in this project.

December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : More than 500 people from Ukraine find a place of their own in Wales [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 1 December 2022.

More than 500 people from Ukraine have moved into longer-term accommodation after being supported through the Welsh Government’s super sponsor scheme.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt today said it shows Wales is truly a Nation of Sanctuary.

The latest figures show almost 3,000 people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, who have been directly sponsored by the Welsh Government, have arrived in Wales.

I’m proud we have been able to welcome so many people here and humbled so many people are living independently in Wales,” the Minister said.

I also want to thank everyone who has opened their home to provide sanctuary and safety to someone from Ukraine.

People arriving in Wales via the Welsh Government’s super sponsor route have stayed in welcome centres and in initial accommodation, including hotels, universities and holiday parks, across the country.

Wrap-around support has been available in the initial accommodation to help people find work and enrol children in schools as they settle into life in Wales. Many Ukrainians are now moving on from this initial accommodation into homes of their own.

This is part of the Welsh Government’s strategy to help people settle into more permanent accommodation. Policies are in place to support local authorities to help people put down roots in Wales.

Many Ukrainian arrivals are finding work in their chosen sectors – they have the skills and expertise Welsh businesses need.

Iryna arrived in Wales and spent time in a welcome centre earlier this year. After she was seen meeting the First Minister in media coverage, she was approached by a Swansea-based company looking for someone with her particular skillset.

Power and Water, a wastewater treatment company, had struggled to find the right candidate with the necessary experience and, after meeting her, she now works as a graduate process engineer.

Harry Cowan, CEO of Power and Water, said:

Iryna holds a biology and chemical engineering degree and a Masters in Electro Coagulation Processing – she was exactly the candidate we had been looking to employ. Her knowledge and attitude is remarkable and we have no doubt she will make a major contribution to our business.

This really is a win-win situation for all of us. We have an exceptional candidate who will positively contribute to our product development and business and we also feel a sense of pride as a business that we are able to contribute in a small way to normalising Iryna’s life a little – and, more importantly, ensure her life does not stop during these uncertain times for her.

Iryna, who has now found her own place to live and settled into her new job, said:

I would like to say a massive thank you for the welcome I have had to Wales and for being given the opportunity to build a new life here.

If I hadn’t been given support when I first arrived here it doesn’t bear thinking about.

I was delighted when Power and Water approached me and am grateful for them for showing faith in me.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt added:

We continue to show our support for people from Ukraine and are committed to being a Nation of Sanctuary.

More than 500 people have now moved on from initial accommodation into a place of their own.

We are continuing to work with local authorities and the third sector to support move on. This includes bringing forward more longer-term accommodation for everyone in housing need through our £60m Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme.

December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Ben Tidswell appointed as Competition Service member [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 5 December 2022.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps has appointed Ben Tidswell as a member of the Competition Service.

The Competition Service is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It was established by the Enterprise Act 2002 to fund and provide support services (including the provision of staff, accommodation and equipment) to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT).

Biography

Ben Tidswell is a Chairman at the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand in 1988 and joined City firm Ashurst in 1993, becoming admitted to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales in 1994, and a solicitor advocate in 1999. A partner in the London Disputes practice at Ashurst since 2000, he has worked on a wide range of commercial litigation and regulatory matters, including several cases before the Tribunal over a period of almost 20 years.

He was the Global Chairman of Ashurst from 2013 to 2021. He was appointed as a non-executive director of Post Office Limited on 27 July 2021.

December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Millions of Britons to be able to request flexible working on day one of employment [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 5 December 2022.
- Millions of employees will receive day one right to request flexible working, empowering workers to have a greater say over when, where, and how they work
- businesses set to benefit from higher productivity and staff retention as a result
- around 1.5 million low paid workers will be given even more flexibility, with new law coming into force to remove exclusivity clause restrictions, allowing them to work for multiple employers if they wish
Millions of employees will be able to request flexible working from day one of their employment, under new government plans to make flexible working the default.

Flexible working doesn’t just mean a combination of working from home and in the office – it can mean employees making use of job-sharing, flexitime, and working compressed, annualised, or staggered hours.

The raft of new measures will give employees greater access to flexibility over where, when, and how they work, leading to happier, more productive staff. Flexible working has been found to help employees balance their work and home life, especially supporting those who have commitments or responsibilities such as caring for children or vulnerable people.

Alongside the clear benefits to employees, there is also a strong business case for flexible working. By removing some of the invisible restrictions to jobs, flexible working creates a more diverse working environment and workforce, which studies have shown leads to improved financial returns.

Today’s announcement comes alongside new laws coming into effect that will allow Britain’s lowest paid workers to work more flexibly and boost their income through extra work.

Minister for Small Business Kevin Hollinrake said:

Giving staff more say over their working pattern makes for happier employees and more productive businesses. Put simply, it’s a no-brainer.

Greater flexibility over where, when, and how people work is an integral part of our plan to make the UK the best place in the world to work.

Exclusivity clauses

Workers on contracts with a guaranteed weekly income on or below the Lower Earnings Limit of £123 a week will now be protected from exclusivity clauses being enforced against them, which restricted them from working for multiple employers.

These reforms will ensure around 1.5 million low paid workers can make the most of the opportunities available to them such as working multiple short-term contracts. This will particularly benefit those who need more flexibility over where and when they work, for example students or people with caring responsibilities.

While not everyone will want a second job, today’s laws on exclusivity clauses remove unnecessary red tape that prevents those who do – for example gig economy workers, younger people, or carers who cannot commit to a full-time role. The laws will also help businesses plug crucial staffing gaps by giving employers access to recruit from a wider talent pool.

Flexible working

If an employer cannot accommodate a request to work flexibly, they will be required to discuss alternative options before they can reject the request. For example, if it is not possible to change an employee’s working hours on all days, they could consider making the change for certain days instead.

The new legislation, backed in the government’s response to the Making flexible working the default consultation, will also remove the requirement for employees to set out the effects of their flexible working requests to employers, removing a large administrative burden for both sides.

The ‘Making flexible working the default’ consultation recognised that flexible working is different for every employee, employer, and sector – it does not come in one size only. For an office worker, they may benefit from a job-share so they can better care for their children, or a factory worker may request different shift patterns that suit their balance between home and work. Because of this, the government will not instruct employers or employees on how to carry out their work, instead we encourage both parties have constructive and open-minded conversations about flexible working and find arrangements that work for each side.
December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New EHRC commissioners appointed [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 4 December 2022.
Minister for Women and Equalities appoints two new Commissioners to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Board

With a track record of promoting racial equality and free expression, they each bring experience and expertise to the equality regulator

Alasdair Henderson and Eryl Besse also named as Deputy Chairs of the Board

Kunle Olulode MBE and Arif Ahmed MBE will provide the EHRC with a diversity of skills and backgrounds to carry out its important work promoting equality and human rights across the UK.

Minister for Women and Equalities and Trade Secretary, Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, said:

“Under Baroness Falkner, the EHRC is performing a vital national service as an impartial regulator enforcing anti-discrimination legislation and defending human rights.

“These new appointments will provide the Commission with the skills and expertise it needs to make a positive impact on lives across Britain.”

The new appointments bring strong backgrounds to their new roles:

Kunle Olulode MBE is Director of Voice4Change England, an ethnic minority charity and infrastructure support body. As a trade union activist he led the Camden Black Workers staff group from 2002-2011. He represented more than 500 Black and Asian staff members and founded its award-winning Camden Black History Forum. He is also a trustee of the English Heritage Trust and, in 2017, became one of its first black board members.

Arif Ahmed MBE is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He writes mainly on decision theory, but also has an interest in religion. He was awarded an MBE for services to education in 2021.

Alasdair Henderson and Eryl Besse have also been appointed as Deputy Chairs of the Board. Eryl Besse was previously appointed as Wales Commissioner in April 2022 on a 4 year term. Alasdair Henderson was first appointed as a commissioner in April 2018 and will now serve as Deputy Chair until 2026.

The EHRC was reaccredited as an ‘A’ Status UN National Human Rights Institution in October 2022. The “A” status denotes “full compliance” with the Paris Principles.
December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Economic value of the UK’s individual trees revealed for first time [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 December 2022.

The economic value of individual trees planted outside of our forests and woodlands has been revealed for the first time today (Sunday 4 December) at £3.8 billion. The figures are revealed in a new groundbreaking study published by Forest Research and Defra as part of National Tree Week.

Trees outside woodlands are defined as single trees in urban and rural areas and are some of the most iconic trees in our landscape, ranging from the classic, spreading hedgerow to the single trees lining our streets, making up almost a quarter of trees in Great Britain.

The valuation is based on the important role they play in sequestering and storing carbon, regulating temperatures, strengthening flood resilience and reducing noise and air pollution. Together, these help to mitigate against climate change, reducing damage to infrastructure and people from the impact of flooding, cooling our cities in summer and improving health and wellbeing.

By quantifying their significant value, the report will help to incentivise councils, land managers and local communities to plant more trees outside of woodlands for the varied and numerous benefits they provide. As outlined in our England Trees Action Plan, this will contribute to wider Government efforts to treble planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament and achieve net zero by 2050.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said:

Today’s groundbreaking research reaffirms the unique value of non-woodland trees which exist all around us – from the trees lining our streets to those dotted around our beautiful countryside.

It makes clear the immense environmental and economic value and benefits trees bring to society which cannot be underestimated. As set out in our England Trees Action Plan, we have committed to trebling tree planting rates in England by 2024 and by quantifying the significant value of trees, this research will help to incentivise planting in our communities across our country.

Kieron Doick, Head of the Urban Forest Research Group, Forest Research said:

Trees outside of woodlands are all around us: in our gardens, along our roads, in our parks and open green spaces. Understanding their value can help make sure councils and landowners invest in the planting of more trees, and their aftercare so that they may continue to provide us with their abundant beauty and benefit.

While our valuation of non-woodland trees is substantial, we recognise that our research valued just a handful of the many benefits that trees provide. Future research will allow greater understanding and increased values as more of the benefits are included.

Our report shows that trees are valuable infrastructure assets across multiple land uses, much as one might think about lampposts or drains. Moreover, it highlights the much greater role of mature trees in delivering benefit to society – in comparison to their younger counterparts.

Richard Stanford, Chief Executive, Forestry Commission, said:

This first-of-its-kind research demonstrates the dynamism of trees outside woodlands – from tackling many of the prevailing issues of our time, like air quality and climate change, to damping down noise and helping people to get a better night’s sleep.

This landmark report will inform the continued rollout of our England Trees Action Plan and be instrumental to future policymaking. Continuing to make informed decisions based on robust scientific evidence will help us to realise the numerous environmental, economic and social benefits that trees provide – now and in the future.

The report also estimates the Natural Capital Value of non-woodland trees to be between £68.5 billion and £151.5 billion, in 2020 prices. This represents the value of the trees over the course of a century and provides a useful means of comparison to other natural assets.

In 2021/22, over half a million trees were planted outside of woodlands thanks to Government grants, such as the Urban Tree Challenge Fund, boosting deprived urban areas; the Local Authority Treescapes Fund accelerating tree planting in local communities; and the Levelling Up Parks Fund which helps people across England to benefit from spending time in nature.

December 5, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : More incentives to join the teaching profession announced by Welsh Government [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 November 2022.

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, has today announced several changes to support and encourage more people to join the teaching profession.

To help support eligible postgraduate student teachers during the cost-of-living crisis a new payment structure will see eligible student teachers being paid a larger amount after their first term rather than at the end of their induction period. It’s hoped that the new payment structure will support eligible learners with funds when they need it most during the start of their course. Helping to buy supplies for their training and helping with the cost-of-living.

It has also been confirmed that a GCSE grade of C in English and/or Welsh and in Mathematics will replace the current requirement of B grade. It is considered that the B grade was an unnecessary barrier to teaching, and now puts Wales in line with the rest of the UK.

The Welsh Government has also announced today that the number of Salaried PGCE places will increase from 120 to 160 in 2023 to 2024, to be used with Primary or Secondary education.

The Salaried PGCE helps remove barriers for those wishing to enter the teaching profession enabling student teachers to maintain their current commitments, including employment and income, whilst studying to be a teacher.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, said:

I have announced these changes to incentives today in order to support those already training and to help attract more people to the profession.

With the roll out of our new curriculum, this is an incredibly exciting time for education in Wales and for people to join.

I’m determined that we remove barriers into teaching so we can give school pupils the best possible education, especially in priority subjects where the demand for new teachers is highest.

December 4, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Support package announced for people affected by the closure of Menai Suspension Bridge [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 November 2022.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters will visit the Menai Suspension Bridge today where he will unveil a package of support to ease the transport pressures on people travelling to and from Anglesey.

The Deputy Minister, who has responsibility for transport, will also meet with representatives from Gwynedd and Anglesey councils to discuss the important maintenance works.

The new package put together in partnership with UK Highways A55 Ltd and Anglesey and Gwynedd County Councils, includes an extensive range of measures, including free parking, traffic flow solutions, access to active travel routes and additional bus stops to support people affected by the bridge closure.

From 1 December free parking will be available at car parks in Menai Bridge town and at the two park and share sites throughout December and January. This practical support measure has been put in place to assist local businesses dependent on Christmas trade, help reduce the numbers of vehicles wishing to cross the A55 Britannia Bridge and ease commuting times for those seeking to travel to and from Anglesey. These steps have been taken in addition to other signage measures that are currently in place.

To assist with the loss of bus services on the island following the closure of the bridge, the council has provided additional stops closer to the Menai Suspension Bridge to allow the general public to travel by bus and walk across the bridge instead of being potentially held-up in traffic on the A55. They are also using their community transport to help the more rural communities affected by the bridge closure.

Local authorities are also considering active travel routes to allow cyclists to use ‘hire bikes’ to potentially be used in Menai Bridge and Bangor.

An emergency services contingency plan to utilise Menai Suspension Bridge when the A55 Britannia Bridge is closed has been developed and the gates on the Menai Suspension Bridge to allow emergency access across the structure during very extreme events were installed last week.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters said:

We understand people’s frustrations and the inconvenience and disruption caused to the local community.

“We have been working closely with UK Highways A55 Ltd and local authorities to introduce these measures to help alleviate people’s concerns and ensure disruption is kept to a minimum as essential work continues on the Menai Suspension Bridge.

Anglesey Council’s Leader, Councillor Llinos Medi, said,

We are pleased to see these support measures introduced today. Since the closure of the Menai Suspension Bridge, we have been strongly advocating for support to be provided to local businesses.

The Menai Suspension Bridge is a vital gateway to and from the town centre. We are hopeful these set of measures will go some way to help support local businesses that have reported a fall in trade since the closure of the bridge.

We are currently analysing the results from a recent online survey shared with local businesses. This work will enable us to continue dialogue with Welsh Government in respect of further support, if needed, throughout the closure period. Menai Bridge is very much open for business, and I encourage residents and visitors to visit the town and support local businesses in the area.

December 4, 2022
Julie Morgan – 2022 Statement on the Review into the Death of Logan Mwangi

The statement made by Julie Morgan, the Welsh Deputy Minister for Social Services, on 29 November 2022.

Diolch, Llywydd. The death of any child is a cause of great sadness and I want to start by expressing my own deep sorrow at Logan Mwangi’s death, and to take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to Mr Ben Mwangi and Logan’s wider family for their awful loss.

The publication last week of the child practice review following the murder of Logan has, I am sure, been an extremely difficult time for Logan’s father and family, especially as it has brought to public attention further details regarding the events that resulted in Logan’s life being taken at such an early age. My heart goes out to him and to everyone affected by Logan’s death.

I have read the report very carefully and I understand and accept the learning themes and recommendations made. At this stage, it would not be appropriate for me to respond in precise detail to all of the recommendations made, as further conversations are necessary with service providers. However, I am wholly committed to doing everything in my power to protect children and to pursue through the courts those who inflict such dreadful pain and misery on the most vulnerable in our society, and I will keep Members informed as work progresses.

The purpose of the child practice review is not that of investigation, but to consider our services and help us to learn what we can to improve what we can do to protect children. I am grateful to the review panel for ensuring that they considered areas of learning that have been identified in other reviews throughout Wales and England while conducting this child practice review. It is right that we continue to consider the learning from other such tragic incidents in formulating the approach that is required to make improvements to ensure the protection of children in Wales.

It is, however, a sad and recurring fact that such reviews share, in many cases, similar themes, particularly regarding challenges in sharing knowledge and information across agencies, issues regarding systems and processes, and concerns about leadership and culture. We would all wish for a world where such events as these could never happen and that this would be the last case of its kind. That we cannot always identify individuals who could act like those convicted of Logan’s murder would suggest that it won’t be. However, that must not prevent us from doing everything in our power to reduce the risk as much as we can and provide the help that children in Logan’s position need and deserve.

The review clearly demonstrates that there is scope for practice improvement. Our focus must be to concentrate on the four key learning themes identified within the review that must be considered with the same care and urgency as the 10 local and five national recommendations identified. The learning themes identified are described in the report as being systematic and not isolated instances of individual error or poor practice. It is clear to see from the review that the recommendations are not allocated to one single agency. Child protection requires a multi-agency approach and, as such, all actions required to address these learning themes and implement the recommendations must be taken forward together, based on shared responsibility.

The National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 set out the statutory duties for local authorities and local health boards in Wales. While these agencies, of course, must always adhere to such legislation, I will be looking to strengthen the ways in which agencies in Wales work more closely together to deliver our essential services. We all have a responsibility to implement the learning identified within this child practice review and to work together to carry out the actions required to effect change in the systems in which our professionals work and to support them in delivering their work. I expect all relevant agencies to consider the child practice review in full, to take immediate steps to consider how each theme and recommendation applies to them, and to identify how the learning themes and recommendations can be acted upon within the areas for which they are responsible. I will be contacting the senior leaders of agencies who have a responsibility in taking forward the recommendations of the review to ascertain their intended course of action in terms of their response to the child practice review.

Welsh Government has a key strategic role in protecting children, especially the most vulnerable, and I fully accept my role as a Minister in that. In the light of this review and following the report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and work already under way in relation to our children’s services transformation programme and elsewhere, I will be accelerating work on a national practice framework to help inform decision making in children’s services. The framework will be a key foundation for how we work in Wales to ensure the best outcomes for our most vulnerable children. It’ll help us achieve greater commonality and more seamless working at local, regional and national level so that we can support children to remain with their families, and provide them with the support they need as we transition to fitting services around people, not people around services.

Care Inspectorate Wales have agreed to undertake a rapid review of structures and processes in place to inform decisions about how a child is added to or removed from a child protection register, and I will act on their findings, as necessary. I am aware of the calls for an independent inquiry into children’s services in Wales. Having now read the child practice review, I remain convinced that the time is now for action and not for further review. The findings and recommendations of the child practice review have been generated with consideration of other reviews in England and Wales, and it must be our priority to do what we can now and not wait for another report to tell us what we know already that we have to do.

To improve the multi-agency approach that I have outlined today, I want to remind Members that we are in the final stages of developing the single unified safeguarding review, which has been developed jointly with stakeholders across Wales. The single unified safeguarding review has been developed to reduce the need for multiple reviews against a same single incident, enabling the swifter completion of reviews, such as child and adult practice reviews, to identify and implement all learning more quickly and on a pan-Wales basis. The draft statutory guidance to support the single unified safeguarding review will be subject to a public consultation exercise, which is planned for early in the new year.

Whilst it’s not routine practice to respond to child practice reviews, I and my Cabinet colleagues felt that it was entirely appropriate to recognise the publication of this review, and I’d like to take this opportunity to personally apologise to Mr Ben Mwangi and his family for the failings that contributed to the tragic loss of Logan’s young life. Diolch.

December 3, 2022