Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee
Plenary begins at 1.30pm with Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services
Statement by the Llywydd: Update on the establishment of a Youth Parliament for Wales
Debate on the Petitions Committee report: Petition 'Suspend Marine Licence 12/45/ML to dump radioactive marine sediments from the Hinkley Point nuclear site into Wales coastal waters off Cardiff Bay'
Debate on the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee report: Wales' future relationship with Europe. Part one: a view from Wales
Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee report: Flying Start: Outreach
Short Debate: ensuring that dads continue to have a voice and the support to be positive role models in their children’s lives
Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders refers to the Fair Work Board set up by the Welsh Government with the aim of "identifying the steps needed to take place for Wales to become a fair work nation".
She asks "was the Fair Work Board gender balanced?"
"No" replies Julie James.
Asked by Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders what action is being taken to tackle workplace gender stereotyping, Leader of the House Julie James describes the THIS IS ME campaign as "one of the most successful we've run as a government".
The TV, radio and online adverts show people in situations challenging ideas about gender. A man working as a midwife, a woman working as a mechanic, a young man expertly applying make-up and a girl playing with a truck, covered in mud.
Image source, Welsh GovernmentLabour AM for Cardiff Central Jenny Rathbone says "work-less households are not getting the benefit of this enhanced Childcare Offer. That is a concern".
Huw Irranca-Davies says the offer "does not stand in isolation" and there are other policies targeting work-less households.
Julie James, Leader of the House, says "we have a big problem with women returning to STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] careers, so we have to ensure we have offers in place to attract women back into those careers".
It is the Welsh Government's intention that the Childcare Offer will be available in at least part of each local authority in Wales ahead of the national roll-out in September 2020.
A working parent is defined as someone earning more than 16 hours per week at the national minimum wage or national minimum wage, up to a maximum of £100,000. Parents who are away from work on maternity, paternity, adoptive or parental leave are eligible for the Offer.
Labour's Jenny Rathbone says the Childcare Offer "is not enabling many parents to stay in the workforce at the grade they were when they became pregnant".
Huw Irranca-Davies replies "let's not underestimate the significant step forward this will be".
Asked by committee chair John Griffiths asks what evidence is there that the Childcare Offer will meet the government commitment as set out in Taking Wales Forward and expanded upon in Prosperity for All.
Huw Irranca-Davies says as the government is currently testing the Offer through a programme of early implementation, there is "direct evidence that it is releasing around £200-£250 a week of disposable income into a household".
The Offer will provide 30 hours of government-funded early education and childcare to the working parents of three and four year olds for up to 48 weeks a year.
Testing is currently underway in Anglesey, Gwynedd, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Flintshire, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Swansea.
Huw Irranca-Davies
Accompanying Huw Irranca-Davies AM, Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, and Julie James AM, Leader of the House and Chief Whip, are:
Jo-Anne Daniels, Director, Communities & Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government
Owain Lloyd, Deputy Director, Childcare, Play and Early Years Division, Welsh Government.
Bore da.
The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee gets underway in public at 11.30am, with its inquiry into pregnancy, maternity and work in Wales.
