Labour pledge to enshrine human rights into Welsh law delayed

Published

9 months ago

September 17, 2024

PLANS to enshrine international human rights treaties into Welsh law will no longer be brought forward by 2026 despite a manifesto commitment, a committee heard.

Labour’s 2021 Senedd manifesto pledged to incorporate United Nations conventions on rights of disabled people and the elimination of discrimination against women.

But the Senedd’s equality and social justice committee was told the Welsh Government will not introduce legislation on the UN treaties before the election in May 2026.

Simon Hoffman, a professor in law at Swansea University who specialises in human rights, led 2021 research on advancing equality and human rights in Wales.

In his written evidence to the inquiry, Prof Hoffman said preparatory work will not be complete in time for legislation to be brought forward during the current Senedd term.

He told the meeting: “I don’t think we can achieve what was in the recommendation…. I think the best we can think about is possibly a green paper and a timeline.”

Witnesses warned a lack of time and money has harmed efforts to incorporate UN treaties.

Charles Whitmore, a research associate at Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre, chairs a working group that is exploring the legislative options.

He told the committee: “We do not have any financial resource so far made available to pay for time to do the work, so invariably it proceeds at a pace that matches voluntary capacity.”

Cautioning that incorporation could be “quite far away”, Mr Whitmore said: “I don’t know if we’re at the stage of being able to put a timeframe against this yet.”

Jenny Rathbone, who chairs the equality committee, raised concern about delays, criticising the previous UK Government’s “schizophrenic attitude” towards human rights.

“Time marches on and we’re only 18 months away from wrapping up this term,” she said.

Her Labour colleague Julie Morgan questioned whether there has been a shift in view from Welsh ministers, asking witnesses if incorporation still holds value.

Sioned Williams, Plaid Cymru’s shadow social justice secretary, similarly asked whether there has been any cooling of enthusiasm towards enshrining rights.

And Joel James, her Conservative counterpart, contrasted “warm words” from ministers with an “implementation gap” on the ground.

Mr Whitmore agreed about the need to protect against “regression” in human rights at a UK level, saying the “alarming” pace of legislation drained capacity and hampered work.

Prof Hoffman, who is secretary of the Senedd’s cross-party group on human rights, said incorporation should remain firmly on the agenda.

“Legal recognition of rights is a significant step,” he told committee members.

Prof Hoffman said incorporation of rights would raise awareness, signal importance, influence policy development and provide for accountability.

He added: “One of the things that incorporation does is it makes human rights enduring … it makes human rights sticky … and I think that is particularly important.”

Prof Hoffman pointed out that Wales’ 2011 Rights of Children and Young Persons Measure places a duty on ministers to have “due regard” to the UN convention on children’s rights.

The expert cautioned that spreading resources too thinly could force a binary choice.

He said: “I think it’s crucially important that we continue on the route towards incorporation while also looking at other ways of doing human rights in practice.”

Prof Hoffman suggested the UK Government’s decision to challenge Scotland’s children’s rights legislation in the Supreme Court has had a chilling effect on work in Wales.

Meanwhile, Mr Whitmore cautioned that the sector is under considerable pressure as he raised the example of the ripple effect caused by the closure of the Chwarae Teg charity.

Sarah Nason, a senior lecturer in administrative law at Bangor University, said public bodies are already subject to many duties and any new ones need to be aligned.

“It’s a question of the duties being clear and consistent,” she said.

Calling for reforms to improve access to justice, Dr Nason raised concerns about cuts to legal aid creating “advice deserts” across the country.

She told the meeting on September 16 that Wales sees “very few” judicial review claims per head of population compared with parts of England and other devolved nations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) painted a mixed picture in its 2023 ‘state of the nation’ report, entitled Is Wales Fairer?.

Warning poverty remains a persistent problem in Wales, the EHRC raised concerns about one-in-four children living in relative income poverty.

The commission also found educational attainment for disabled children in Wales is falling behind other parts of the UK as is the attainment gap for those eligible for free school meals.

And, according to the report, the number of racially and religiously aggravated offences rose 72% from 2017 to 2022 while the number of offences resulting in a charge fell.

Making a total of 19 recommendations to the Welsh Government and other public bodies, the commission called for action to tackle gaps in data and evidence.

But the EHRC welcomed ministers’ commitments and highlighted progress on diversity in public appointments as well as a narrowing of gender pay and disability employment gaps.

Family gathers at Pembroke Dock to honour RAF airman

Published

17 hours ago

June 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FAMILY members from across the UK have travelled to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre to view a new exhibit honouring a wartime RAF airman who served aboard the Sunderland flying boat T9044.

Brother and sister Ross Burrows, from Grimsby, and Nikki Soysa, who travelled from the Hebrides, joined their cousin Shirley Shelley Hutchinson, from Yorkshire, and Ross’s wife Dianne, to view the poignant display dedicated to Wing Commander David Burrows. David was the navigator aboard the Sunderland T9044 on its final mission to Pembroke Dock in November 1940, which tragically sank in the Haven shortly after its arrival.

The family has generously donated Wing Commander Burrows’ logbook, uniforms, and other treasured memorabilia, now thoughtfully incorporated into the Centre’s collection, alongside other artefacts from the T9044.

Ross Burrows praised the Centre’s efforts, saying: “The museum team has created a wonderful exhibit about dad and his story. Their enthusiasm shines through clearly. We’re excited to encourage more family members to visit.”

The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is open Monday to Friday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Community

Carmarthenshire honours local heroes at British Empire Medal ceremony

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SPECIAL presentation ceremony took place at County Hall on 29 May to honour two remarkable individuals who have been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in recognition of their outstanding service. The event, hosted by the newly appointed Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Dot Jones, marked her first official engagement and was attended by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Dyfed, Miss Sara Edwards, who presented the honours on behalf of His Majesty The King.

The British Empire Medal, first established in 1917 and reintroduced in 2012, recognises individuals who have demonstrated hands-on, impactful contributions to their communities. Nominations come directly from the people who witness these contributions every day; colleagues, neighbours and friends, making the honour personal and meaningful.

Mrs Marian Louise Evans was recognised for services to business. As founder and Managing Director of Elevate Business Consultancy, Mrs Evans has delivered transformational change across the sector. As a multi-award-winning professional, she has been widely acknowledged for her leadership, particularly in championing women in business. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she offered vital support to over 2,000 businesses through free resilience sessions and online content, reaching over 300,000 people each month. Her voluntary work has earned her titles such as UK Mentor of the Year and Inspirational Woman of the Decade. She received her medal from the Lord-Lieutenant and was presented with flowers on behalf of Carmarthenshire County Council by Lord-Lieutenant Cadet Chloe Faulkner.

Miss Judith Harvey received the British Empire Medal for services to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Having begun her career as one of the UK’s first female wardens, she has dedicated her life to conservation, land management and inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders. As Head Warden since 2012, Miss Harvey has mentored countless apprentices and volunteers, led significant restoration projects and worked passionately to protect the park’s ecosystems and heritage. She was presented with her medal by the Lord-Lieutenant and flowers from Lord-Lieutenant Cadet Zuzzana Radkowska, before addressing the audience in a moving speech.

Closing the ceremony, the Chair of the Council praised both recipients for their service and reflected on the importance of role models in public life, especially for women and girls. She noted the growing presence of women in leadership roles, while recognising that progress must continue at all levels of local democracy. Their achievements, she said, lay a strong foundation for others to follow.

Cllr Phillip Hughes, Cabinet Member for Organisation & Workforce, said: “These awards are a true testament to the power of local action and leadership. Marian and Judith exemplify the values of dedication, service and inspiration. We are proud to celebrate their success and the example they set for others in our communities.”

Community

Public feedback on Newgale Coastal Adaptation Plan under review

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL confirmed that feedback gathered during the recent statutory consultation on the Newgale Coastal Adaptation Phase 1 proposals is now being reviewed.

The Statutory Pre-Application Consultation (sPAC) ran from Monday, April 14, to Sunday, May 11, in line with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Wales) Order 2012 (as amended).

The council has thanked all residents and stakeholders who submitted responses. The project team is now carefully considering the feedback as it prepares the planning application, which will be submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. All comments received during the consultation will be included as part of the submission.

The Newgale Coastal Adaptation Plan is a major infrastructure project aimed at managing long-term coastal change in the area, which has faced repeated flooding and road closures due to severe weather events.

Further information, including the background to the project, stakeholder engagement updates, technical assessments, and a project timeline, can be found on the Newgale Coastal Adaptation website.

A detailed Q&A section is also available, and members of the public are encouraged to register via the ‘Contact Us’ page to receive future updates.