'More to do' to tackle discrimination against BAME communities in Wales, says First Minister

There is "certainly more to do" in tackling the discrimination and disadvantage faced by people from black, asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds in Wales, the First Minister has said.

It comes as a report found a number of socioeconomic and environmental risk factors are contributing to the disproportionate impact coronavirus is having on BAME communities.

Mark Drakeford said that by April, the evidence showed a much higher frequency of people from BAME backgrounds with coronavirus needing critical care.

And further analysis by the Office for National Statistics, published last week, showed black men and women are at a greater risk of death involving coronavirus than all other ethnic groups.

Mr Drakeford said the report findings "point to the need for us to do more to ensure that those who make decisions on behalf of people in Wales, reflect the society in which we live."

He told the daily coronavirus briefing that the report "states in no uncertain terms that the pandemic has further exposed existing racial inequalities in Wales."

Mr Drakeford said the Welsh Government will consider all of the report's proposals, but said that in the short term his government will press ahead with developing a Race Equality Plan for Wales, first announced in early March.

He described a "two-stage risk assessment tool", which is already being used in the NHS and social care settings, that now has the potential to be used in other sectors and workplaces throughout Wales.

He also announced that Estyn, Wales' education and training inspectorate, would ensure its review of Welsh history "takes full account of Welsh, and wider BAME history".

And he said that a helpline is being set up to "provide guidance and support for BAME communities in response to the pandemic."

  • Watch the full briefing below

Asked by journalists about the situation on Anglesey, where 158 workers at a food factory have tested positive for Covid-19, the First Minister could not rule out the possibility of strict local lockdown measures.

Mr Drakeford said another meeting would take place with local officials on Monday afternoon and said the Welsh Government would "take the advice from the people dealing with the outbreak on the island to decide whether there is anything further that needs to be done."

He said any decision would not be "taken lightly", but stressed that the approach would be "proportionate and draw on the evidence."

When asked if the two metre rule - which is understood to be under active review in England - might also be relaxed here in Wales, Mr Drakeford said the health of the public will come first.

"If the advice we get is that it is possible to amend the advice that we give and things can open safely then of course that is what we'll want to do", the First Minister said.

"But we will assess that for ourselves."