Consultation on the LGBTQ+ Action Plan

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning people (LGBTQ+) with the + representing other sexual identities, face very real struggles against disadvantage, inequality and discrimination. We are consulting on an ambitious, cross-government LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales which seeks to tackle the existing structural inequalities experienced by LGBTQ+ communities, to challenge discrimination and to create a society where LGBTQ+ people are safe to live and love authentically, openly and freely as themselves. 

Development of the LGBTQ+ Action Plan

We have worked collaboratively with a wide range of representatives from LGBTQ+ communities to inform the development of this Action Plan. In summer 2020, we commissioned Stonewall Cymru to capture LGBTQ+ people’s lived experiences via a survey (over 600 respondents) and a series of virtual focus groups. This work highlighted what important themes should be considered for the draft Action Plan.

In November 2020, we established an LGBTQ+ External Reference Group to provide advice and guidance and in January 2021, an Independent LGBTQ+ Expert Panel was established to build on Stonewall Cymru’s initial stakeholder engagement and provide strategic advice on advancing LGBTQ+ equality in Wales. The Independent Expert Panel, comprised of people with a depth of community-based, professional, organisational, academic and personal lived experience, met three times to clarify the issues which must be addressed if we are to achieve substantial change and improved outcomes for all LGBTQ+ people in Wales. These meetings were supported by workshops and sub-groups which considered many issues in more detail.

The Welsh Government also commissioned Stonewall Cymru to carry out further stakeholder engagement sessions to support the Independent Expert Panel’s consideration of the intersectional experiences of LGBTQ+ people. The arrangements included virtual roundtable focus groups (representing LGBTQ+ young people, older people, disabled people and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people) and some additional discussions with organisations including the Wales TUC, WEN Wales and LGBT Helpline Cymru.

In March 2021, the Independent Expert Panel presented their report and recommendations. The work of this Expert Panel has been used to develop the draft Action Plan for Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality in Wales, on which we are consulting.

This national LGBTQ+ Action Plan has been established to help coordinate action by the Welsh Government and other agencies. The plan sets out an overarching set of aims to improve equality for LGBTQ+ people and also includes a wide range of policy-specific actions relating to Human Rights and Recognition; Safety; Home and Communities; Health and Social Care; Education; and the Workplace.  

The consultation will run for 12 weeks. We welcome the views of LGBTQ+ people, stakeholders and the wider public and want to hear your feedback.

We will reflect on the responses to the consultation to refine a final version of the Plan.  We will aim to publish the final plan early in 2022.

The LGBTQ+ Action Plan contains clear, targeted actions and this consultation will help us to get feedback on several fronts. We have set a number of questions for your consideration. However, we welcome all responses and they can be in a format that’s most accessible to you. If you would like to send us a video clip with your comments and thoughts, or if you would prefer to write your thoughts in the language you feel more comfortable writing in, we would welcome this.

Respondents are reminded that the right to freedom of expression is a qualified right and there are specific offences in relation to hate crime created by, for example, the Public Order Act 1986 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988. The Equality and Human Rights Commission have produced guidance on issues relating to freedom of expression and where this may be restricted. Please ensure that any response you make to the consultation is lawful.

The Action Plan has six main themes: Human Rights and Recognition; Safety; Home and Communities; Health and Social Care; Education; and the Workplace. We would like your thoughts on the proposed actions within each theme. You may want to comment on one or all of these areas.

Please use the following questions as the basis of your response. You are welcome to add additional comments or information if you wish.

Question 1

Do you think the Action Plan will increase equality for LGBTQ+ people and what do you think the priorities should be?

Question 2

Do you agree with the overarching aims? What would you add or take away in relation the overarching aims?

Question 3

Do you agree with the proposed actions? What would you add or take away in relation the actions?

Question 4

What are the key challenges that could stop the aims and actions being achieved?

Question 5

What resources (this could include funding, staff time, training, access to support or advocacy services among other things) do you think will be necessary in achieving the aims and actions outlined?

Question 6

Do you feel the LGBTQ+ Action Plan adequately covers the intersection of LGBTQ+ with other protected characteristics, such as race, religion or belief, disability, age, sex, and marriage and civil partnership? If not, how can we improve this?

Question 7

We would like to know your views on the effects that these proposals would have on the Welsh language, specifically on opportunities for people to use Welsh and on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than English. 

What effects do you think there would be? How could positive effects be increased, or negative effects be mitigated? 

Question 8

Please also explain how you believe the proposed policy approach could be formulated or changed so as to have positive effects or increased positive effects on opportunities for people to use the Welsh language and on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language, and no adverse effects on opportunities for people to use the Welsh language and on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than the English language.

Question 9

This plan has been developed in co-construction, and discussions around language and identity have shown that the acronym LGBTQ+ should be used. This stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning people, with the + representing other sexual identities. As a result we refer to LGBTQ+ people in the Plan. 

What are your views on this term and is there an alternative you would prefer? Welsh speakers may wish to consider suitable terminology in both languages.

Question 10

We have asked a number of specific questions. If you have any related issues which we have not specifically addressed, please use this space to report them:

Submit your comments by 22 October 2021, in any of the following ways:

• complete our online form
• download, complete our response form and email LGBTQ+ActionPlan@gov.wales
• download, complete our response form and post to:

The Equality Team
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Under the data protection legislation, you have the right:

• to be informed of the personal data held about you and to access it
• to require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
• to (in certain circumstances) object to or restrict processing
• for (in certain circumstances) your data to be ‘erased’
• to (in certain circumstances) data portability
• to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.

Responses to consultations are likely to be made public, on the internet or in a report. If you would prefer your response to remain anonymous, please tell us. 

For further details about the information the Welsh Government holds and its use, or if you want to exercise your rights under the GDPR, please see contact details below:

Data Protection Officer

Data Protection Officer
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

E-mail: data.protectionofficer@gov.wales

Information Commissioner’s Office

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 745 or 0303 123 1113

Website: ico.org.uk

UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

The Welsh Government will be data controller for any personal data you provide as part of your response to the consultation. Welsh Ministers have statutory powers they will rely on to process this personal data which will enable them to make informed decisions about how they exercise their public functions. Any response you send us will be seen in full by Welsh Government staff dealing with the issues which this consultation is about or planning future consultations. Where the Welsh Government undertakes further analysis of consultation responses then this work may be commissioned to be carried out by an accredited third party (e.g. a research organisation or a consultancy company). Any such work will only be undertaken under contract. Welsh Government’s standard terms and conditions for such contracts set out strict requirements for the processing and safekeeping of personal data. In order to show that the consultation was carried out properly, the Welsh Government intends to publish a summary of the responses to this document. We may also publish responses in full. Normally, the name and address (or part of the address) of the person or organisation who sent the response are published with the response. If you do not want your name or address published, please tell us this in writing when you send your response. We will then redact them before publishing.

You should also be aware of our responsibilities under Freedom of Information legislation. If your details are published as part of the consultation response then these published reports will be retained indefinitely. Any of your data held otherwise by Welsh Government will be kept for no more than three years.

Number: WG43118

You can view this document in alternative languages. If you need it in a different format, please contact us.