Diversity and inclusion guidance for registered political parties: summary of responses

On 12 November, the Welsh Government commenced a public consultation on draft guidance to support registered political parties in Wales to:

• develop, publish, implement and regularly review diversity and inclusion strategies for Welsh elections
• collect, collate and publish diversity information relating to candidates for Senedd elections and elected Members
• consider steps they may take in relation to voluntary quotas for women

We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to consider the draft guidance and to provide their feedback by responding to the consultation.

The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 will introduce a number of changes in advance of the 2026 Senedd election, including an increase in the number of Members of the Senedd to enhance its capacity to scrutinise the work of the government.

From 2026, 6 Members of the Senedd will be elected to represent each of the new 16 constituencies across Wales, making a total of 96 Members of the Senedd. These members will be elected under a proportional, closed list electoral system.

In addition to these electoral system and boundary reforms, committees over the years have concluded that steps should be taken to make the Senedd more diverse and representative of the Welsh population.

This guidance aims to support political parties to consider practical steps they can take to contribute to the shared ambition of increasing the diversity of our elected representatives and ensuring they reflect the communities they represent.

A series of stakeholder meetings took place prior to the consultation period to raise awareness of the consultation. These included meetings with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip, Julie Morgan MS and Welsh Government officials.

Further technical briefings sessions were also provided for the following groups during the consultation period:

• Senedd Cross Party Group on Faith
• Political parties
• Senedd Women’s Caucus
• Members of the Senedd
• General stakeholders with an interest in the consultation
• Academics experts

The consultation on the draft diversity and inclusion guidance for political parties included an Easy Read and British Sign Language version of both the consultation document and the draft guidance. The consultation and associated documents can be found at:

Diversity and inclusion guidance for registered political parties on GOV.WALES

An online consultation form was available, which could also be submitted via e-mail and hard copy.

In total, 49 responses to the consultation were received, with the majority using the online form to submit a response.

Of the 49 responses, 37 respondents indicated that they are based in Wales. As some respondents did not reply to the question, it is unclear whether the remaining 12 are based in Wales. 18 respondents asked for their response to remain anonymous.

The profile of respondents to the consultation can be summarised as follows:

A thematic analysis was used to analyse the consultation responses to identify key themes that emerged. It should be noted that many responses were nuanced in terms of their sentiments, or the degree to which they agreed with the content of the guidance. In developing this summary, the Welsh Government has sought to reflect the overriding sentiment of the response. Not all individuals responded to all questions; where percentages are presented in this report, the total number of responses for each question has been used to calculate the percentage.

A number of common themes emerged from the responses provided to the consultation questions and these are summarised in this section. Should stakeholders wish to see in greater detail the points made in relation to the individual questions asked, this information can be found in section 7.

Common themes

Specified characteristics and circumstances

The majority of respondents agreed with the characteristics and circumstances as listed in the draft guidance. Some respondents suggested that the protected characteristics of ‘marriage and civil partnership’ and ‘pregnancy and maternity’ should be added to ensure all protected characteristics were covered.

Several respondents felt the specified characteristics and circumstances in the guidance should be limited to the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.

The following are protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation.

Survey questions

The majority of respondents responded positively to the template survey, however feedback was received on the framing of some of the questions and some recommended further harmonisation with other surveys such as the England and Wales Census. A common theme was the need to align and ensure consistency with the local government candidate survey.

Another emerging theme was that the Welsh Government should consider the length of the survey (i.e. to not make it too long) and how to incentivise candidates to submit a response.

A number of respondents did not agree to the survey questions on the basis there are no clear definitions of the terms used, particularly in relation to sex and gender.

Definition of certain terms

Views were expressed on the issue of definitions, particularly regarding the use of the terms sex, gender, and woman. A number of respondents expressed a view that the guidance should only use terms which have a legal definition. Some respondents were particularly concerned that use of the term gender may lead to quotas based on a person’s self-identified gender as opposed to what some respondents referred to as a person’s ‘legal’ or ‘biological’ sex.

Voluntary nature of the guidance

A number of respondents noted the limitations of the guidance as a result of the fact that, while there is a duty on the Welsh Ministers to issue the guidance, there is no duty on political parties to follow the guidance and no legal consequence should they choose not to implement it.

Support for political parties

Some respondents questioned whether all political parties would have the capacity to implement the guidance and suggested that support should be offered to political parties to help them take forward the suggested actions in the guidance. Ideas on possible support structures included a centralised hub for information and support, a cross-party working group and an advisory board with representation from underrepresented communities.

Data Protection

Concern was raised around parties publishing intersectional and disaggregated data which could increase the risk of identification of individuals. There were some calls for additional support for smaller parties and for further engagement between government, regulatory authorities and political parties to ensure compliance with data protection legislation.

Support for women 

Some responses called for more support for women candidates, beyond voluntary quotas. The importance of providing support with childcare and caring responsibilities and the need for flexible working and family friendly policies and practices were highlighted. Others called for parties to provide or promote mentoring, training and networking programmes for women.

Harassment and abuse

A number of respondents stressed the importance of policies aimed at preventing harassment, intimidation and violence (including violence against women in politics) that protect members, office-holders, and staff, with clear reporting and complaints processes administered by robust committees / bodies. Parties should also equip candidates with the information and tools to keep themselves safe and to campaign with confidence.

Equality impact assessment

A number of respondents were critical of the absence of a published Equality Impact Assessment as part of the consultation process and called for such an assessment to be published.

General objection

Several individual respondents disagreed with the fundamental aim and purpose of the guidance. They either felt that candidates should be selected based on their qualifications, merit, or competence rather than based on their characteristics or circumstances or that the focus should instead be on removing barriers to participation such as financial constraints, access to resources, or a lack of political education.

As this summary demonstrates, a significant amount of feedback has been received in response to the consultation exercise on the draft guidance. These range from ideas on how the content of the guidance can be strengthened and improved, to suggestions about other action that political parties and key partners can be taking to contribute to the shared ambition of more diversity in candidates for Welsh elections.

Feedback received in response to the consultation questions will be taken into account in informing the final guidance, which we are aiming to publish in spring.

The guidance will also be reviewed from time to time in accordance with the duty on the Welsh Ministers in Section 30 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024.

Question 1: The Welsh Government must specify the characteristics and circumstances for the purpose of Parts 1 and 2 of the guidance. What are your views on the specified characteristics and circumstances?

Of the 49 respondents, 47 provided a response to this question which related specifically to the characteristics and circumstances specified in the guidance for the purpose of parties’ diversity and inclusion strategies and the collection and publication of diversity information on Senedd candidates. The proposed characteristics and circumstances are:

• Age*
• Disability*
• Race*
• Religion or belief*
• Sex*
• Sexual orientation*
• Trans status or history (including gender reassignment*)
• Socio-economic background
• Health conditions
• Previous political experience
• Caring responsibilities
• Parental responsibility
• Language

* Protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010

The majority of respondents to Question 1 (60%) were in broad agreement with the characteristics and circumstances specified in the draft guidance.

A smaller percentage of those who responded to Question 1 were of the view that the guidance should focus only on the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010 and expressed a view that the guidance should only apply to characteristics which have a clear legal definition to avoid any potential misinterpretation.

Specific views were offered with regard to the characteristic of ‘trans status and history (including ‘gender reassignment’)’ in the draft guidance. A number of respondents felt there should be clear definitions and distinctions, for example between ‘gender reassignment’ (which is a protected characteristic) and ‘gender identity’ (which is not a protected characteristic). Some of the same respondents also raised concern around the definition of ‘sex’ and questioned whether this should be taken to mean what they referred to as ‘biological sex’.

It was noted that collecting data on ‘sex’ and ‘gender identity’ is complex. One respondent reflected that the category of ‘trans status or history (including gender reassignment)’ could be read to imply the category relates to gender reassignment procedures, e.g. medical information and could imply a narrower category than the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristic.

Similarly, the potential for confusion to arise in relation to references in the guidance to the characteristics and circumstances of ‘disability’ and ‘health conditions’ was noted.

A number of respondents recognised the importance of considering intersectionality, and that some individuals will have multiple characteristics and circumstances which can interact and lead to political exclusion.

Some respondents suggested additional protected characteristics from the Equality Act 2010 should be specified. For example, one respondent recommended that the protected characteristics of ‘maternity and pregnancy’ and ‘marriage and civil partnership’ should be specified to reflect that childcare, including maternity care, can present a barrier to participation. It was also suggested that parties could be encouraged to collect sex-disaggregated data in relation to the ‘parental responsibility’ characteristic, given the established ‘motherhood gap’ identified in the House of Commons.

A small number of individuals commented that candidates should be selected based on their abilities, qualifications and suitability for the role, rather than on protected characteristics or personal circumstances. Concern was expressed by one respondent that a focus on diversity and inclusion could undermine the integrity of the candidate selection process and public trust in the quality of elected representatives.

Other comments in response to this question included:

• The definition of disability in the Equality Act uses language associated with the Medical Model of Disability, which sees disabled people as the problem. The respondent commented that this contrasts with the Social Model of Disability which says that people are disabled by the barriers in society
• The guidance should define the parameters of social economic equality and draw on the socio-economic duty to clarify this and suggested actions
• ‘Employment history’ should be included in the list of characteristics to encourage a broader range of employment experiences in the Senedd
• The Welsh Government could consider methods of outreach and data collection which are intersectional in approach, to prevent individual candidates from experiencing tokenisation
• The Welsh Government should consider the inclusion of ‘caste’ as a characteristic which is an area of significant discrimination in some parts of society
• Future iterations of the guidance could include additional characteristics / circumstances such as:
  • Level of education and access to education, e.g. private/state school and access to tertiary education
  • Experience of criminal justice system
  • Member of the armed forces and veterans.

Questions 2 and 2a: Please indicate your level of agreement with the suggested actions for political parties to take to increase diversity and inclusion in Welsh elections? Please explain your reasons.

Of the 49 respondents, 46 respondents responded to Question 2, and 47 responded to Question 2a.

The majority of respondents to Question 2 (65%) indicated that they either agreed, or strongly agreed, with the suggested actions in the guidance for political parties to take to increase diversity and inclusion in Welsh elections.

Some respondents highlighted that whilst supportive of the aims of the guidance, there would inevitably be limitations considering the fact that there was no legal obligation on political parties to take it forward. A small number of respondents questioned how political parties would be held accountable for delivering on the commitments in their strategies.

A number of respondents were unsure whether all political parties would have the capacity to implement the guidance, with some suggesting that the Welsh Government should consider how support may be made available to political parties to help them deliver on the guidance. Suggestions included the establishment of a centralised hub for information and support or a Cross-Party Working Group to share successes, learning and good practice. It was also recommended the guidance should signpost parties to sources of funding to enable them to appoint dedicated staff or teams, or to access or host training relating to diversity and inclusion.

As with Question 1, several respondents to Question 2a expressed a view that candidates should be selected based on their qualifications, merit, or competence and capability to represent their constituents effectively rather than based on their characteristics or circumstances. Some respondents noted that the focus should instead be on removing barriers to participation such as financial constraints, access to resources or a lack of political education.

Some respondents were opposed to the reference to the online toolkit published by the Equal Representation Coalition Scotland, with specific concerns raised in relation to what they considered to be ‘contested ideological language’ and terminology within the toolkit, as well as the use of the term ‘gender’. One organisation recommended that reference to this toolkit be withdrawn from the guidance and for parties to be directed to the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010. Another respondent welcomed the reference to the toolkit produced by Equal Representation Coalition in Scotland to help political parties to assess their starting position in terms of diversity and inclusion and to inform their strategy. However, they added that parties should consult with disabled people to make sure it is correctly meeting their needs.

Two respondents were concerned that the new electoral system to be introduced from 2026 would give parties increased power over the field of candidates and that it could lead to less diversity of opinion.

Additionally, a broad range of specific comments were made, including:

• The guidance could better emphasise the importance of having a strategy and highlight how cultural change can benefit the party itself
• The guidance could present actions and their potential benefits in a table format, linking each action to its expected outcomes
• The guidance should ensure inclusion efforts do not unintentionally marginalise people of faith, and political parties must balance diversity goals with respect for freedom of thought and belief
• The whole of society should be represented, not just white able bodied straight men and women
• The guidance should offer suggestions on safeguarding candidates who experience discrimination from outside the party – from the media, general public, or others
• Political parties should undertake an Equality Impact Assessment to help identify any positive or negative impacts on protected characteristic groups
• More detail should be added to the guidance on the legal framework that could support action in improving diversity and inclusion. For example, what is permitted by the Equality Act 2010 under s104 and s158
• Existing diversity within political parties should be considered when making appointments such as equality and diversity coordinators or champions
• Parties should consider having 2 Equalities Champions– one who identifies as Black Asian and Minority Ethnic, and another who identifies as disabled
• Concern that women will disappear as a priority under the weight of the focus on other characteristics and circumstances
• Selection panels should be diverse and include representation from disabled people. Panel members should have had suitable training on diversity, the Social Model of Disability and selection interviews should be accessible to all
• Practical evidence shows that legislative intervention is often a much stronger guarantee for diversity of representation, especially of women
• The guidance should be presented in a more upbeat and positive manner to incentivise adoption by political parties
• The guidance should encourage parties to prioritise actions with the greatest potential impact in advance of the 2026 Senedd election.

Question 3: Are there other things which you think political parties need to consider in developing, publishing, implementing and reviewing diversity and inclusion strategies for Welsh elections? If so, what?

Of the 49 respondents, 45 responded to Question 3. The majority of respondents who answered (76%) thought political parties should be taking additional measures in developing, publishing, implementing and reviewing diversity and inclusion strategies.

A number of respondents highlighted the importance of engagement between parties and relevant groups, including for example engagement with people from diverse backgrounds and communities and with young people who are beginning to form their political opinions. It was noted that this engagement should take place in places where people from diverse groups feel safe. It was also suggested that parties could provide training sessions on the political process, for example to explain the role of councillors, with a view to identifying local role models who may be encouraged to stand for election, which may then inspire others to participate.

A small number of respondents noted the need for parties to periodically review their strategies, to assess their performance against any targets or strategic objectives set. Doing this would provide transparency for parties' memberships and provide an element of accountability.

Other respondents noted the need for parties to take an intersectional approach when seeking to attract a diverse range of candidates and proposed that party strategies should focus on this rather than singling out one specific characteristic.

Some respondents noted that other measures should be taken around working practices and arrangements for Senedd Members, including considering flexible hours and job-sharing arrangements to accommodate those with caring and parental responsibilities.

As with the earlier questions, respondents to Question 3 again made the point that, in their view, candidates should be selected based on merit rather than on the basis of any protected characteristic or circumstance.

In response to this question, a number of respondents noted various actions political parties could take to develop and implement diversity and inclusion strategies. These included:

• Setting goals/targets based on informed data, research and an analysis of their current position with regards to gaps in their representation
• Making a clear commitment to diversity and inclusion in manifestos and communications
• Ensuring that objectives or actions in their strategy are aligned with wider party objectives rather than isolated key performance indicators
• Developing clear and inclusive candidate selection criteria and ensuring this is transparent to all members. Parties should consider the make-up of their selection/nomination panels and consider using blind/anonymous recruitment and selection processes to remove unconscious bias
• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion is embedded in parties’ processes and procedures
• Providing pastoral support to candidates, in particular those standing for the first time and specifically in the period immediately following an election
• Ensuring qualified staff are tasked with handling diversity information
• Appointing equality champions from within underrepresented groups and/or establishing internal working groups that have members from a range of backgrounds
• Carrying out a gender sensitive audit to assess whether the culture, working practices, facilities and processes are barriers to women’s participation
• Placing diverse candidates in ‘winnable seats’.

Several respondents highlighted the benefits of training targeted at:

• Candidates, so they understand what the process of being elected entails and to facilitate a two-way dialogue about any potential barriers
• Party staff, to inform them of the barriers that candidates from diverse backgrounds might face, both at selection stage and during the electoral process more generally
• Parties, on the Welsh specific equality duties to support parties in developing meaningful action plans;
• Party selectorates, on unconscious bias
• Party members and candidates on the democratic process, including the role of councillors, MSs, MPs, where a lack of political education is identified.

Some respondents felt that the training should be provided by external providers to provide the appropriate level of expertise, and that it could be useful for parties to be sign-posted to organisations that can provide training.

Ideas were put forward by a small number of respondents about how the guidance could be strengthened, either through formatting changes or content changes. These included suggestions to:

• Highlight the benefits to parties of diversity and inclusion first, followed by relevant actions
• Recommend that parties structure their strategies around the stages of the candidate journey, from becoming interested in politics, to becoming an active member, to finally being interested in standing for election. This could help ensure that measures are targeted to support the candidate pipeline and raise awareness of lived experience along the journey
• Promote the establishment by parties of a complaints policy that is accessible to all members and the creation of clear guidance on how complaints regarding discrimination will be handled
• Emphasise the legal duty on parties to take steps to make reasonable adjustments for candidates and members to allow them to participate fully in party activity
• Refer to parties as employers, including steps they should take to tackle sexual harassment in line with recent changes to employment law
• Suggest actions parties should take to allow for freedom of expression and to promote respectful discourse amongst candidates and members.

Question 4: What are your views on the candidate survey questions in Part 2?

Of the 49 respondents, 42 expressed an opinion on question 4.

Of those who did express an opinion, the majority (55%) broadly expressed support or made positive comments with some caveats or suggestions for improvement. They reflected that collecting diversity information will allow political parties to track progress over time and support them in addressing barriers to participation. One respondent noted that the policy of collecting information will provide transparency for both parties and the public, and allow them to assess how parties are performing against their published strategies.

Respondents commented specifically on the questions relating to health conditions/disability, qualifications, occupation, and parental responsibility making the following points:

• Questions relating to gender and sex should be aligned with the standard questions used in the England and Wales Census
• Questions relating to health conditions/disability should be reframed in light of Welsh Government’s adoption of the Social Model of Disability
• The occupation category in the template survey should include a free text option for candidates to enter their occupation, allowing for the collection of more granular data
• For the education category, the options need to be inclusive of non-traditional qualifications
• Questions relating to parental responsibility should clearly identify whether the respondent is a mother/ father/ guardian and ask how many hours per week are dedicated to parenting and caring tasks.

One respondent made the general point that the categories should be based on the Government Statistical Service guidance in order to harmonise the data.

A number of respondents underlined the need for clear definitions to avoid misinterpretation and inconsistency. Some respondents raised the definition of ‘sex’ and questioned whether this means what they referred to as ‘biological sex’. The respondents noted that, without legal definitions, responses to the survey could be open to interpretation or self-identification.

Some respondents noted that the template survey questions should align with those of the local government survey, in order to provide consistency in analysis by political parties. One respondent suggested that the draft survey template is an improvement on the local government survey and therefore the local government survey should be amended to align with the Senedd template. Another respondent reflected that it is essential that political parties are encouraged to use the template survey, to ensure that there is consistency in the data published and that parties can be held to account. They also suggested that the guidance and the template survey be reviewed after 3 years to understand its effectiveness and changes made, if required.

A small number of respondents noted that, given the potential sensitivity of some of the information collected and the increased risk of individuals being identifiable especially if intersectional or disaggregated data were published, the guidance should include additional advice to political parties on secure data handling. Some of these respondents reflected that parties should consider developing a policy for handling, recording and storing their candidates’ data. One respondent noted that smaller parties with limited resources may find it disproportionately burdensome to collect and manage the specified data.

A very small number of respondents provided views on the format and structure of the template survey, including that at 20 questions the survey may be considered too lengthy and time-consuming to complete. One respondent made suggestions for possible improvements to individual questions and others noted the benefits of providing alternative versions of the survey to increase and encourage participation by all.

One respondent reflected that the guidance would ensure Welsh political parties are well prepared if the UK Government commence Section 106 of the Equality Act (which would require parties to collect and publish diversity data about candidates).

Another respondent thought that the surveys should be undertaken periodically throughout an election term as people’s circumstances may change.

Again, some respondents commented that they did not see a need for political parties to collect this information and that candidates should be selected based on their abilities, qualifications and suitability for the role, rather than on the basis of any particular characteristic or personal circumstance.

Question 5 and 5a: Do you think the guidance will help political parties to collect, collate and publish diversity information on Senedd candidates? Please explain your reasons.

Of the 49 respondents, 39 responded to Question 5 and 41 responded to 5a.

Of the respondents to Question 5, the majority (64%) thought the guidance would help, or had the potential to help, political parties to collect, collate and publish diversity information. Some of these respondents recognised the limitations of the guidance given that there was no legal obligation on parties to follow it, while others raised concerns relating to data protection and support for smaller parties, suggesting that further action was necessary to address these issues. Some respondents believed there needed to be further clarity with regard to definitions.

Some respondents stated that the current lack of official data on the diversity of candidates and elected representatives was a significant issue and that the guidance could help plug the gap. They went on to state that this would allow parties and key stakeholders to identify potential barriers at specific stages of the process and allow parties to measure the effectiveness of their diversity and inclusion strategies over time. It was felt the guidance provided a practical framework for political parties for the purpose of collecting and publishing diversity information and this in turn could highlight where targeted training and assistance for candidates was required, leading to a more equal and representative Senedd.

A number of respondents expressed the view that the success of the guidance would depend on its uptake by political parties and therefore it was important for parties to understand the reasoning and importance of collecting and publishing diversity data. Some respondents believed that encouraging candidates to complete the survey as part of their application could generate high response rates and felt that the existence of the guidance and the template survey would help encourage compliance and ensure consistency. Other respondents expressed a view that completion of the survey and publication of the data should be made mandatory, with some recommending that the process could be given a statutory basis by commencing Section 106 of the Equality Act 2010.

A number of respondents raised concerns with regard to data protection and anonymity, especially with regard to small candidate lists and the importance of political parties and candidates receiving proper support. Other respondents believed the guidance needed to be clearer with regard to how data should be anonymised, presented and securely stored, especially in order to prevent deterring political participation due to concerns that identifiable data would become available. While several respondents believed the collection and publication of data could help promote diversity in democracy for the benefit of everyone, concerns were raised about the practicality of implementing the guidance, especially for smaller parties that may lack resources.

Some respondents suggested that the use of a centrally managed collection and publication data centre would be advisable, to ensure transparency, consistency, anonymity and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.

Several respondents believed that, in order to avoid different interpretations of the protected characteristics and for data accuracy purposes, clear definitions were needed.

A number of respondents emphasised the importance of parties demonstrating their commitment to diversity and inclusion by actively driving changes within their existing policies and practices to address the needs of underrepresented groups.

Other comments in response to this question included:

• Political parties should be required by law to adhere to the guidance
• If some parties were to publish their candidate data, this could put public pressure on, and drive participation by, other parties that had not published their data
• The timing of the survey would be important to ensure candidates were able to complete it whilst also campaigning
• Candidate participation in any diversity monitoring should remain voluntary
• There needed to be further engagement between government, regulatory authorities, and political parties to ensure compliance with data protection legislation
• The Welsh Government should explore factors driving high response rates for the local government survey in certain councils and share good practices with political parties to improve their own response rates
• The guidance could lead to an over-emphasis on diversity metrics, potentially resulting in tokenistic practices in candidate selection which could undermine public trust
• The guidance might be seen as ‘another burden of political correctness’ which could discourage political participation.

Question 6 and 6a: Do you think the guidance will support political parties to take appropriate steps to achieve better gender representation in the Senedd? Please explain your reasons.

Of the 49 respondents, 43 responded to Question 6 and 41 to Question 6a.

Around half of the respondents to Question 6 (49%) thought the guidance would, or had the potential to, support political parties to achieve better gender representation in the Senedd. At least another 2 additional respondents, in their answers to question 6a, welcomed the guidance on voluntary gender quotas.

Some respondents noted that the model set out in the guidance, including the horizontal and vertical placement criteria, would lead to a positive outcome for gender representation, if implemented by political parties.

Some respondents disagreed with the concept of quotas both for women and for any other protected characteristic and believed, instead, that candidates should be selected on the basis of merit.

A small number of respondents noted that, without a statutory quota, there was a risk that the overall aim of the proposal would not be achieved.

Several respondents raised concern around the use of the term gender rather than the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 and noted concerns about the lack of definition of woman for the purposes of Part 3 of the guidance. A small number of respondents noted that the use of the term gender may lead to quotas based on a person’s self-identified gender as opposed to what some respondents referred to as a person’s ‘biological’ or ‘legal’ sex. Some respondents also reflected that any definition of woman used should be based on what they referred to as ‘biological sex’.

A small number of respondents expressed the view that the guidance should include quotas for people who share other protected characteristics, including ethnicity, disability and LGB people.

A small number of respondents reflected that, if parties choose to use voluntary gender quotas, they should look to address barriers faced by women from diverse backgrounds and encourage participation by these women.

It was noted that women from diverse ethnic backgrounds face additional barriers to participating in politics and a few respondents welcomed the provisions in the Elected and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 for the Welsh Ministers to introduce services and schemes to address some of the barriers faced by people across a range of protected characteristics and circumstances.

A small number of respondents noted that the guidance needed to highlight more clearly the benefits gender quotas can bring and that it should include a list of countries where gender quotas have been used successfully. Two respondents reflected that the guidance should include illustrative examples of how quotas can work, particularly in the context of the type of closed list proportional electoral system planned for Senedd elections.

Two respondents proposed that political parties could sign up to a voluntary charter to publicly demonstrate their commitment to voluntary quotas.

A small number of respondents reflected that, while quotas were a positive step in the right direction, other initiatives should be considered as part of a wider package of measures. Ideas for other measures included training for political parties' staff on addressing barriers to participation and on why equal representation is important; increasing outreach activity and mentoring to support people from marginalised groups and tackling barriers in candidate selection processes to attract women from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Other points were made by respondents, including:

• A full and proper impact assessment is needed in order to assess the adverse effects on women and the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ as a result of the lack of definition of terms
• The concept of voluntary gender quotas should be kept continuously on the agenda and reviewed following the 2026 Senedd election as part of the statutory review process for the wider package of Senedd reform
• Political parties’ staff should be given training on the model set out in the guidance, with an emphasis on the importance of the placement criteria
• The guidance should suggest that parties take steps to ensure accountability for women’s representation by having a commitment to quotas in election manifestos, party charters or constitutions
• There should be a focus on supporting candidates who face socio-economic disadvantage
• Having a protected status for women could be viewed as prioritising this protected characteristic above others
• Under existing equality law, political parties can also make use of shortlists for disabled candidates.

Question 7: Are there other measures you think political parties could take to achieve a gender balanced Senedd? If so, what?

Of the total 49 respondents, 42 responded to Question 7. Just over half of those who answered (52%) were either positive or proposed additional measures political parties could take to achieve a gender balanced Senedd.

Several respondents thought that parties should consider how they may support women with childcare and caring responsibilities, as well as with flexible working and family friendly policies including in a party’s approach to the planning of party meetings e.g. by planning meetings in advance to enable better planning and rotation of meetings. One respondent noted that, in Spain, many parties have gender action plans which explicitly outline that start and end times of party meetings must take work-life balance into consideration, and provide childcare and playrooms at party congresses and conferences. Some respondents emphasised the importance of providing and/or promoting mentoring, training and networking programmes for women, while others underlined the need for parties to foster partnerships with organisations advocating for gender equality and diversity and engage in early outreach activity to connect more people with the political process.

A number of respondents underlined the importance of establishing party rules and policies aimed at preventing harassment, intimidation and violence (including violence against women in politics) that protect members, office-holders and staff, with clear reporting and complaints processes administered by robust committees / bodies. As employers, it was suggested that both the guidance and political parties could refer to the EHRC’s recently updated 'Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work: Technical Guidance'. It was also suggested that parties should equip candidates with the information and tools to keep themselves safe and to campaign with confidence. This could be done by actively sharing guidance and training on campaign safety and communications, linking to resources from organisations such as the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), the Local Government Association (LGA), and the charity GLITCH, which offers a Fix the Glitch Toolkit 3.0 aimed at training parties to support candidates experiencing harassment and identity-based toolkits, and helping candidates establish digital safety measures during elections. It was noted that women in elected office are subject to disproportionate abuse and intimidation, particularly online.

A few respondents noted that parties should ensure that candidate selection processes are clear, transparent and diverse, including that there is diversity in the people who select candidates (the ‘selectorate)’. It was noted by others that gender equality in terms of party positions more broadly is as important as gender equality amongst candidates and elected members, and that parties should consider leadership programmes for women and other underrepresented groups more generally.

Many other ideas were put forward by respondents about actions parties could take to attract and retain more women candidates, including:

• Working in partnership with those with lived experience to ensure policies and practices are effective
• Engaging with groups and individuals who are already engaged with social and political issues to seek motivated individuals as candidates
• Ensuring that candidate application materials are accessible and inclusive
• Providing more financial support for candidates (childcare, transport and lost opportunity costs for unsuccessful candidates)
• Setting a timeline for the publication of a D&I strategy which can incentivise the promotion of women’s (diverse) representation
• Establishing internal incentives and penalties for non-compliance
• Adopting a targeted approach and campaign to encourage and support female candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds who are particularly underrepresented in Welsh politics
• Aiming for diversity of belief on party lists, with diverse candidates being ranked in winnable positions on lists.

A number of respondents repeated some of the points which they had made in response to earlier questions and noted their objection to the use of the term gender in the draft guidance on the basis that it does not have a meaning in law. These respondents considered ‘sex’ (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) to be a more appropriate term, particularly in order to avoid any men self-identifying as women or women self-identifying as men for the purpose of voluntary gender quotas. One respondent suggested that using sex-based language could make some women feel more respected and safe. Another respondent commented that the way gender ideology is discussed and imposed is putting people off from political participation – especially (young) lesbians and gay men. This organisation was of the view that the guidance should further embrace clear language and strongly advise parties to do so.

One stakeholder considered that parties should adopt a less binary approach when composing their lists, reserving list places for candidate who are women/candidates who are not women when implementing voluntary gender quotas. This respondent also believed that all marginalised candidates experiencing discrimination or harassment from any source should be appropriately supported.

A small number of respondents felt that the most important consideration should be the extent to which an individual is qualified to undertake their role, rather than any particular identity and that gender should not be prioritised over any other characteristic.

Question 8: What, in your opinion, would be the likely effects of the guidance on the Welsh language? We are particularly interested in any likely effects on opportunities to use the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English.

Do you think that there are opportunities to promote any positive effects?

Do you think that there are opportunities to mitigate any adverse effects?

Of the 49 respondents, 25 provided comments on Question 8, presenting both support for the guidance and concerns about its potential effectiveness with regard to the Welsh language. Overall, 63% of those who responded to this question made positive comments.

A number of respondents expressed the view that the guidance would provide an opportunity to promote the Welsh language, encourage political parties to engage with Welsh speaking communities and enhance bilingual participation in political processes.

Several respondents suggested that ensuring all materials, surveys, and communications were available in both Welsh and English would promote inclusivity and normalise the use of the Welsh language in various settings. A few respondents considered that political parties should offer in-house Welsh language courses and bilingual training resources to candidates and the public to encourage greater use of Welsh.

A number of respondents expressed the view that the emphasis provided by including language as an equality consideration should be maintained and that the Welsh language should be included in an intersectional approach, to ensure language opportunities are not seen as a barrier and to promote the opportunities to those interested in seeking election.

A number of respondents stated that the guidance would have no adverse impacts on the Welsh language, while some questioned the relevance and effectiveness of the guidance in promoting the Welsh language.

Other comments made in response to this question included:

• The guidance should emphasise the importance of access to Welsh for potential candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, and outline the need to positively encourage, support and welcome them to learn Welsh if they desire
• Recognising and promoting the variety of community languages spoken in Wales, alongside Welsh and English, is seen as beneficial for social inclusion
• The need for sufficient resources to ensure bilingual information can be provided
• Too much money is being spent on the Welsh language at the expense of other essential services like education, health, and social care
• The Welsh language should primarily be promoted through community and school funding;
• The importance of ensuring parity between Welsh and English
• It would be a matter for concern if potential candidates with protected characteristics were discriminated against for being unable to speak or access Welsh
• It would be a concern if the drive to deliver more Welsh speakers had an adverse impact and resulted in a decrease in the participation of Welsh-born non-Welsh speakers.

Question 9: In your opinion, could the guidance be formulated or changed so as to:

• have positive effects or more positive effects on using the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English, or

• mitigate any negative effects on using the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English?

Of the 49 respondents, 21 provided comments on Question 9, with many comments mirroring responses provided to Question 8. Around half (48%) provided positive responses, most with suggestions.

Additional comments provided by respondents included:

• The Welsh language should be part of the Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs) - Language, Literacy and Communication
• For resource purposes, a more practical approach to encouraging the use of the Welsh language is needed, whilst accepting that English is generally the first language used by Councils and the Senedd
• Need to ensure that candidate selection is not based on language or any protected characteristics
• There should be parity between the languages to ensure terminology is not altered or treated less favourably in translation
• The importance of not excluding those who come to Wales speaking English or Welsh as a second or third language.

Specific comments made on the guidance were that:

• The guidance could include specific actions encouraging bilingual engagement in all political activities, supporting Welsh-language media, providing resources for Welsh speakers and providing bilingual support to Welsh learners or those with no Welsh experience to help bridge the language gap and promote inclusivity
• The guidance should support political parties in effectively communicating in Welsh, English, and community languages
• Funding for translation services would allow voluntary organisations to improve engagement and access to Welsh language materials within underrepresented communities
• Measures should be put in place to support candidates who are Welsh learners or non-Welsh speakers to ensure they can communicate bilingually, verbally and in written form, in line with candidates who are proficient in the Welsh language
• Bilingualism should be proactively integrated into all stages, including candidate outreach, training, and survey processes to create further positive impacts.

Question 10: We have asked a number of questions in respect of the different parts of the guidance. Do you have any other thoughts you would like to share with us on the guidance?

Out of 49 respondents, 39 responded to Question 10, with around half of these using the opportunity to build on their answers to some of the other consultation questions, by offering thoughts on how the guidance could be further improved as well as offering suggestions about other action that could be taken in support of the overall aim of achieving more diversity and inclusion amongst elected representatives. Ideas included:

• A mechanism by which political parties could be held accountable for their contribution to diversity and inclusion, for example through wider political and public discussion which could take the form of a committee session or a government debate
• Introducing a term limit for Senedd Members to provide an opportunity for the membership to be refreshed organically over time
• Mentoring schemes for underrepresented candidates
• Financial support schemes to assist those from low socio-economic backgrounds
• The Welsh Government should consider ongoing support, training and resources to ensure successful implementation across all parties
• Political parties should increase their engagement with minority groups to address the underrepresentation of individuals with potential who cannot envision themselves in an elected role
• Further research on barriers faced by candidates from diverse backgrounds
• Publishing diversity data on an independent website to inform comparative analysis and bench-marking;
• Development of safeguarding guidance for candidates from marginalised cohorts
• Amendment of the Equality Act 2010 to allow minority ethnic-only shortlists.

While many respondents welcomed the guidance, some respondents had reservations about the guidance. Comments included:

• Without enforceability, political parties will always prioritise electability
• A sizeable proportion of Local Government candidates are independent, or not affiliated with a political party
• The guidance should reflect the National Equality Objectives – especially Objective 5
• While larger parties may have the capacity to initiate equality practices and monitoring, smaller parties could be disadvantaged in meeting the guidelines
• An Equality Impact Assessment should have been published alongside the consultation material;
• The draft guidance was over-complex and it was not easy to find what they wanted
• Diversity and Inclusion should be separated out, with clear definitions of the purpose and objectives which were relevant to each concept
• The GDPR elements of the guidance require careful consideration to avoid inadvertently violating privacy rights or data security standards, especially when handling sensitive demographic information
• The Welsh Government should produce detailed guidance around reserved places for underrepresented groups other than women
• The guidance would not be available early enough for it to have the desired impact on parties ahead of the 2026 Senedd election. Parties should adopt diversity and inclusion strategies as soon as possible in order to avoid a situation where there is a decline in the number of women and other underrepresented groups in the Seventh Senedd.

Overview

ISBN: 978-1-83715-424-1

The consultation sought views on the Welsh Government’s draft diversity and inclusion guidance for registered political parties. This document is intended to provide a summary of consultation responses and should not be considered to represent all feedback received.

Action required

This document is for information only.

Alternative formats

Large print, Braille and alternative language versions of this document are available on request.

Additional copies

This summary of responses and copies of all the consultation documentation are published in electronic form only and can be accessed on the Welsh Government’s website.

Link to the consultation documentation: Diversity and inclusion guidance for registered political parties on GOV.WALES

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