Family-Friendly and Inclusive Parliament Review
The Family-Friendly and Inclusive Parliament Review was launched in July 2025 to review the Senedd’s culture, ways of working, and facilities. This is in response to a recommendation from the Reform Bill Committee’s Stage 1 Report of the Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill.
The report, which was published on 3 March 2026, assesses the Senedd’s family-friendliness and inclusiveness, measuring it against international standards for gender-sensitive parliaments and examining how effectively it supports equal representation, participation and culture. The report also draws on Wales’s strong record on family-friendly procedures and recent reforms such as hybrid working and extended proxy voting. The research evaluates how well the Senedd embeds equality in its law-making and scrutiny functions, identifies structural gaps — including limitations in demographic data — and makes recommendations to strengthen its role as a fully representative and inclusive democratic institution.
The work was overseen by a cross party Board, comprising of:
- Joyce Watson MS, Chair, Welsh Labour
- Peter Fox MS, Welsh Conservatives,
- Jane Dodds MS, Welsh Liberal Democrats,
- Siân Gwenllian MS, Plaid Cymru and
- Mike Hedges MS, Welsh Labour.
Dr Alison Parken OBE, Dr Rachel Minto and Dr Leah Hibbs, from Cardiff University gathered and analysed a range of evidence, including documents, interviews and survey responses, to compile a report and recommendations.
The report has been submitted to the Senedd Commission for consideration and to inform future action.
Remit of the Review
The Board was asked to consider and report to the Senedd Commission by the end of 2025 on:
- the extent to which the Senedd, particularly in its parliamentary decision-making, currently:
i. values and prioritises gender equality as a social, economic and political objective;
ii. actively supports inclusive representation and participation, recognising how gender intersects with other characteristics to shape access, participation and power; and
iii. reorients and transforms its institutional culture, processes, practices and outputs towards these objectives;
- identifying where further progress is needed to improve gender sensitivity and inclusion across all aspects of parliamentary work, particularly in parliamentary decision-making, and providing timely and actionable recommendations to the Seventh Senedd Commission and Business Committee.
Evidence Considered
The review considered a range of quantitative and qualitative data, including analysis of:
- trends in the presence, position and participation of Members;
- the organisation of parliamentary work, including policies, rules, procedures and facilities, as well as culture and norms; and
- how gender is considered in law-making and scrutiny work.
If you have any questions about the review and the work of the Board, please contact Gspaudit@senedd.wales