, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Yes, I think that's a really absolutely critically important point. As I said in my opening remarks, we have this national productivity mission, but there's no point us closing the gap in one part of Wales and there's still a chasm somewhere else. We need…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
I think it's a really pertinent point and I think, in creating a development agency for the Wales of today and tomorrow, being clear as well about what the previous WDA didn't get right is an important part of the process of thinking, isn't it? And I think…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Well, I suppose that is the exam question, really, that we're asking to the panel, actually, and I can give you my answer, but we'll obviously have the panel's view. What's the business case, effectively, is the question that you're asking. I think it partly…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
In terms of the panel itself, we've set an initial timetable of six months. That is, if more time is needed, of course, we'd be open to that, but that gives you some rough idea of the panel's work, and, of course, they will be producing an interim report as…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Certainly, the advisory panel on the design of the agency has now been formed. We tried, to the greatest extent possible, to have representation from a broad range in terms of background and experience. So, we're very fortunate that there are people who have…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
This is a very important question. We'd probably need to run a seminar to give it a proper answer. In relation to the 2035 target, as I said earlier, we're moving to a different basis, which actually does allow us to factor in other low-carbon technologies…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
We, as a new Government, are committed to taking a fresh look at this area, and we'll bring forward our own proposals in due course.
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
If I may, I think I might need to write to you on some of that, because I think that the pre-assessment process predated this administration. Indeed, it goes back many, many years now, so we'll have to get officials to respond to you on that. In relation to…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Thank you for the question. These are the questions that we'll be looking at in the context of the national energy strategy, again, looking at the different contribution of different technologies, including onshore and offshore. Offshore is a fantastic prize…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Sure. Obviously, the work itself in development of the national energy strategy, as I said, will be looking at the likely contribution of different technologies. Like pretty much all of the different stakeholders in the energy system, I think the consensus…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
I’m really grateful for those connected questions, and I think they go to a theme, which is the importance of always having in our mind the importance of place. I think colleagues, officials, attended an OECD discussion on productivity recently, which made it…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Yes, I'd certainly welcome the opportunity to discuss with the Member outside of this forum any further information he's able to share. And certainly, we stand ready to discuss and are in constant discussion with all of the key stakeholders. So, if there is…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Yes, a critically important decision, and I've already met with the chief engineer at the National Energy System Operator to discuss the 2030 electricity transmission update report that you've described, and the shift from the earlier north-south proposal…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Thank you. A great question. In essence, as I was alluding a little to earlier, we're bringing the existing elements of the Welsh Government's previous administration's work across—the developer, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru; Ynni Cymru, which is focused on community…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
I'll try and keep my answers short as well, and go against my better nature.
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
I wouldn't despair. I think there are some really great examples of good practice in Wales. For example, the work of Neath Port Talbot council in really massively accelerating the planning decisions in relation to the electric arc furnace is universally held…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Well, I'm happy to look at that, and I don't want to provide an answer without my officials looking at objective sources. I think that it's possible to look at some sources of information, isn't it, in terms of grid connections, which are not decisions that…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
—and where we can, where possible, work at business velocity in decision making. What I would say is, look, we're not going to get there in one quantum leap. This is a process that will—. We want to make progress at pace, but, actually, getting to that…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Yes, that's decided. And there's more than one factor. So, it's not just about the regulatory framework, which is often where people exclusively focus, but there are different elements to it. They've made some recommendations to us as a Government, and to…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
I think you raise a really central point and I think that Governments right across the democratic world at the moment are asking this very question, and Governments right across the political spectrum, to be honest with you: how can the state build faster…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
I agree with all of that. Taking the different elements, I think we are liaising and discussing with key UK decision makers. So, in relation to grid connection—this world just lives on acronyms, doesn't it—with NGET, National Grid Electricity Transmission…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Yes, sure. So, as I was alluding to, one part of it is, in essence, working out what electricity demand will be like by 2040, and then, given all the factors that I've just described in terms of electrification as well—. And then part of it is looking at the…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
We're expecting to be publishing the strategy in the coming months, and we'll be updating the committee and the Senedd on timescales and work plans in the coming weeks.
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Well, work has already begun on our national energy strategy, which as we've set out is going to map out our current and future energy needs, looking forward, certainly to 2040 and possibly beyond. There are long-term gestation periods in this that we need to…
, Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
—which is, yes, complex; some would say cluttered. And I think it certainly is something that we are keen to look at. In the context of the development agency, is there a role for streamlining? Is there a role for simplifying the landscape and making sure as…
