, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Okay. So, I think what I said in the committee—and I'm happy to go back over the transcript, but what I know I did say in the committee was that there are conversations that I have with all of our stakeholders, whether it is WRU or others, some of which are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
The meeting I had with Tonia Antoniazzi is on the record, and that would have been available from the freedom of information request, as you say. There's no secret in that. I think the notes of that meeting would have been identified in the letters, in the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Thanks, all.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Thank you very much.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Okay, we’ll certainly take that back and have a look at it. Thank you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
I would hope so, because, certainly, the Welsh Government energy service engages regularly with the chief leisure officers group to make sure that all the best available advice is provided. And last September, we had an energy costs webinar that was arranged…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Thanks for that question, Joel. I think I go back to the point that I've made in answering a number of questions today, about two things. One is that the level of local authority funding has increased significantly, including capital funding, and so it is a…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
That's okay. Nice to see you, anyway.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
I wouldn't dare. I don't know whether the Minister for local government would—[Laughter.] I think you're right, it is horses for courses. I have two local authorities in my constituency. One provides direct leisure services, the other one is a trust. Which…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
If they're an independent community organisation, they can apply direct. They would only have to go through the local authority if they're a local authority facility. But if they're an independent, registered community organisation—sport organisation—then…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
All the costs that you've referred to are well known to us and, as you will imagine, Swim Wales and other organisations are regularly advising us of the difficulties that they are facing. Of course, we do continue to support swimming activity, which is free…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
I'm not an expert in the field of energy efficiency schemes, Chair, but we clearly do have a net-zero ambition, so we do want to make sure that we've got energy-efficient schemes in all of these establishments. We would put in place, or work with the local…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Right, so, £1.2 million divided between them is £10,000. That's one month's energy bill. That isn't a solution. The solution is long-term energy efficiency. I understand all of the pressures and the difficulties that all of these pools and leisure centres are…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Well, what I would say to you, we've got 120 swimming pools in Wales, and £1.2 million—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Well, I think it's important to put on record here that we have called on and continue to call on the UK Government to use its policy levers around energy costs. That is not a devolved matter. That is a matter for the UK Government and, as you know, leisure…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Okay. It's interesting the way you framed that question, because you haven't said, 'Will you be spending that £3.5 million on swimming pools?', because I think that is the important principle of devolution, is that any consequential that we get is a matter…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
The evaluation, yes, absolutely.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
This is anecdotal evidence from the local authority areas, yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
So, the evidence that we have on this is through the discussions that we've had with those particular local authorities. I'm not aware that that's been published, Mary, has it?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Absolutely. Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Sorry, Jason.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
I think all of those are fair points and fair challenges. I mean, transport is challenging in most areas at the moment, as we know. And I very much welcomed the transport Minister's announcement yesterday, which is about bridging the gap, particularly with…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Yes. I think you'll see, Sam, there's a theme emerging here, because what my response to that is going to be is: I think that's very much a matter for the local authority, because, again, it is very much horses for courses. So, where we have seen co-location…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Local Authority Library and Leisure Services - Evidence from the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
Okay. All right. Diolch.
