, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Rhondda Cynon Taf.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
That is a very good question. I don't know the specifics of the other five, but perhaps Emma might know the detail.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
It is. Yes, absolutely.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And that will become clear with that White Paper, which will be at the end of October, so you'll be able to see that shortly as well. But, yes, I'm going to start calling the other one the proposed Bill, because there are a couple of White Papers now, and…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, that's the one that the White Paper—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
So, the White Paper on—[Laughter.] I know, to be honest, I'm going to start calling the other one 'the proposed Bill', but this one is the White Paper on the affordable, on fair rents. Am I right, or—?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, absolutely. So, one of the things to say is that we're looking at this from the White Paper angle—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, absolutely, and thank you for sharing your personal experience in terms of how much your dog has helped you, and I know that that would be the same for so many other people, absolutely. And often we hear about dogs, but it can be other animals—I’ve…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, I think I just mentioned that although the Secretary of State can make changes in Wales to the discrimination element, it's just purely in relation to areas that Wales does not have devolved powers for.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Altaf. Although the UK Government Secretary of State can make changes in Wales through the discrimination element of the Renters' Rights Bill, it’s purely in relation to areas in which Wales does not have devolved powers, such as financial products…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Altaf, and bore da. I know this is something that the committee has been interested in in the past as well. Under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, landlords and contract holders can agree additional terms covering the keeping of pets. The Welsh…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Civil penalties in housing was brought in in England in 2016, where local housing authorities are able to issue those civil penalty notices for some housing offences. But it’s important to note that, in Wales, although fixed penalty notices for housing…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, absolutely.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely, Julie James has done incredible work in this area, so, again, it's good to put on record my thanks to Julie for the work that she's done here. I think we've got the right policy approach here in Wales. We have to look at our own area, and I think…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
As long as it's not you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I'm glad we're able to give good news.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
No. I think all of them have signed. Am I right in saying that, Jo? Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Thank you, James. Absolutely, I understand that we all want to see everything done at pace and with the funding there. We have a route to remediation for all residential buildings over 11m in the Welsh building safety fund, and we're getting on with work, and…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think Emma wanted to come in.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely, we all want to see pace, and we all don't want to be in this situation, do we? Least of all the people that are living in that accommodation as well. Just to say first of all my sympathies go out to all those people who are involved, through no…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
In terms of what we can work together on, because that was something—. It's bringing the right people around the table. Because absolutely, if it's unblocking, it's dealing with the phosphates issue, but there's a wider issue. But it's absolutely crucial to…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think that's some of the work that the new Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I was just going to say as well, just to follow on from that in terms of areas that have some blockages on, I've written to the committee, following our discussion at the last meeting, around the letter that we wrote to RSLs and local authorities to see where…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Sorry. I was just going to say that I think that's an important point as well, and something that we hope the housing taskforce and other groups—to try and unblock some of the problems with areas for house building, as we have done with the phosphates.
