, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with local planning authorities
The problem in terms of the public is, if you have layers of subordinate legislation, it makes it rather difficult to understand 'What are the rules of the game? And how do I get to have my say?' So, Sara, did you want to come in?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with local planning authorities
The Minister argues that the balance is right between the clarity of what's on the face of the Bill and the flexibility that's being permitted through subordinate legislation. I wondered if you agree with that approach, or whether the balance is right. I…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Okay. Some of the submissions were arguing that Welsh Ministers needed to be the decision maker on every application because there's political accountability—if you don't like what they're saying, you can chuck them out. Others felt that the examining…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
But you want to have the cover of the planning Act: 'It is for the Examining Authority to decide how to examine the application.' End of story.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Okay. No, no, I think we got that.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
I just wondered how you think this—. There's discretion in the Bill to allow the examining authority to decide how the application is going to be dealt with, whether written procedure, a hearing or inquiry. Isn't that sufficient to give the examining…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Thank you. Mr McDonald, you are obviously a fan of the Planning Act 2008. [Laughter.]
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Okay, so, mainly, it's reluctant to bite the bullet and make a decision. Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
It has been known for Ministers to delay decisions because of an upcoming by-election or something like that, but how much of it is just laziness within the Minister's department, not to do the legwork whilst the inquiry's going on, to familiarise themselves…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Thank you, that's reassuring. The Minister is arguing that the balance is right between what's on the face of the Bill and what's left to subordinate legislation, because it allows flexibility. What's your view of that position? And could you just elaborate…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
It's all right, it's fine. I just wanted to pursue another aspect of aligning speedy consent with speedy delivery, which is that, in house building, we have land banking, where people sit on land in order to prevent a competitor getting hold of it. How would…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with academics
Hannah, in your paper, you talk about the balance to be struck between the quest for speed of consent and the potential consequences for future delivery, and I wonder if you could just expand on that.
, Plenary
Debate on the General Principles of the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill
I think recommendations 5, 6, 9 and 12 are the pivotal ones, really, which are about how we benchmark our legislation in line, or not, with the WHO guidelines. So, for those of you who are not on this committee, I think the key issue is how we are going to…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Energy Bill
Can I withdraw? Thank you.
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change: 20 mph default speed limit on restricted roads
—is really excellent in that it's really clear and you don't need to be a first-language English speaker to understand it, as the graphics tell you exactly what's happening and how to understand where it's 20 mph. My main question, Minister, is really around…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change: 20 mph default speed limit on restricted roads
First, I'd like to congratulate the Minister on having the courage of his convictions and doing what needs to be done. We have a climate emergency and we need to reduce our speed limits and we need to ensure that we make that transition out of cars into…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
First of all, I wondered if we could have a statement on whether or not the Government will consider a demolition levy as a minimum response to the illegal demolition of a listed building in Guildford Crescent in my constituency last week. This commercial…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Papers to note
If there are no further comments, if we can note all those papers and move back into private session.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Papers to note
Very good. Yes. That's certainly something we can pick up with the Minister for Social Justice in our interviews next week.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Papers to note
Yes.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Papers to note
Okay. It would certainly be possible to follow up that letter and challenge that.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Papers to note
Well, you're welcome to do some of them in public if you wish to, and then, obviously, we can pick anything up.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Papers to note
There are now very large numbers of papers to note as a result of the recess. So, 24 items of correspondence to note. Are Members content to note them so that we can pick them up in our work? You wanted to pick up on one issue.
