, Plenary
The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2023
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. I'm here today to present the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2023. This Order will commence the provisions of the Environmental Protection (Single-use…
, Plenary
The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2023
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion to approve the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. The regulations were laid in draft before the Senedd on 28 June. They amend Schedule 9 Part 2 to the Environmental Permitting (England…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Yes. Some very good points, Ken Skates. I've already outlined that we'll be working with economy officials and with the Minister for Economy on the apprenticeship programme, and on rolling the skills base out. We will be making sure that as much of the Welsh…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
So, there are a couple of things to unpack there. So, just in terms of the funding, as you know, we're doing a whole-stock assessment for each of the registered social landlords, including the stock-holding councils. So, we expect them to then take a…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Yes. Thank you, Carolyn. I couldn't agree more. As I said in response to Janet Finch-Saunders, we have a number of things available for private landlords and private sector owners, so if you are aware of somebody who wants to access that, please do get in…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Yes. I'm very happy to say exactly that, Mike. It's part of the current WHQS, but what we've done here is strengthen it. I'm very aware of the issue of condensation. I, too, grew up in a council house, as you well know. My grandmother thought it was the best…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Diolch, Mabon. I think that was 21 questions, so I'll do my best, but I might be a bit restricted for time, depending on the acting Deputy Presiding Officer's tolerance of it. So, I'll do my best. On the right to adequate housing, obviously, I agree with…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Diolch, Janet. Starting at the back end and going in reverse order through the questions you asked me, we're already working with the Development Bank of Wales on a pilot project for the owner-occupied sector, looking at loans for the people who could pay…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Diolch. Today I'm introducing the Welsh housing quality standard 2023, building on the excellent achievements of its predecessor, which all social homes in Wales have now achieved. This new standard will continue to drive up the quality of social housing in…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Lovely, thank you very much.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
I think, Cadeirydd, there was one thing that we agreed to write to you on. Do you want to just—? If you wouldn't mind just reminding us what that is, I'd be grateful.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, we've discussed that a little bit earlier, I think. We've had that discussion with the Crown Estate. Much of the data involved is actually tied up in the bidding rounds of the Crown Estate. We wouldn't have any—. Even if we put it in the Bill we wouldn't…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
I wouldn't have any problem with that bit. I can see circumstances in which the three months to decide might need to be lengthened. I can think of several already where there are such complexities. Bear in mind that that's the process by which the officials…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
We'll continue to look at that. Neil is very engaged in that process. We think we’ve covered off some of the things already in the Bill. So, they’ve talked about full-cost recovery; we’ve obviously put that into the Bill. They’re talking about improving the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, we're not getting anywhere at all with this, it has to be said. I understand that you've been written to by the UK Government saying the matter was resolved; well, Minister Stuart and I must have been in very different meetings if he thinks the matter was…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
I'm going to let Neil do that, Chair, because he's the one that's been doing all of the negotiation.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
There's only ever been one on a DNS project. And it's because the amount of money involved is just astronomical. So, we just don't think it's a huge problem. If there was a big problem with one of them, then we would assist the local authority with it, quite…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, I can't talk about the individuals, Janet.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, I think the real answer to that is the amount of money invested in the project. So, the more minor breaches you're talking about, I'm sorry if this is a bad characterisation of what happens, but it might be worth the risk that the planning authority won't…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes. We think it can be done in guidance, because that's how we do these things already. It's kind of normal to behave like this. So, the local planning authority is the authority, but we sometimes overreach them, and that's happened during my time as…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes, it would, because you'd be able to show that there really is only one route for something. And, effectively, that's how the public interest test works, isn't it? There's an overriding public interest in acquiring this piece of land or having this route…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes. It's just a commonsense thing for the developer here, isn't it? If you're applying for consent to build something on somebody else's land, then it's obviously in your interest to have the consent of that landowner. If you can't acquire the consent of the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
My iPad's turned itself off.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
'My iPad has turned itself off' is my response to that. Hang on one second. Technology, eh? Apologies. Neil, do you want to pick it up?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
But, you know, if you're talking about the sort of stuff we usually get, where something the size of this desk that is holding up an entire project, and you have to go right through the whole lands tribunal process in order to acquire it, that's what we're…
