, Finance Committee
Financial implications of the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Diolch, Cadeirydd. So, this Bill indeed sets out a process. The process starts with notification requirements for a proposed application for a significant infrastructure project, through a formal decision and the issue of consent, where the application has…
, Finance Committee
Financial implications of the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I'm in the Welsh Government's London office, having just come from a meeting with one of the UK Government Ministers, so apologies.
, Finance Committee
Financial implications of the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
And with me is Neil Hemington, who's head of the planning division, and Owen Struthers, who's the Bill manager for this Bill, part of Neil's division.
, Finance Committee
Financial implications of the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Diolch, Cadeirydd. I'm Julie James, the Minister for Climate Change, and I have—. Well, I'll let them introduce themselves, actually. Neil, do you want to go first?
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Yes, thank you, Mike. I knew it was Pobl. It's a very good scheme and, actually, they're very proud of it, so, if Members do want to visit, it is actually worth visiting. It does give you some real big ideas about what is possible; they've really worked hard…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
So, this programme will be deliberately aimed at that kind of community solution. So, assuming that we can help the community to come together in a mutually agreed solution—I mean, that's easy to say, but it can be hard to do, but assuming that—. And we would…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Thanks, Sioned. I don't disagree with much of what you've said there. I can't honestly tell you whether it will be November, because we're in the process of doing the procurement at the moment, and, I'm afraid, 'It depends,' turns out to be the answer for…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Yes, diolch, Jane. I absolutely understand the need for the urgency, but we also have to get it right. As many people have said, it's important to get the right solution for the right house as well. We've extended the Nest programme through next winter, just…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Jenny, there are several things to say there. First of all, the advice service will give advice on how best to invest in decarbonisation of your home with a view to bringing your energy costs down. Some of the energy efficiency measures that people talk about…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Diolch, Mabon. That was quite a long list of questions, to be fair. If you have somebody who's got a specific issue like that, then do please write in. I think the likelihood is it isn't a Government-sponsored programme; it's somebody who's preying on people…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Thank you, Janet. On your constituent's dilemma, that sounds like a scam to me, but I can't possibly know. If you write to me and let me know the address, I can certainly check that it isn't one of our programmes, but it can't be, because there's no way that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
As we go about addressing the immediate need to support households with their fuel bills, we also cannot lose sight of the climate emergency and our longer term pathway to net zero. We are continuing a 'fabric, worst and low-carbon first' approach, improving…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: The Warm Homes Programme
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. We published our lessons learned and Government response documents last Wednesday, but, due to technical issues, the policy statement for the new Warm Homes programme was not available at the same time. So, firstly, Dirprwy Lywydd, let…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Much appreciated. Diolch.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, I’d say that's very mixed, and partly depends on who the Minister is at UK level. So, some Ministers are diligent about it, and I might not agree with the Minister about what they're saying, but they're diligent about doing it. So, Michael Gove is very…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, we have a whole series of mechanisms inside the Welsh Government to make sure that all departments feed in to the plans. We couldn't have done the net-zero plan without all of the departments feeding in, for example. And part of the point of having my…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, we've had a few climate assemblies. I attended the one in Blaenau Gwent, and Eluned did one down in Pembrokeshire last Easter, off the top of my head. They can be a really useful thing to do. They are very cost intensive, it has to be said, because, in…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
I believe I'm in negotiation at the moment with Plenary to see if I can do an oral statement next week, Jenny.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes, so, that's exactly what we're doing with that. The local energy plan will do a number of things. It will help us in a conversation with the grid. It will help us understand what the worst-first solutions will look like, because we'll understand from the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
—once it's over. So, that programme has been in place for quite some time. Aberystwyth University—I just opened a solar farm there that's been funded like that and so on. So, it's—. But you're right that not everyone does it.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Actually, Jenny, that's not true right across Wales. So, we have a loan system that allows various organisations across Wales to apply for it on the basis that the loan is calibrated for the saving that they get once the energy is in place. I know, for…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
They all have decarbonisation plans. If you've got specifics, Jenny, I'm more than happy to discuss them with you. But each local authority has been asked to come up with a decarbonisation strategy. It's a standing item on the partnership council. We have a…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
We would need the UK Government to do that, Jenny, because what would happen if we did it in Wales and not in England is obvious—they just won't build them here. We actually need the volume house builders to build here. I will say on behalf of a few of…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Climate Change Committee 'Progress report: Reducing emissions in Wales' - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Well, we're in the process of—. So, we've done the first set, Part L of the building regs, last—I'll probably have to write to you, Chair, with that, but I think it was last November. Off the top of my head, last November it came into force. And it's on an…
