, Local Government and Housing Committee
Papers to note
Thank you very much, Chair. On the Bevan Foundation paper, it's a very difficult read. It's very interesting and very useful, but it's a difficult read in the sense that one sees the challenges facing people, particularly with the cost of housing. Now…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Building Safety Bill
Thank you to the Deputy Minister for introducing this item today. May I at the outset just note how entirely deplorable this process is in drawing up legislation in devolved areas? The committee, for example, hasn't had time to properly scrutinise, never mind…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can we have a statement from you as Minister for agriculture, or, indeed, the economy Minister, about how you're going to promote wool? Wool has seen very difficult times recently. Ten years ago, it sold for…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Food Security
Thank you very much, acting Llywydd. I move the amendment, and thank you to Sam Kurtz from the Conservatives for putting forward this debate in such an eloquent way. This debate comes down to one core principle, namely the right to food. However…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
I agree. Peredur has made an important point there. There are chapels empty, so why shouldn't the denominations come together to make use of a chapel that's only used part time at the moment? That's an important point from Peredur. But we mustn't forget too…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
Thank you very much, acting Llywydd, and thank you very much to Mike Hedges for bringing forward this debate. I've very much enjoyed it, so far, anyway, and I want to limit my contribution. But it's a very timely debate, especially as we consider, some of you…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I'm grateful for that statement; it's very important. Do you believe that a house is a dwelling or an asset, and if it's an asset, should people therefore be allowed to buy houses to make a profit as an income at the expense of local people? Is that a…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I'm asking you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
So, what is at the heart of all of this is this voluntary element. It's all voluntary and depending on people's goodwill, be it estate agents or people moving in to learn the language. Do you think that we're going to succeed by being entirely dependent on…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Okay. If I may, Chair, one thing that Dr Brooks has mentioned in his paper is that there's a danger that we'll see a number of people moving in who are unable to speak Welsh, so how are you going to address or ensure that the Welsh language continues to be a…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Providers and housing associations are going to be at the heart of this. So, do we need to be looking again at releasing public land or ensuring that changes in planning regulations are made to ensure that more housing associations can access land to develop…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
One recommendation, or maybe one tip, is not necessarily with the estate agents, but that you work with solicitors, because they are locally based and they deal with the house buyers, so perhaps they could be deployed to share those welcome packs and language…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
That's interesting to hear. In your evidence—pack page 54, page 3 of your evidence, under 'estate agents steering group'—you note: 'For example, estate agents, local authorities and the Mentrau Iaith have been co-operating with the Welsh Government, by…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Okay. Because Gwynedd is doing a great deal of this work already, clearly, and I just wanted to understand, in addition to what Gwynedd Council is doing, what more is being done—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into second homes: evidence session 9—Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
I have a few questions, if I may, please, Chair. I'm going to ask through the medium of Welsh. Just for the record, in terms of the pilot in Dwyfor, what is the pilot going to do differently or more than what Gwynedd is doing at the moment? What in addition…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Papers to note
We have received a great deal of evidence over the past few months with regard to building safety, specifically around cladding, and I just thought if we could have, on the record, a clear idea of what we're going to do as a committee in this regard, for the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Just to note the interest that's already stated on the public record, please.
, Plenary
The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Well, everyone here will be aware of the glory of Dwyfor Meirionydd, the constituency that I am privileged to represent. But, while visitors enjoy the incredible beauty of the region, the truth is that families have to scrape a living there, with income per…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank the First Minister for that grave assessment. Research by Sukhdev Johal and Karel Williams from Manchester university says something similar, warning us that we will see the cost of fuel for homes increasing by £1,500 per year; fuel costs rising by…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
1. What assessment has the Government made of the impact of the rising cost of living on households in Dwyfor Meirionnydd? OQ57826
, Plenary
Welsh Conservative Debate: The Armed Forces
Thank you for the opportunity to take part in this debate. I have to confess that I find debates on veterans and the armed forces difficult, not because I am a pacifist, but because of my own experiences with members of my family who served and who suffered…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management, 2022-23 Programme of Investment
Thank you, Deputy Minister, for this statement. The additional investment is certainly to be warmly welcomed, and I look forward to seeing the work in Barmouth, Fairbourne, Morfa Nefyn and Pencaenewydd. I want to draw one other issue to the Deputy Minister's…
, Plenary
Short Debate: Protecting community spaces: Taking back control
Thank you, Rhys, for bringing this debate forward, and, in thinking about this, I'd assumed that most people would speak of community assets like pubs, chapels and so on. So, I want to ask the Deputy Minister specifically for his views on the Welsh…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Housing
I have done that. But the point stands: it's these major corporations that are pushing the smaller developers, who are building to meet local demand, out of the market. Whatever form Unnos takes, I'm convinced that it will benefit our local constructors, but…
