, Local Government and Housing Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Good morning, Chair, thanks. I'm still a Conwy county borough councillor, but I don't think we're discussing anything specific around Conwy County Borough Council.
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Reform of Hospice Funding
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Minister, for bringing forward today's statement. Since becoming a Member of the Senedd, one of the first things I did was meet with and visit Tŷ Gobaith in my region, North Wales, who, alongside Tŷ Hafan…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Procurement Update
Thanks, Minister, for bringing forward today's statement. As you outlined right at the start, procurement is one of those significant levers that can be pulled in tackling climate change, and I was really glad to hear you reference that decarbonisation can be…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Thanks, Chair. I'm sorry to cut across your questions, Carolyn. It's just that my ears pricked up in terms of comments around the options around supporting the retrofit and decarbonisation of homes. I'm just wondering, with your previous hat on, Minister…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Thanks for that response as well. I think the challenge, I guess, is that a third of the houses in Wales are over 100 years old, and mine is included in that. The challenge of adapting those sort of properties is significant, I would expect. I think that what…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
That's a fair point, Minister, and my office here looks across an estate that has just been built, in the last two or three years. There are 250 houses here, and there's a really good mix of, yes, very affordable housing and free-market houses as well. So…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Okay, thanks. And just specifically in that private development area, then, do you think the budget allocations you've currently got in your draft budget support the private developments to the extent that you'd want them to be supported?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Thanks, Minister. So, just moving on now, then, to some of the private sector developments and perhaps those who will be looking to purchase their own homes. Maybe it's just my reading of things, but I'm less clear on how the Help to Buy scheme is likely to…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
So, just keeping on that, then, Minister—thanks for that response—in terms of that £1 million, I appreciate in the grand scheme of a Welsh Government budget it's not a huge amount, but of course we're always here to make sure value for money is happening. So…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Thank you. So, is that pointing to perhaps a breakdown in the relationship with existing construction companies, do you think, the reason that you have to put money into that, or what—? Do you want to talk more on that?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Thank you, Chair, and thanks, Minister, for that. So, just in relation to that, of course, part of the solution I believe that you see to deal with that is the development of the national construction company, Unnos—I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 3 - Minister for Climate Change
Thanks, Chair. Morning, Minister. I appreciate your taking the time this morning to come to the committee. Just a few questions around housing supply. So, first of all, in relation to the 20,000 new, low-carbon social homes that you mentioned earlier on, I…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you to the Member for submitting this important question as well. Minister, because of the further restrictions over Christmas and into the new year, the announcement of further financial support from the economic resilience fund is of course welcome…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Okay. Thanks. And just one more question, if I may, Chair. The draft budget is a lovely piece of paper, with lots of words. In terms of the practical delivery of that stuff, do you feel it's clear what will practically happen and what will practically be a…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Thanks. And Ben, FSB were calling for 100 per cent rates relief to continue, weren't they, so, do you have any comments on what the proposals are in the budget and how that might impact businesses?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Great, thanks. So, just moving on to the draft budget in particular then, and from a retail side in particular, perhaps, a question around how effective is the draft budget in providing support to businesses now that the pandemic funding is being withdrawn…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Great. And Ben, did you want to say something?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Okay, thanks. Sara, do you want to comment?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Does anybody else want to comment on those questions? I see Suzy and then Sara. And then Ben.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
To come back to you, Leighton, specifically, then. Do you think they take you seriously when they listen?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 7
Thanks, Chair. Morning, all. I appreciate you taking time out to join us this morning. I've got a bit of a general question, perhaps leading on from some of that engagement stuff, before I come to some specifics. Because, of course, every single penny of what…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 6
Thanks, Dr Winckler. Thank you, Chair.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 6
Okay. And just one more point on that, if I may, Chair. Just to come back to that earlier question I asked around personal responsibility, how do you think that balance around household borrowing is balanced with personal choice and then people taking…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 6
You're right, there are some real challenges in that sector and, unfortunately, in the area that I represent, north Wales, a number of developers are just moving out of the region because they feel there are so many barriers in place for them to build houses…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 6
Thanks, and around housing, then, around 90 per cent of houses being built are built by the private sector; only about 10 per cent, I believe, is social landlords or local authorities building them. Do you think that that relationship between the Government…
