, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
I recently had the opportunity to visit Carmarthenshire People First—a fantastic independent charity that's taking a leading role in supporting adults with learning disabilities by providing independent advocacy, training and support to individuals who need…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
I'm grateful. Thank you, Minister. Diolch, Cadeirydd.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Sorry, so, just to clarify: do we know when that net-zero skills action plan will be published? Is there a time frame?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Thank you, Chair. When the net-zero skills action plan will be published, do we have a time frame for that, on how it will support decarbonisation and fuel poverty ambitions at the same time? Because I would argue that they're both sides of the same coin.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Of course.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Excellent. Thank you. And—[Interruption.] Sorry, Chair.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Thank you. Because there were issues around the cavity wall insulation previously, in being implemented in wrong geographical areas and increasing the risk of damp within properties. And that is a lesson to be learnt there, isn't it, in terms of the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Thank you, Chair. I was just—. Forgive me, my computer's having its funny moment again. But I was just wondering with regard to how confident Welsh Government is on the types of technology and skills required for longer term, at scale, really, so that the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
And I'll be incredibly brief in asking the question. Thank you, Chair, and diolch, Jane. I live in rural Wales, I ordered oil only last week and saw the price increase from when I previously ordered oil. But anecdotally—and I don't like using anecdotal…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Okay. I'm grateful. Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Chair.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Does that £73 million per annum equate to what you as a Minister in the Welsh Government would be looking towards? Is that bottom end or top end of your assessments?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session 5
Thank you, Chair, and good afternoon, Minister. Do you agree with the future generations commissioner and the New Economics Foundation that £73 million per annum is needed to fund the Warm Homes programme up until 2030? Do you agree with that assessment?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Thank you, Chair. Yes, just to declare an interest as the director of the registered charity the Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, which has been in receipt of Welsh Government funding previously. So, I just wanted to note that.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Diolch. Diolch, Cadeirydd.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Okay, I'm grateful. Gwyn.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Diolch, Gareth. Huw.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Great, diolch, Gwyn. And finally, given the horrific scenes over in Ukraine and the calls for food security to be prime within future agricultural policy—obviously fertilizer prices going up as well, red diesel prices going up as well—with a trade deal like…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Gwyn, before I come to you, I'll add an amendment to the question because of your background with Hybu Cig Cymru. What is the difference, following on from that question, between red meat product from Wales and that from Australia? Is it a comparative…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Okay. Diolch. Huw, over to you.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
For background, when we heard from Sam Lowe, Emily Rees and Professor Michael Gasiorek, three trade experts, they didn't echo the concerns of agriculture with regard to the trade deal. Why do you think that is?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Just coming back to the opening question and Hefin calling it a very gloomy picture for agriculture following this trade deal, that doesn't quite echo what we heard from Sam Lowe, Emily Rees and Professor Michael Gasiorek when we gathered evidence from them…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon, everyone.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny - Minister for Economy
Excellent. Thank you, Minister. Diolch, Cadeirydd.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny - Minister for Economy
I appreciate that. That's a really long, detailed answer of the benefits, potentially, around it, but what are Welsh Government going to do with the powers within the economy portfolio and across the Cabinet to really push that forward? You mentioned when…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny - Minister for Economy
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Thank you, Minister. I just want to go away slightly and talk about—. Obviously, it's St Patrick's Day and there's a worldwide—. Everybody knows about the Irish culture and everything that is associated with Ireland, and St Patrick's Day is…
