, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
So, from my understanding, there was no gap in that provision. Obviously, I've come in after this process but that's my understanding, and I feel reassured to know that those households were contacted to recontinue with their applications that were able to. I…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
So, I've been assured that there is no gap in the provision between the old scheme and the new scheme. There was a period in which British Gas were in mobilisation for the first six months of the scheme, just ensuring on boarding of contractors to deliver the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Not the figures that we've—. It's not what we've heard, no; less than 1 per cent.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Well, it's good to hear that and it will hopefully reassure you that that's what we're getting back as well, but, as I say, it's inevitable there will be some issues in such an early time. So, we'll keep an eye on that and make sure that that is still going…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Yes, absolutely. Obviously, with a programme this size, it's inevitable that there'll be some customers who are unhappy with the service they receive, particularly when we've got a scheme that is in its infancy. But, proportionally, I understand those numbers…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Yes, absolutely. I've heard from people within my own postbag, and other Members’, that this is an area that people are keen to hear more about. I'm expecting advice from officials very shortly, and I know 'shortly' could be—who knows when that is? But just…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Yes, absolutely.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Yes, absolutely; we can write to you on that.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Julie. Thank you for that. It really is not our intention to turn any householders whose homes are unsuitable for a heat pump away. Where it's the case, we do really work hard, and Nest work hard, to make sure that homes are more energy efficient and…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
We're turning our attention to part 2 now, but we're very much early in that process, and I'm not able to sort of pre-empt anything at the moment. But, as I said, we’ll very much keep the committee up to date with the work on that.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
And just to follow on as well, we're also keeping a keen eye on what's happening with a UK Government decision as well. They've got strategic decisions to be made around hydrogen for home heating as well and the future of the gas network, and so that will…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
I'll bring Christine in to—.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Altaf. So, officials are currently working through the review of the new Nest scheme, and I believe that work is due to be completed on that in April, May time. Once we're confident that the demand-led scheme's working well, we intend to discuss…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Obviously, the finance Secretary regularly engages with His Majesty's Treasury, and a key area of discussion around the autumn budget was the need for greater public spending to be supporting public services and putting more money into people's pockets. Those…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Sioned. First of all, just to say it is my intention to extend the crisis route to ensure no households are left without hot water or heating. I’m expecting advice in the coming weeks on that, and I’ll then make a final decision on the possibility of…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Jane. I understand your ambition and, as I say, I know that we would all like to see that happen as quickly as possible. We know that we have, as I mentioned, the capacity within the sector. And I’d just like to say, in terms of the people left…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Altaf. I think it's important that the budget reflects what we're able to deliver, and I have to acknowledge that that's partly dependent on contractor capacity within the system as well. We are delivering the PAS 2035 standard, and that standard…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
We're aiming for that and I can assure you that we'll do everything we can. It's a huge issue, isn't it, that's not just for the Welsh Government, it's across the UK. But we really do feel that here, with our Warm Homes programme and the new focus on it…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
I would like to see as much pace in this as I'm sure everybody on this committee would, as well, but we're working within our envelope here within the Welsh Government, but we're also looking to leverage, as I mentioned earlier, schemes at a UK level, so it's…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Altaf. I don't think there's going to be a point where we say we've done it, we've made every home in Wales energy efficient, because as the housing stock in Wales ages, more homes will become less energy efficient and will need support from schemes…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Altaf. The new programme does aim to provide that low-carbon technology solution, mainly moving away from fossil fuel boilers, and a focus on that deeper retrofit. So, it's taken on the low carbon first, fabric worst side of things. Our crisis route…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Sorry. I don't know if Christine wanted to come in. Sorry.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes programme: Evidence session with Cabinet Secretaries
Diolch, Cadeirydd, and thank you for inviting us to this inquiry today—an important inquiry. Absolutely. So, you know that we have our Warm Homes scheme and we've gone in to the second phase of that now, and we've got to a situation where we are looking for…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Luke. So, the evidence we received did identify that, fundamentally, we do need to obtain better data, and I think that's really important. So, better data on private rents across the whole sector, rather than just looking at the asking prices…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Luke. We have considered the evidence received from the Green Paper consultation undertaken in 2023, as well as examining the available evidence from Scotland, all of which indicates that there is not a sufficient evidence base to take forward rent…
