, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Our concern would be that the strategic priorities might allow the UK Government to invest in areas that are devolved competence, so we would need to have safeguards in place so that the decisions are made here. I don't know, Scott, if you wanted to add on…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
We established Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru using the executive powers of Welsh Ministers, so there's nothing in the Bill that would affect that, so, in that sense, we don't see the need to see any specific amendments in that context. But the area of the Bill where we…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Yes, okay.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
So, would it be helpful then if we commit to providing this committee and the other committees represented today with an update on the discussions as they move forward, and as they take place in a particular—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
And just to reassure you that one of the things we've talked about in the meeting with Lord Leong [correction: the meeting with Minister Shanks] was that those discussions should happen in parallel. So, whilst we're talking about the LCM and whilst we're…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
No. So, I think in terms of what the Bill does in terms of setting up Great British Energy, I think the kinds of questions that Alun has just been posing are the kinds of things that we need to be discussing in terms of the way in which the two Governments…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
And of course, the impact should be a positive impact on our ability to achieve our—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I was keen to stress as well to UK Government Ministers that, actually, if they want to make rapid progress and have early wins in this space, then Wales is the place to do it, because we are so much further ahead in terms of the plans and the structures.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
All this Bill does, essentially, is set up Great British Energy, or allow it to be designated, and then set out the strategic priorities for it. So, those discussions about how we will work in partnership with the UK Government, through Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Yes. Those discussions have been in place for some time. I met with Michael Shanks, the Minister with responsibility for this, on 24 October, and officials are meeting regularly with their counterparts as well.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Yes.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Yes, it should be positive for businesses to provide them with that clarity and the ability then to access the EU market.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
What the Bill will do is allow the law to be updated to recognise new or updated EU product requirements. And the intention then is to prevent unnecessary costs and inconvenience to businesses, providing that regulatory stability. So, clearly, that's in the…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
In terms of the timetable, there's still some uncertainty from within the UK Government for both Bills, but we would expect the need for the LCM debate to come early in the new year for both Bills. And we would expect the Great British Energy Bill to be ahead…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Well, we're hopeful and we'll continue those discussions, but as soon as we're at a point where we can conclude those discussions—. I do wish I was able to sit here today with a solid answer for you, but as soon as we are able to, we'll provide more…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I think one is around what the role is for Welsh Ministers and for the Senedd. One example of a change could be around the changing of 'consult' to 'consent'. I think that would be probably one of the most simple ways in which we could address some of the…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I suppose that's a kind of political question about how we engage with the various parties within the Senedd, and I think those conversations will be absolutely critical going forward. I know that some parts of the Senedd will take a principled view on LCMs…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I suppose that those kind of architectural discussions probably are more fundamental in terms of our approach to the way in which legislation is undertaken in any case. Perhaps that might be something for the discussions that I know you'll be having in that…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
And I think it's worth recognising as well that there are other things that could lead us, or other changes that could be made that could lead us, to recommend consent, as we've done in different Bills in the past as well. As I say, those discussions are…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Well, I don't—. Where we are at the moment is, with that word in the Bill, and as it stands with the Bill, we haven't been able to make a recommendation to the Senedd. So, as I say, we hope those discussions will be positive, or we get to a point where we can.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
So, at the moment, we're hoping that positive discussions will lead us to a point where we can recommend that the Senedd provides its consent.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
So, the outcome, really, of the meeting was for officials to continue to work together. So, we haven't yet got to a point where we're able to recommend that the Senedd agrees consent, but that was the nub of the conversation really—around the word of…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I met with Lord Leong on 2 October, and, again, we had a really good discussion there. That was very much focused around the role, again, of the Welsh Ministers and of the Senedd, particularly in that word around 'consult', as opposed to 'consent'. I was able…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
So, we've had really good discussions with UK Government. I met with Michael Shanks, the lead Minister for the Bill in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, on 24 October. I did set out the welcome for Great British Energy, the focus that the UK…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
In terms of the Great British Energy Bill?
