, 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. Jennifer will probably say a bit more as well, but I just want to reassure all colleagues that we're still all systems go in terms of Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru and the additional funding that we've put into Ynni Cymru as well. So, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, we've got…
, 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 it will take the UK Government some time to get to the point at which the business cases for particular projects come forward. So, with Ynni Cymru, we're essentially four years ahead of where the UK Government is at the moment—sorry, Trydan Gwyrdd…
, 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 think that it would be the UK Government that would be providing that greater level of detail, particularly around the business cases. Of course, there's that interrelationship with Ynni Cymru and Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru as well, which, again, is at an…
, 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 relation to the Great British Energy Bill, that Bill, in itself, is actually very narrow, and what it does is enable the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to designate a company as 'Great British Energy' and then put it on a statutory…
, 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, with this particular Bill, the regulations that relate to product safety and metrology span to some 2,500 pages, and, as I understand it, they are frequently updated to keep pace with changes, and that's part of the reason why this is a framework…
, 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, and I've been really clear, I think the First Minister's been really clear, everybody's been really clear that our principles that sit behind our approach to legislative consent motions and UK Government legislation haven't changed at all. I know 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
So, these are the discussions that we're having currently with the UK Government around what the role of Welsh Ministers and the Senedd would be, particularly around the wording around 'consult', which is in the Bill. Obviously, our position would be to look…
, 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, you are correct that this Bill was in development before the election of the new Government, but in terms of the aims of the Bill, which are to regulate product safety and essentially to make things simpler and clearer for businesses, we do welcome 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
At the moment, both Bills are at a stage where we do need to have more discussion with the UK Government before we could recommend consent to the Senedd. We have had good engagement both at official level and also at ministerial level. But just to briefly…
, 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, I'll ask officials to introduce themselves.
, Plenary
Short Debate: The Welsh Economy: Structural problems and putting them right
In relation to GDP, we don't currently get quarterly estimates for Wales; they've been paused by the ONS for over a year now. So, the latest data that we have is from April this year, which shows that, in 2022, economic growth per person in Wales was broadly…
, Plenary
Short Debate: The Welsh Economy: Structural problems and putting them right
Thank you, and also thank you, of course, to Mike Hedges for bringing forward this important short debate today, but also for the thought pieces that he regularly produces as well. And thank you to Tom for his contribution in relation to planning. Of course…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Thank you very much to Alun Davies. I'd be very happy to take him up on his kind invitation to visit Blaenau Gwent. I know that my predecessor also had a very interesting tour of some of the highlights in terms of Welsh Government investment and the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The Welsh Government works with partners such as the Cardiff capital region, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and key businesses to deliver prosperity and the benefits of economic growth to all parts of south-east Wales, including Blaenau Gwent.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
So, in terms of Welsh Government's own investment, you will see that in the renewable sector. You'll see it through Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru and the five projects that we're seeking to develop there. You'll see it in our wider support through Ynni Cymru for more…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The responsibility for demonstrating that carbon capture and storage business cases make the necessary contribution to long-term decarbonisation and build a stronger, greener economy rests entirely with the developer. To acquire necessary consents, developers…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I'm grateful for the question and for the work that John Griffiths is undertaking in this space. I think the net benefit for biodiversity policy is really important in this space, and hopefully that will seek to at least mitigate some of those cumulative…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I'm grateful for the question. Colleagues know I can't comment on any specific plan because most large solar projects will be determined by Welsh Ministers, but we do have comprehensive and up-to-date planning policy that allows for the consideration of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The first thing to say is about the importance of the Gwent levels. I think that importance is very much reflected in 'Future Wales' policy 9 by its designation as a national natural resource area. I think that's very important. Officials are currently in the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The Welsh Government’s planning policies for the consideration of large-scale solar farms are contained within 'Planning Policy Wales' and 'Future Wales'.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
We will absolutely be making those important points in our discussions with HyNet and also with the UK Government in relation to the importance of consulting with and properly considering the views of residents in the area, and also, of course, for maximising…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I'm grateful for the question and, as I said in response to the previous question, we're very mindful of the fact that the Climate Change Committee and a range of other organisations have said that carbon capture and storage will necessarily be a part of our…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
So, as I said previously, in the coming weeks I will be consulting on the Welsh Government policy position in terms of how we can use carbon capture and storage technology, but our clear focus is on where it can make a clear, measurable and sustained…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The Welsh Government has regular discussions with the UK Government at both an official and ministerial level to ensure proposed carbon capture projects across Wales are subject to robust regulatory controls, facilitate long-term decarbonisation and build a…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Again, I'm very grateful for the question. We absolutely recognise the importance of apprenticeships, while we are making really significant investment in our apprenticeship programme here in Wales. Of course, this now is being led on by Medr, and Jack…
