, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
'It's not called getting old, it's called getting ill'.
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Trefnydd, could I ask for two statements, please? As you know, this week is Dementia Action Week, and this year the important thing is timely diagnosis, and the important message that many of us, unfortunately, are able to agree with is that this is not about…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions - continuation
Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd. I propose that we wait for the publication of the independent review that assesses the 2022 childcare sufficiency assessments. That report is due this spring, so it should be with us very shortly, unless their definition of 'spring'…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions - continuation
Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd. I can see from the response that the Minister is not considering legislating in this area and prefers to raise awareness and influence behaviours, and gives examples of that. The petitioner has seen the response and has thanked the…
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Well, firstly I'd like to thank the petitioner, the Secretary of State, for his interest in a devolved area. We can see quite clearly the intention of the Minister in her letter and in the Plenary statement to us recently. We can also see from the…
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd. It's not a surprising response from the Minister. We've heard her say several times in Plenary, when put to her by other Members, that she's not in favour of breaking up Betsi Cadwaladr. There are extensive discussions on Betsi…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 2 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
I know my colleague Joel James will ask in greater detail about data and data sharing, which seems so blatantly obvious to me. But, say now we do reach the doorstep assessment, surely you must've thought it through. How are you, as energy companies, going to…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 2 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
How would you stop that? How would you stop the doorstep assessment?
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 2 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Okay. Mr Ward, with the code of practice, which I understand is due to be legally enforceable by the end of this year, by the winter months, how would energy companies assess whether, for an 84-year-old with Alzheimer's, it's safe and reasonably practicable…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 2 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Okay. So, if there isn't an issue with forced prepayment meters, why have energy companies signed up to the voluntary code of practice by Ofgem?
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 2 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Mr O'Shea, the Chair said there is a national scandal with regard to forced prepayment meters. You in your letter said that your review showed that only 0.6 per cent were inappropriate forced prepayment meters. So, do you disagree with the Chair that there's…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 2 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Thank you very much, Chair. From listening to the three of you and from reading Mr O'Shea’s helpful letter to us, I take it all three of you disagree entirely with the Chair's comments at the beginning that this is a national scandal, because from your…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Okay. Thanks.
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Because reading the evidence from energy suppliers, they don't seem to think there is a real issue here; they think they've complied perfectly. So, that's what I was going to ask—you mentioned compensation, or you answered in the affirmative when Luke…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
So, further back than the 12 months.
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Sorry, Chair. Just following on from, I think, your first answer to Luke Fletcher about reviewing the customer base: 12 months. So, is that the limit? If the prepayment meter has been forced 12 months ago, that's the cut-off point. So, if it's been there for…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
I just wanted to note that it's more than just a surge in demand; it's also coupled with huge cuts to services. Citizens Advice, for example, has seen an average cut of 10 per cent in their funding. So, it's not only that they see—. Trying to get a…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
So, you will do it. It's a question of when.
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
And what's stopping you doing that now?
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
I can see the control argument and I can see how that would be attractive, but what about the charges? The tariff charges, that's the one; that's the huge problem, isn't it? Even if they're not using it, they still have to pay the charges. Surely that can't…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
But, at the moment, you're unable to tell us exactly how these assessments should take place.
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
But how can it be assessed, then, that's it's correct to give a prepayment meter to somebody in a medium-risk category who has an illness like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's? Are these energy companies supposed to send out a medical expert to assess these people…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
But how is that to work in practice? Say now, for example, somebody could be in the medium-risk category who's 84, with Alzheimer's, with Parkinson's, with schizophrenia. How on earth are energy companies expected to assess these people to see whether it's…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Thank you. I just wanted to look at the different categories of risk. Now, high risk—the age limit for that has been set at 85. I'm not sure whether you know that the average age of death of a Welshman is 78. Why has it been set seven years older than the…
, Petitions Committee
Evidence session 1 - P-06-1326 The Senedd should scrutinise the prepayment meter scandal in Wales
Okay. So, your evidence is that it will be legally enforceable before next winter.
