Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for those questions. I do very much recognise that the market in Newport is being impacted by the plans to scrap the tolls on the second Severn crossing. I recognise that and we're very alive to that in Government. That is why I was so pleased to attend, this week, the launch of Melin Homes's vision for Newport and parts of Monmouthshire for the next five years. They...
Rebecca Evans: I thank you for those questions and I'd certainly welcome the opportunity to come along to a meeting of the cross-party group and I look forward to agreeing a date with you in future. I think that your passion for small and medium-sized enterprises and also the recognition that you have of the fact that they can play a greater role in house building in Wales is very welcome. You'll be...
Rebecca Evans: I thank you very, very much for those comments. I particularly would begin by saying that I share your interest in co-operative housing and seeing what further we could do there, because, in the time I've been in post, I've been able to see—well, one particularly stands out in my mind, the example of the co-operative housing that we've supported in Carmarthen. I was really struck by the...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for those questions. I'd begin by reflecting on your comments about wage increases and how difficult some people find it in order to get on the housing ladder. Our schemes today do make that easier, but I agree it's not for everybody. So, there will be an important focus from Welsh Government on ensuring that, actually, we have a healthy housing sector right across the...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for those questions. I'll begin where you left off, in terms of the support for house building and support for people aspiring to own a home, particularly in rural communities. Because we know that, in rural communities, there is a particularly acute challenge in terms of affordability, particularly, I think, for some of our key workers—nurses, teachers and so on—who...
Rebecca Evans: I thank you very much for those comments and particularly welcome the way in which you opened the remarks in a positive sense. I will certainly seek to move forward in that spirit as well. You mentioned that you are pleased to hear that I'm keen to work with local authorities, particularly, to start building at scale and pace, and you would have heard me talk in the Chamber previously about...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. The Welsh Government believes in social housing; we believe in affordable housing. It's our ambition for everyone to live in a home that meets their needs and supports a healthy, prosperous and successful life. We know that we must work across Government to achieve this. 'Prosperity for All' not only affords housing the priority it deserves, but reaffirms our long-standing...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. David Melding referred to some of the early concerns that were raised in respect of the amendment power, and it did appear that the concern raised by the stakeholders at the early stages stemmed from a misunderstanding of the exact scope of the power of section 18 of the Bill and a concern that funders, who may not be familiar with the legislation, might perceive an open-ended...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. I've listened carefully to the comments made by David Melding today and in the Stage 2 committee session, and also the comments made by Bethan Sayed today, and I genuinely believe that we all want the same outcome here, that where an officer or board member or manager is appointed by the Welsh Ministers to ensure that an RSL complies with the requirement imposed by or under an...
Rebecca Evans: Will you take an intervention? Could you tell us what the reply from UK Finance says?
Rebecca Evans: Well, you can read it, because it's in your hand.
Rebecca Evans: When an RSL fails to perform satisfactorily, there is a range of powers available to the Welsh Ministers. The current threshold for taking action is generally where there has been mismanagement or misconduct. We have had to make this threshold more specific as it was one of the issues of control identified by the ONS. Therefore, the Bill amends the threshold to a failure 'to comply with a...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. So, as we've already heard, the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, in its consideration of the Bill, recommended that the National Assembly conducts post-legislative scrutiny of the Bill should it become an Act to ensure, in particular, that tenants' rights are safeguarded and that RSLs are not disposing of land and assets in a way unanticipated by the Welsh...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much. I'd like to begin by recognising and welcoming the fact that all parties have recognised how important this Bill is, and how important it is that we achieve the reclassification of RSLs. It is, indeed, a serious Bill that deserves serious consideration and serious scrutiny, as David Melding quite rightly pointed out. I would say that we haven't heard the last, certainly,...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much, Llywydd. I would again like to thank the Chairs and members of the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, and the Finance Committee for their detailed scrutiny of the Bill throughout Stage 1 and Stage 2. I would also like to thank the stakeholders who provided written and oral evidence and Assembly...
Rebecca Evans: Formally moved.
Rebecca Evans: This really is a question for the UK Government. The fact that the Welsh Government does interact and engage with the UK Government on these issues, as you'd expect us to, in order to voice strongly the concerns that we're hearing amongst people within our communities, does not mean that the Welsh Government is responsible for the decisions that the UK Government makes. The UK Government has...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for that question. I can certainly confirm that the Welsh Government continues to make strong and repeated representations to the UK Government regarding the impact that their welfare reform programme and austerity programme is having on people in receipt of benefits. We are really concerned because, actually, this is just the start. Many people are starting to think,...
Rebecca Evans: We know the third-year freeze to most working-age benefits will be the most painful yet. I'm extremely concerned about the devastating impact welfare reforms are having on low-income households. I've repeatedly expressed our concerns to the UK Government and called for a halt to universal credit roll-out.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for that and I will give my commitment to you that we do see the private rented sector as integral to delivering our ambitious housing first aspirations. But, I would also add that, just last week, I did have a meeting with Tai Pawb, who Welsh Government funds in order to try and create a housing picture in Wales, if you like, which is accessible to everybody. Tai Pawb...
