Julie James: I'd expect Welsh Water to take into account a hierarchy of issues. The first is to prevent flooding. That's absolutely the first—loss of limb or life and to prevent flooding; that's the first thing they have to do. So, if they're looking at a building up of debris around the bridge and so on, they are expected to clean that out. They are expected to work in conjunction with Natural...
Julie James: Thank you, Tom. The Welsh Government funds risk-management authorities, such as local authorities and Natural Resources Wales, to reduce flood risk. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water are responsible for managing their own sewerage assets. We encourage all parties to work collaboratively to address the risk of flooding to all our communities.
Julie James: I absolutely agree entirely with you there, Sam Rowlands. There are significant opportunities from optimising the social value of our natural resources, including through the generation of local clean energy. And as you rightly identify, it's not the quantity of renewables being developed that generates the wealth but the development of all the local ownership structures, supply chains and...
Julie James: I certainly recognise the substantial economic opportunity north Wales can realise from renewable energy. I'm working with the Minister for Economy and other Cabinet colleagues to capture the benefits from our energy transition, including through the regional energy strategy and the north Wales economic framework.
Julie James: Yes, we absolutely welcome the move by a large number of small and medium-sized producers right across Wales to low-carbon housing. We will also be bringing forward changes to our building regulations—my colleague Lee Waters will be bringing forward changes to the building regulations to make sure that the building regulations for everyone are at that sort of standard, and I'm very happy to...
Julie James: Yes, absolutely. I'm very happy to do just that, because we're very keen to unlock those green jobs. You will know that our Net Zero Wales plan highlights how we're looking to reduce emissions whilst delivering those wider benefits that you've just outlined. At this point in time we've provided £6 million of environmental protection scheme grant support to Valero, to assist its...
Julie James: Diolch, Cefin. The Welsh Government offers a wide range of support to help businesses reduce their environmental impact. This includes our Business Wales resource efficiency advisers, who, since 2016, have supported 170 Pembrokeshire businesses in improving their environmental sustainability strategies.
Julie James: I absolutely do think that. One of the issues we've had is where we have had small construction companies that have gone out of business as a result or the guarantor scheme has gone down. So, we'll certainly be looking to explore guarantor schemes where the council acts as the ultimate guarantor, but we want to be very careful that we're not transferring a liability and a risk that properly...
Julie James: Diolch, Siân. I have some sympathy with what you're saying, obviously. What we've been doing, as you know, is working with Fortem Energy Services, the scheme manager for Arbed 2, to review the position of all residents who benefited from the external wall insulation and ensure that they're aware of the process for redress where issues have arisen. Because what we're trying to do is make sure...
Julie James: It's intermittent. I can hear it sometimes, and not—
Julie James: Diolch, Siân. Seven hundred and forty-two households in Arfon benefited from home energy efficiency improvements under the Arbed 2 scheme, estimated to have saved them on average around £300 on their domestic energy bills annually.
Julie James: Yes. I'm very tempted to just say 'yes' and sit down. [Laughter.] Absolutely, we've already done something in Wales that has not been done in the rest of the UK, and that is, through the Welsh housing quality standard, we've brought all our social housing up to energy performance certificate D, which is a long way up from where it was before. We were repeatedly told that that wouldn't be...
Julie James: Apologies, I lost a little bit of the translation there, but I got the gist of it, I think, so, forgive me if I haven't got a nuance, especially right at the end there. I don't know why it suddenly cut out for some reason. So, we absolutely welcome the work done by the co-operative centre. We absolutely agree that community-led housing is very much part of the housing solution in Wales and...
Julie James: We are committed to improving water quality but we need an integrated catchment approach focussing on multi-sector co-operation. We are driving this work forward through the special areas of conservation rivers oversight group, better river water quality task group and nutrient management boards, which have representatives from all relevant sectors.
Julie James: Investment, legislative drivers and a robust regulatory framework will drive evidence-led improvements to river water quality. We are committed to improving water quality but we cannot do this alone. We are leading an integrated catchment approach, focusing on multisector co-operation and nature-based solutions.
Julie James: We are working with Natural Resources Wales to hold a national conversation about the future of our natural environment. The aim is to collaboratively develop a shared vision that we turn into action. The people of Islwyn can participate via a survey, online workshops or volunteering for a focus group.
Julie James: Our funding objectives and strategic priorities, set out in our national flood strategy and the programme for government, are to reduce flood risk to communities and businesses across Wales. We may consider support following flooding on a case by-case basis.
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. The Plant Health etc. (Fees) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 amend the Plant Health etc. (Fees) (Wales) Regulations 2018, in consequence of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The 2018 regulations specify fees payable to the Welsh Ministers in relation to plant health services, and in particular, certain fees payable to the...
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. I've already addressed the issues on the Human Rights Act in terms of the LJC committee. We are very satisfied that the Act complies with all of the human rights legislation, as Huw set out. In terms of the points that Janet made, the number of landlords fluctuates over time as new landlords enter the market and others leave. So, she's quite right in saying that figures from...
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. These regulations form part of a wider set of statutory instruments that I am laying to support the implementation of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Members will be aware from my written statement last month that the Welsh Government's intention is that all of the provisions of the Act will be commenced in July of this year. To enable this to happen, a number of...
