8. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s priorities for energy policy in the south-east? OAQ(5)0053(ERA)

Thank you. My priority is to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy mix with policies that support our strategic objectives as a Government, as set out in ‘Taking Wales Forward’. I’ll be making a statement in December that will outline my energy priorities for the whole of Wales.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her answer. The south-east, like many other parts of our country, provides great potential for local energy generation that’s renewable, reliable and could benefit local communities. There are exciting plans to harness the energy potential of the Ebbw river on the site of the former Navigation colliery, and low-entropy heat recovery from the old pit too. Will she work with the local community in Crumlin and other interested parties to realise the tremendous potential for energy generation on the site of the former Navigation colliery?

Yes, certainly. I’d be very happy to work with local residents. It’s been really good to see, over the summer, some very good community energy projects; I opened a hydro scheme recently not far from Merthyr Tydfil. So, it’s great to see these communities coming together, bringing forward these ideas for these schemes, and we’d be very happy to support with funding if appropriate.

Community renewable energy projects allow local communities greater control of energy generation. Could the Cabinet Secretary advise the Assembly how the Welsh Government local energy programme is encouraging and supporting such projects in south-east Wales and elsewhere?

Well, across Wales we are, as I say, encouraging communities to come together with ideas for local renewable energy schemes. We have a pot of funding. I think, at the moment, we’ve got eight. I think eight have been completed and we’ve got six going through, or it might be the other way around, but I’ve seen a couple myself over the summer. I mentioned the hydro scheme. I also visited a community windfarm. So, it is really good to see these projects coming together, and I’m very happy to meet with any Member who wants me to meet with residents, if necessary, to discuss these schemes in detail.

The Wales Bill is currently in the Committee Stage in the House of Lords, and, in its current form, it would devolve energy planning powers to Wales for all generation projects up to 350 MW, and that is very welcome because, unlike Neil Hamilton, I’m sure we’re both aware that there are many, many opportunities for the economy of south-east Wales and elsewhere. There have been some amendments tabled in the House of Lords that would enable Wales to take forward all the recommendations in the fourth Assembly’s ‘A Smarter Energy Future for Wales’, which was produced by the environment committee. This would permit the Assembly to legislate on all aspects of the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity, other than nuclear energy. And, as you’ll be aware, Cabinet Secretary, this is often the barrier to small-scale projects, that the transmitters simply charge such an outrageous sum that it kills the project stone dead. So, will the Welsh Government support these new energy amendments in the Wales Bill?

You will be aware that officials have been having very detailed discussions with the relevant UK departments on the energy consenting provisions in the Bill. A number of amendments went through the Commons; we're very hopeful that further amendments are going to be made to the Bill as it progresses through the House of Lords to address our remaining concerns, and we’ll be watching it very closely.