<p>Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:42 pm on 28 June 2017.

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Photo of Mr Simon Thomas Mr Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru 1:42, 28 June 2017

Thank you for confirming that, Cabinet Secretary, and I’m sure, if necessary, you will remind the Westminster Government that this Assembly has voted unanimously in favour of the plan, having seen and studied the independent review by Charles Hendry, commissioned by the previous Westminster Government, which said very clearly that this should proceed as a matter for a pathfinder project and at no cost, almost, or pain, if you like, to Westminster to invest in that.

There is one aspect of energy that is completely in your hands and that is that around community schemes and hydropower. My colleague, Sian Gwenllian, raised this with the First Minister yesterday and I’ll raise it with you today. I think we’ll both be raising it until we get a satisfactory answer, to be honest, which is the effect of revaluation on hydroelectricity and hydro schemes in particular. I’ve had a letter from the British Hydropower Association, which sets out that most independent hydro schemes, which include community ones, of course, would have previous rateable values of approximately 10 per cent of their revenues, which is similar to other businesses, and they are now seeing those values as a result of the revaluation increase two, three or fourfold, and in some cases, an increase of 900 per cent. This is clearly in danger of cutting off a source of investment for an important niche, perhaps, in some parts, but an important renewable energy industry that we have here in Wales and the potential for further expansion in Wales. So, will you now discuss with the rest of the Cabinet, but particularly the Cabinet Secretary for finance, to see whether some sort of relief can be put in place for renewable energy schemes such as these, similar to what’s happened in Scotland, so that we don’t choke off this growing industry?