Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:22 pm on 15 May 2018.
I thank Simon Thomas for the questions. I agree with what he said at the outset. I’m eager to use the new possibilities that we have and that’s why we have started on the process of testing the new mechanism and we’re creating the mechanism, because there wasn’t a mechanism there before. So, one of the purposes of doing this in the first place is just to learn the lessons that will emerge from trying this for the first time and to see, as Simon Thomas said, how this is going to work in the Welsh context.
That’s why I’m going to pull together a new group. We’re going to use a couple of people, I think, who are already in the group that we have that advises the Government on taxation generally, but I want to draw into that group a number of people who have a specific interest in this area—people who work, people who develop land and people who build homes, but groups such as Shelter as well, who have other aspects to contribute. I’m eager to draw into that group people who do have experience in the area of—well, I’ve forgotten the word in Welsh, of course—in the process of regeneration. Adfywio—yes, thank you very much.
So, how will the group work? Well, I haven’t spoken to the group members yet. I think the intention is for us to have advice as a Government, and I’m sure there'll be a number of people in the group who usually come to give evidence in terms of the work that they do when the Assembly committees do their inquiries. But, I’m happy to talk to them if there are other possibilities for them to do some work to help the committees as well.
In terms of the stalled sites fund, just to say, as some Members know, that we have earmarked new funding to help those sites to come onto the market.