3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:08 pm on 21 May 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 3:08, 21 May 2019

Trefnydd, on many occasions, I've raised in this Chamber concerns of my constituents regarding the remedies and support they seek as a consequence of failing cavity insulation. That cavity insulation has been installed under Welsh Government grants very often, and has been underwritten by the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency. Very often, those constituents have contacted CIGA and have received responses that are challenging the actual assertion that the cavity insulation has failed, and putting the blame back on the owner of the property. Now, many of those individuals cannot afford the remedies that are required. As a consequence, this is clearly a question of what are CIGA going to be doing about this.

The last time I raised it, the chief executive wrote to me indicating he'll be happy to listen to concerns of constituents, and he'll be getting a few letters from me in that response. But they were Welsh Government projects, and they have been underwritten by CIGA, which I'm sure Welsh Government supported. So, I want a statement from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to ask the question as to what Welsh Government will do for these individuals, because very often, these individuals shouldn't be in the position of coming to see me. The remedy should have been done by the underwriting guarantor. And if not them, perhaps the Welsh Government, who actually funded the initial work in the first place.

So, can we have a statement as to what the Welsh Government will be doing to help individuals who find themselves in this position? They end up in a battle with CIGA to say what's actually gone wrong. CIGA often say the wall has broken down and it's the fault of the cladding, and not the fault of the cavity insulation in the first place, when there's been a survey showing actually they're wrong, and that it is a fault with the cavity insulation. But, Welsh Government actually funded the project in the first place. Can we have a statement as to what Welsh Government will be doing to support those individuals to ensure that they get the remedies, they get the cavity wall insulation fixed and repaired, and that they don't have to find thousands of pounds, which they haven't got?