1. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's fuel poverty strategy? OAQ54981

I expect the new plan for tackling fuel poverty in Wales to be published for consultation in February. It will be informed by the landscape review on fuel poverty published by the Wales Audit Office on 3 October.

Thank you. As you know, we were looking forward to the fuel poverty strategy consultation hopefully being published this month, and the final plan next month. Last week, the Residential Landlords Association gave evidence to the Assembly's Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into fuel poverty, and called, quote, 'for a more holistic approach', saying that properties tackled by the current strategy have so far only been in some of the most deprived areas, and there will be many fuel-poor occupiers in homes in more affluent areas as well. And, amongst other calls, they called for the least fuel efficient homes to be targeted first, such as those properties with a low energy efficiency rating, including those in the private rented sector, and support for tenants. 

Last October, the Bevan Foundation report in this area found that the richest households benefited most from current fuel poverty or previous fuel poverty strategies, where the number of wealthier households in fuel poverty had fallen by 75 per cent, but, in the poorest households, only 25 per cent, and they said that provided an indication as to why the Welsh Government had failed in its target to eradicate fuel poverty. 

Notwithstanding the overall reduction in the number of properties in fuel poverty, this identifies perhaps a need for a particular new focus. How will your new strategy address these concerns, and when do you expect the plan now to be published?

So, I think you're right: we do need to make sure that we are tackling the most deprived households first, in my view, and, certainly, if we had more funding, then we would be able to spread it much more widely. We have made some real progress over the past 10, 11 years, and we've improved the energy efficiency of more than 55,000 homes, and we've also been able to support over 129,000 people, but there are still far too many people living in fuel poverty in Wales.

Obviously, as part of the new strategy, we can look at having that new focus, and I'd be very happy to get any evidence that's been given, and I'm very aware of the climate change committee's report into fuel poverty, and they're currently taking oral evidence. And, whilst their report will probably be published too late to have an impact on the strategy that we'll be publishing next month, I'm sure it will help us as we take the policy forward. 

I'm sure, Minister, that you'd agree with me that one key component to tackling fuel poverty is ensuring that people are able to get the right advice to, potentially, switch users—something that, particularly, a lot of older people find difficult—and also to see what grant schemes, what support, might be available. You'll be aware that the Welsh Government, from the new financial year, is making some quite big changes to the advice services, the structures of the advice services, that they fund, and I wonder if you'd be good enough to talk with the relevant Ministers about those proposed changes to ensure that people, especially those in our poorest communities, and, particularly, elderly citizens, can get access to timely advice, and advice in their own communities, and, of course, where appropriate, through the medium of Welsh.

Absolutely, and I'm very happy to have those discussions with my relevant colleagues. I think it's also something that we need to look at within our energy service, because I think people don't tend to switch users. If I look at myself, I probably should do it; we should do it regularly, I think, and certainly look at the savings that could be made. But many of us don't have time to do that; some people don't know how to access that. You've referred to elderly people; I think they wouldn't know where to go for that advice. So, I think it's really important that we look at what advice services are doing in this area. So, yes, very happy to have those discussions. 

Minister, those figures you quoted earlier—129,000 people being helped, 50,000 homes—is good news across Wales. But, of course, those programmes were underpinned very often by a guarantee offered from the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency. Now, when those developers have gone wrong—either we've had a rogue developer, or we've had faulty materials, and, as a consequence, the homes have become damp and problematic—it is important, therefore, they're able to rely upon that guarantee to ensure those errors are rectified. I still have constituents who are raising concerns that they are having difficulty in getting those guarantees assured and delivered. Will you once again look at this programme to ensure that the guarantees are there for people, so that, when things do go wrong, they're able to have that and not have to spend thousands of pounds in rectifying errors, which they shouldn't have had to do?

Yes, the Member raises a very important point, and there are clearly some examples where people who've benefited from both UK and Welsh Government schemes designed to improve energy efficiency in their home—they've experienced problems, particularly with damp, and other associated problems. I know it is a matter of concern for a lot of Members, right across the Chamber—just yesterday, I met with our colleague Dawn Bowden, who's got concerns in her constituency. We know that, when it's installed and maintained correctly, it can significantly improve people's qualities of life and alleviate poverty in the way we've discussed. So, I am continuing to work with contractors; my officials are continuing to work with relevant bodies too, and I'd be very happy to update Members when I have more information.