4. Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition: COVID-19 Reconstruction — Challenges and Priorities

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:25 pm on 6 October 2020.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 4:25, 6 October 2020

I thank the Member for those questions. In relation to the first point around the next phase of the economic resilience fund, the eligibility criteria for that were published on Monday of this week, and ought to be available—. I think I'm right in saying that, of the £140 million, I think the figure is £60 million that is earmarked for local lockdown support, and the eligibility for that, I think, will be available online. But, if not, then I can make sure that whatever information is available is provided to the Member and Members generally.

On the question of the national forest, I declare an interest in that the last, I think, engagement I did before the initial lockdown in March was to start the planting of the national forest in the Gnoll Park in my own constituency, and it was a great privilege to be able to invite the Minister to the constituency to do that. I certainly take the point that she makes, and I'll make sure that her comment is relayed to the environment Minister in the considerations that she has for bringing that forward in the future.

And lastly, in relation to innovative housing, I know that my colleague the Minister for Housing and Local Government sets a great store on creativity in our response to using housing to meet a range of social needs and a range of family configurations, if I can put it like that, and the flexibility that comes with that is important. I've spoken with her on many occasions of the value of housing that is able to follow the tenant or the owners' life journey, if you like, from different stages and different levels of need from accommodation. So, I'm very sure that'll be upmost in her mind in terms of future announcements that she brings forward.