Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:43 pm on 20 October 2021.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 1:43, 20 October 2021

Well, of course, in response to your specific question, which I will respond to, about the cold weather plan, we will have a cold weather plan in place. I talked about our plan to tackle fuel poverty, and ,of course, all of these are interacting strategies and plans to tackle fuel poverty. But we'll be able to respond to that in terms of updating by the end of November. 

This is where the Minister for Climate Change and I are working very closely together, and we are making our representations to the UK Government, which I hope you are as well. You're making representations to me, but representations need to be made to the UK Government in terms of tackling these issues. And, very clearly, we need to ensure that there is the funding available to enable us to play our part. And we'll look to see what happens in the comprehensive spending review announcements shortly. 

But, also, on Ofgem itself, meetings held with the Minister for Climate Change, and representations that we're making, recognising that there will be an increase in the number of households facing fuel poverty, in fact, this was discussed fully in our Equality and Social Justice Committee this morning in terms of debt advice, and the fact that we are ensuring that not only are we reaching out with £20.1 million in the Nest scheme—100 per cent of installations completed by Wales-based installers, including apprenticeships—but we are looking to benefit entitlement checks, which, in themselves, through our income maximisation programme, are actually resulting in benefit take-up to support households who will be vulnerable; who will be vulnerable, because of those cuts that we've just been talking about from universal credit and the end of furlough, rising fuel prices and rising food prices too.