2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:42 pm on 1 February 2022.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:42, 1 February 2022

Diolch. Regarding student loan repayment thresholds, you will probably be aware that Welsh Government officials do work with UK Government officials to look at the threshold in the repayments regulations, and UK Government do not need the agreement of Welsh Ministers to amend the repayment threshold, but they cannot impose that change on Wales. So, the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language will be looking at options in the coming weeks, and if there obviously is anything that he wishes to update Members on, I'm sure he will provide either a letter or a written statement. 

Regarding the Aberpergwm mining licence, we've been very clear that we do not support the extraction of fossil fuels, and we're very much focused on the climate emergency. As the original licence here was issued before licensing powers were devolved to the Welsh Government, Welsh Ministers are not able to intervene in the licensing process and unfortunately, then, appropriately apply our Welsh policy. So, the Coal Authority did inform us on 11 October it is considering whether conditions attached to an existing licence for the mine have been discharged, and then, on 26 January, the Coal Authority updated its website confirming the application to decondition the licence had been approved.