4. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure energy security? OQ57890

The UK Government has a legal duty to ensure the UK's energy security, and we expect bold action in its upcoming energy security strategy, which, I understand, has been delayed again. In Wales we are accelerating renewable energy deployment, supporting local energy markets, planning and piloting innovation, to build a net-zero energy system for the future.

Thank you for that answer, Deputy Minister. Our reliance on imported fuel and even energy leaves us vulnerable to external threats. Vladimir Putin has, for years, used the threat of cutting supplies to apply pressure on its European neighbours. Even now, with EU nations sanctioning the Russian federation, they are still pumping billions into Putin's war machine, because they need the gas and oil. Thankfully, we are not as vulnerable, but the knock-on effects have doubled our energy bills. Deputy Minister, this situation has highlighted the need for energy independence, including the need for new nuclear power, as mentioned in previous questions. Of course, much of the work needed will require the lead from the UK Government, however the Welsh Government can take the lead when it comes to energy storage, enabling better utilisation of our renewables. How is your Government working with the industry to create better energy storage solutions here in Wales?

Well, I agree that battery energy storage is definitely one of the things that we need to be speeding up, and certainly there is potential from green hydrogen to act as a source for holding that stored energy. But, again, we have a contribution from the Conservatives this afternoon that is focusing on nuclear and there has been very little emphasis on renewables. There was a mention of battery storage, but not on renewable technologies, and I find this very puzzling, given what we've been hearing from them on the need both for energy security and for meeting net zero.

I do hope that there isn't an ideological blinder when it comes to renewables; we've seen that in practice with the moratorium on onshore wind that's been in place over the last 10 years, which has been a massive missed opportunity. Had that been in place now, we would not be facing the same vulnerability to the Ukrainian war that we are facing, so there's some culpability on the part of the UK Government for its blindness on renwewables there. The same, as I mentioned, on the ending of the feed-in tariff in 2019—a significant mistake that now gives us extra ground to catch up. As well as the failure to back the Swansea bay tidal lagoon, which was backed by Charles Hendry, the former Conservative energy Minister, and nothing has been done. So, we're now hearing the Chancellor talking about a rapid deployment of nuclear. If they'd had that same attitude about the rapid deployment of renewables, we would not be facing the energy crisis that we now are.

And, again, in the budget, the spring statement, we heard the Chancellor announce a cut in fuel duty, which is a fossil fuel tax cut, on the same day as the Welsh Government announced a £31 million investment in a renewable energy project on Ynys Môn—the last large grant from EU structural funds, which many in the party opposite have voted to end. So, they have not put us in the position to be able to face this energy crisis with confidence, and I hope they will recognise the error of their ways.

Could I, through the Deputy Minister, suggest to colleagues on Conservative benches here that it is not too late to put pressure on the UK Government to invest in marine and tidal technology in Wales, including lagoon technology? It was a terrible, terrible day for Wales when Charles Hendry, who I have a lot of respect for, said it was a no-brainer to invest in the tidal lagoon in Swansea. We're playing catch-up when we could have dealt with that energy security issue. But could I ask him: does he think it is right that what we should be doing now, faced with not just an energy security crisis, but still the long, ongoing—and it'll be with us for generations to come—climate change crisis, is to tackle the two together? And that means doubling down on renewables, and battery storage and so on, but not doubling down on reopening fossil fuels and fracking in North sea oil—doubling down on renewables, hydrogen technology and so on? That's the way that Wales should lead the field.

Well, Huw Irranca-Davies will remember that, at the Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, we were the only Government in the UK that stood alongside Denmark and Sweden and New Zealand and others to establish the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, pledging not to extract further oil and gas. Wales has significant resources, potentially, of both, but we have taken a clear principled decision that that is not consistent in meeting our net-zero obligations, and even in the face of a crisis, we are not going to resile from that. The UK Government, who talked big at Glasgow, have quickly forgotten those commitments and are now turning back to fossil fuels, not learning any of the lessons of the past, and also not sticking to their commitments on net zero. It is not going to be possible to reach net zero by 2050 if we are increasing our emissions from North sea oil. That is a significant mistake and more short-termism by the UK Government.

Huw Irranca-Davies is right: there is an opportunity here to meet our climate change emergency while also increasing energy resilience, cutting down on fuel poverty, and increasing local wealth by harnessing the economic potential of renewables for the Welsh economy, and that's what we're focused on.

Question 5, Jane Dodds.