The Building Safety Act 2022

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:31 pm on 10 May 2022.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:31, 10 May 2022

Well, Llywydd, leasehold protections were taken in the UK Building Safety Act. I have gently to point out to the Member that he, of course, voted against the legislative consent motion that gave those powers to Wales to be able to protect leaseholders. It's not an unfair point to make, to ask for powers to be used when you've opposed taking the powers in the first place. 

The Welsh Government's reform programme continues. The Welsh building safety fund, with its £375 million set aside over three years—far more per head of the population than is the case across our border—had, as Members will know, 248 expressions of interest. Digital surveys have now been carried out on all the buildings for which expressions of interest were received. A 100 of those buildings are identified as requiring further, more intrusive surveys, and they will be completed this summer, so that money can then flow to the people whose buildings need that remediation. 

As to the leaseholder support scheme, the final details of that are being drawn up, and applications from leaseholders able to draw on that particular fund being made available from the Welsh Government will be able to make those applications before the end of this term.