I want to start by also thanking my colleagues, the Chair and the clerks on the Equality and Social Justice Committee for their work on this vital and timely 'Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes Programme' report, as well as those who gave evidence and spoke before the committee. I am pleased that the Welsh Government has responded by either accepting or accepting in principle the recommendations of the report. We know that the cost-of-living crisis is impacting so many across our communities. This report has been critical in identifying the gaps in support, and understanding how the Welsh Government can help to ensure that no home is left behind. And as we start this term, I look forward to hearing how the Welsh Government sets out the next iteration of the Warm Homes programme, and we'll welcome plans to make the eligibility criteria, in particular for support, less restrictive, as set out in recommendation 5. 

There are many people in our communities who desperately need this support, but have been unable to access it. For example, Marie Curie highlights that recommendation 5 is an opportunity to support those who are terminally ill, have cancer, or neurological conditions, and are now facing fuel poverty because of the ongoing crisis. Dying people in Wales, as well as those suffering chronic illness, spend a lot more time and a lot more money on heating their homes sufficiently, and, as Marie Curie found, are terrified about the cost of heating their homes going forward. We must ensure these people in our communities are eligible for and are effectively signposted to appropriate support.

I am also pleased that the Welsh Government has accepted recommendation 3, to work with the fuel poverty advisory panel to identify immediate to short-term solutions to support families already in fuel poverty. It's heartbreaking that some of the most popular videos on social media at the moment are people suggesting turning off all the radiators in your home and relying on an electric blanket to get you through the next few months. The anxiety and stress about covering increasing fuel costs is escalating across our communities, and if we thought that there was a chance that UK Government would do the right thing and put the public first, then we were very wrong. As Martin Lewis from the Money Saving Expert said, households will face a typical energy bill rising to £3,500 a year from this autumn, and the current planned support from the UK Government is woefully inadequate.

The UK Government has adopted the UK Labour policy to have a price cap. However, the UK Government has rejected calls to implement a windfall tax on the companies that continue to pocket immense profits from the crisis. It's estimated that it will cost £150 billion between now and 2024, which will come from borrowing. So, we will have to pay it back somehow, essentially kicking the can, and the cost to the public, down the road.

But also, the cap will be £2,500, with everyone receiving £400 over the next six months. By my calculations, that is still at least £600 short of the estimated £3,500. Where is the UK Government expecting this to come from? Residents in my own constituency in Bridgend and Porthcawl are telling me that, with food, fuel and energy prices increasing whilst many wages stagnate, this will be impossible for them to cover.

Fortunately, once again, our Welsh Government will do what the UK Government will not, and will protect the many and the most vulnerable. We see that in several recommendations and responses by the Welsh Government in its response to our report—that focus on collaboration and partnership between local authorities, including making sure that people have access to the Wales fuel support scheme, where residents can claim a one-off payment of £200 through their local authority to ensure that they can pay their fuel bill, as well as fuel vouchers and a heat fund for people on prepayment meters facing hardship.

We also heard yesterday from our First Minister that £1 million will be made available for community centres, sports clubs and other groups to provide warm banks to help towards their fuel costs, as they provide warm and welcoming spaces for people to continue to congregate. It is only truly by understanding the lived experiences of this crisis that we can ensure that the right help is given, and I think that we have done our best to capture their voices in our report. But, we all have a responsibility to ensure now that people needing support are aware of where and when they can access it, and to make sure that the support is as accessible as possible for people in need to receive it.