Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:55 pm on 4 October 2022.
Nobody, First Minister, is arguing that they are a panacea; they need to be implemented alongside a whole range of measures. They are temporary measures because we are facing an emergency. Winter is almost upon us. Why do you think, First Minister, that Shelter in Wales is calling for a rent freeze, is calling for a moratorium? Why do you think that the Kerslake commission, led by the former head of the civil service, who is a supporter of your party, their commission on homelessness has called for a ban on evictions in winter? In France, they ban evictions every winter as a sign of a civilised society.
In relation to what you said, by the way, there's a cap; even in exceptional circumstances where landlords can ask for some increase, there's a cap of 3 per cent. And they can only ask for a maximum of 50 per cent of the specified cost. So, let's be clear about what the Scottish Government is calling for. And if the First Minister is arguing that we should go further in Wales in relation to the points that he has made, then certainly let's have that discussion, but surely we should be introducing a rent freeze and a moratorium to protect tenants this winter in Wales.