Part of 4. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:24 pm on 1 March 2023.
Thank you very much. I was very pleased that this was subject to scrutiny and inquiry on Monday by the Equality and Social Justice Committee. Can I again just confirm that there will be no gap in terms of the transition from one to another in terms of the Warm Homes programme? And can I also thank you for your support for the calls that we've been making, and I know that you have supported them as well, in terms of recognising the adverse impact of the energy price guarantee increasing from £2,500 to £3,000?
I do just want to comment on your point about the Warm Homes programme, because again, as I said earlier on today, the Warm Homes programme includes the demand-led Nest scheme. That'll continue until September of this year. The area-based Arbed scheme ended, of course, as you know, in November 2021, but Welsh Government funding in 2022-23 has been increased by £3 million to £30 million. The consultation concluded with the Warm Homes programme, and it is now moving forward. And of course, the Minister for Climate Change, who is responsible for this as the lead Minister, made that statement on 8 November about how we're going to approach the challenges or opportunities to respond, in terms of the climate emergency, but how it affects all housing tenures. So, I reassure you in terms of the way forward for the Warm Homes programme, and also assure you in terms of the funding that's being made available next year.