, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
But you don't think that that would be an issue at this end of the scale.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes, and that's the one that's been quoted to me.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
I know, I know. Yes. But there is a possibility that people might intentionally come below in order to keep it—.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Do you mind if I just ask one brief question there? Have you done any work looking at the likelihood of maybe projects—? Energy developers outline their plans, and they come to talk to Members of the Senedd and other people about what they are hoping to…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Welcome back to the committee. We will be continuing with our first evidence session with the Minister on Stage 1 of the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill. Jenny will start the second part of the meeting.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Fine. Well, we'll break at that point, then, and we'll reconvene, so that we can start our meeting again at 10:40. Diolch yn fawr.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
And that comes back to the engagement and hearing—[Inaudible.]—early enough in order to decide which process is the most appropriate, really.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Sure, okay. The Bill also provides flexibility for the examining authority to choose the appropriate procedure: for examining an application, it could be an open inquiry, it could be a hearing or in writing. Can you set out your thinking behind that…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Just a couple of questions before we take a break. All this has got to be done in 52 weeks now, or that's what being proposed in terms of the time frame for a decision. How did you arrive at the very rounded figure of 52 weeks? What's the science behind that…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Thank you. Huw, you wanted to come in.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
That's fine. Thank you. Back to you, Joyce.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
If I may just come in, briefly. Minister, you've illustrated a few examples earlier this morning of potential infrastructure projects. You've quoted flood prevention. Of course, that isn't proposed to be a significant infrastructure project in the Bill…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
There we are. Diolch yn fawr. Okay, we'll move on to Joyce.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Okay, thank you. Before we come on to Joyce, I think Delyth wants to pick up on something.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Of course, at some point, yes. Huw, you wanted to come in on something.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, Huw wants to pick up on that—unless, Jenny, do you want to respond to that?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes, okay. Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Just on that engagement, then, has the Government engaged with any sort of local groups or organisations that are campaigning, or have maybe campaigned in the past, for—or more likely against—infrastructure, just to ask them, 'At what point do you think you…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Well, let's go to Jenny, and then you can come back in if you wish. Jenny.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Thank you. Because we're all running through in our heads now at what point the groups that we're receiving correspondence from would engage, because, very often, what we see with LDPs and the NDF is that decisions have been made before they become aware of…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
And we'll be coming on to that in greater detail in a moment. Thank you, Minister. Huw.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Clearly, we'll come on later, I'm sure, to striking that balance between doing things efficiently—quickly, if you like, or effectively—but also responsibly, and that's a balance I know that the Government is keen to strike. Can I just ask, on a general level…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
And conversely, then, what would you say the risks would be if we weren't to move in this direction at this current time?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
So, they will be available during our period of scrutiny of the Bill. Okay. That's useful. Diolch yn fawr. The Bill, as we know, establishes a new unified consenting regime, replacing a number of different existing processes. It's been long acknowledged that…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
The Bill has been published without a statement of policy intent, so we wanted to know do you intend to publish something similar at some point, and, if so, when are we likely to see such a statement.
