30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Thank you. [Interruption.] You'll have to be really quick, because I've got three Members left and less than 10 minutes.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Thank you. Niamh.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
And just quickly on that, there's quite an interesting emerging discussion about whether data centres should be using potable or non-potable water. Is that something, as a regulator, that you'd be involved in discussions with the Welsh Government on?
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
I think members of the public would be surprised, really, that that type of scrutiny wasn't embedded for a long time. The fact that it is there now, I'm sure that our audience of thousands who are watching would not like that to be something that would be…
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
That's a very good water-based analogy there. [Laughter.]
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Thank you. Before I go back to Anna, I'll just pick up on one of the points there that Paul raised. Obviously, this is an example of the new territory you're going into now, where you are monitoring the investments that companies are making and looking at the…
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
I'll bring Paul in now.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Okay. Thank you. John.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Thank you. Before I bring John in, just a question on one of your comments there to Anna. You talked about the fact that a fifth of the water is lost through leaks, but the majority of that is customer side. What role is there for the regulator to help…
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Thank you, Niamh. I'll bring in Anna now.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Okay, thank you. Any questions from Members, then? Niamh.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Yes. So, your discussions with Welsh Government around the new national water strategy for Wales.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Okay. Thank you. Can you tell us, maybe, a little bit about the discussions with Welsh Government around that new national water strategy for Wales as well?
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Okay, thank you. The Welsh Government is currently doing a lot of work around the planning system. So, what kinds of discussions have you had with them so far about a new water system planning function?
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
And can I ask you a bit more about how you're ensuring that there is that smooth transition then? Obviously, Ofwat currently has a lot of very experienced staff as well that have so much knowledge of the landscape. Maybe you could talk a little bit about that.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Okay, thank you very much. That was a really useful introduction for us as a committee. So, obviously, it's a time of great change now with this new regulator being established in Wales, and maybe you could tell us a little bit about your discussions with…
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
Okay, thank you very much. Mark.
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Ofwat’s role in the Welsh context - scene setting session
We can move on to item 3 then, which is Ofwat's role in the Welsh context. I'd like to welcome to the meeting this morning Chris Walters, interim chief executive of Ofwat, Lia Murphy, chief of staff and director of Wales, and Mark Squire, the Wales…
30 September 2026 , Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Good morning, then, everyone, and welcome to this meeting of the Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee. The public items of the meeting are being broadcast live on Senedd.tv and a record of proceedings will be published as…
29 September 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning: The Revision of the National Development Framework and National Conversation
Thank you, Cabinet Minister, for your statement here today. Let me start by saying that it is a good thing that the Government is in listening mode, but having said that, this national conversation can't become an excuse for Ministers not to act and nor can…
24 September 2026 , Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
I think that the Minister's made the position very clear, in that I don't see how going back could really add any further value.
24 September 2026 , Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Thank you, Chair. This has been an issue that has done the rounds in the Senedd for a number of years now, and it's really difficult to understand why the bureaucracy around it is taking so long, when it seems to be a very straightforward ask that would…
24 September 2026 , Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Yes, thank you. I agree with what Elwyn said, but I do think, then, thereafter it would be important for us to draw the attention of the petition to the children's committee as well. We know that allergies are really growing across Wales, not just in the…
24 September 2026 , Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Yes, I declare the same interest. Thank you.
24 September 2026 , Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Thank you very much, Chair. This follows on very neatly, doesn't it, from the previous petition, and shows the strength of feeling around lots of historical female figures in Wales. So, we've got the response to the petition from the Trefnydd and Cabinet…
