Shadow Social Justice Minister Mark Isherwood has expressed concern that the recent statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on the Welsh Government's Health and Social Care Winter Plan made no reference to fuel poverty.
As Chair of the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency in previous terms, Mr Isherwood has worked with National Energy Action, NEA, Cymru and the Fuel Poverty Coalition Cymru, to re-establish the Cross-Party Group in the sixth Senedd, and the first meeting will take place via Zoom on Monday, 8 November.
Questioning the Minister for Social Justice in the Welsh Parliament before recess, he highlighted the “very real” connection between fuel poverty and health and challenged the Minister for Social Justice over Welsh Government actions to address the problem this winter.
Given that energy efficiency sits within the portfolio of the Minister for Climate Change, he also asked the Minister how specifically she is co-ordinating action with this Minister to ensure that the wider social justice goals in tackling fuel poverty are not lost in pursuit of climate change objectives.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Isherwood said:
“The connection between fuel poverty and health is very real. Speaking here in November 2018, I noted that the annual cost to the Welsh NHS of treating people made ill by living in a cold, damp home was approximately £67 million, with health impacts caused by cold homes predominantly relating to cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Low temperatures also diminish resistance to infection and encourage damp and mould growth in the home. And cold indoor conditions have also been linked to poor mental health, resulting from anxiety and stress, and cold homes also exacerbate social isolation and reduce educational attainment, therefore crossing into social justice issues.
“Speaking at National Energy Action Cymru's fuel poverty conference in February 2019, I stated that your predecessor had told the cross-party group that the Welsh Government would be developing a Cold Weather Plan in conjunction with Public Health Wales, and that a crisis fund and adoption in Wales of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline and quality standard on cold-related ill health and excess winter deaths would also be key to this. However, yesterday's statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services on the Welsh Government's Health and Social Care Winter Plan made no reference to fuel poverty. Given that winter is almost upon us again, what specific year-round cold weather resilience planning is the Welsh Government therefore taking to address this, as it relates to the cross-cutting issues in your social justice portfolio?”
In her response the Minister referred to the Warm Homes programme, which includes the Nest scheme, which ends in March 2023, and the Arbed scheme, ending lateron this year.
Mr Isherwood added:
“Whilst I welcome your comments about the Warm Homes plan, the question was specific to the Cold Weather Plan, which NEA Cymru's annual Fuel Poverty Monitor has called for for a long time, and which the Minister in the last Welsh Government accepted in 2019 and said the Welsh Government would be developing.”
Mr Isherwood also questioned the Minister over the consequences of the October 1st increase of the energy price cap set by energy regulator Ofgem and asked how the Welsh Government will support fuel-poor households.
He said:
“Although the price cap ensures that suppliers only pass on legitimate costs to customers, NEA Cymru warned that this rise would plunge 22,500 more households in Wales into fuel poverty this winter, and called for deeper protection and more direct financial support for low-income households this winter. How do you therefore respond to their subsequent statement that the Welsh Government has a vital role to play to support fuel-poor households across tenure to retrofit and upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes, and how will you respond to their call on the Welsh Government to expand the financial support available to assist those struggling to meet growing energy bills, as well as longer term investment in home energy efficiency, prioritising the poorest households in the least efficient homes?”