Decision details

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

• Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

The item started at 16:52

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5091 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the recent rises in energy prices and regrets the impact that this will have on all households in Wales, especially the fuel poor;

 

2. Regrets that the UK Government has failed to regulate the energy market to protect those living in fuel poverty; and

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to establish a plan for upgrading the energy efficiency ratings of the entire Welsh housing stock, prioritising the fuel poor.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
7	0	39	46

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Delete point 2 and replace with:

 

Notes the UK Government’s Green Deal that will:

 

a) ensure energy companies will be required, under the new Energy Company Obligation (ECO), to focus their assistance on the poorest and most vulnerable households, as well as those in hard to treat properties which cannot achieve financial savings without a measure of support;

 

b) ensure many people will be able to pay back the upfront costs of home insulation work through the lower bills that be achieved by home improvements; and

 

c) ensure that energy companies communicate with customers to ensure that they are on the most appropriate tariff according to their needs;

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
28	10	7	45

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendment 2 was deselected.

 

Amendment 3 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

 

In point 3 delete ‘establish a plan for upgrading the energy efficiency ratings of the entire’ and replace with ‘build on its existing work in upgrading the energy efficiency ratings of’.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
31	0	15	46

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

Amendment 4 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as a new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to work in conjunction with the UK Government’s Green Deal to improve the energy efficiency of Welsh homes.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
46	0	0	46

Amendment 4 was agreed.

 

Amendment 5 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add a new point at end of motion:

 

Notes that the significant increase in the wholesale price of gas is largely responsible for the recent rises in energy prices, and calls on the Welsh Government to continue to pursue renewable energy generation alternatives for the benefit of the Welsh public and the nation’s energy security.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	10	0	46

Amendment 5 was agreed.

 

Amendment 6 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as a new point at the end of motion:

 

Deeply regrets that between 2008 and 2011, the number of homes in fuel poverty in Wales rose from 28% to 33.5%.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
21	0	24	45

Amendment 6 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 7 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Add new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes the UK Government’s introduction of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) to help those most in need and for properties that are harder to treat and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that its own energy efficiency schemes complement rather than unnecessarily duplicate the ECO.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 7:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
39	0	7	46

Amendment 7 was agreed.

 

Amendment 8 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Add new point at end of motion:

 

Urges the Welsh Government to maximise the benefits of the UK Government's Green Deal policy.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 8:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
45	0	1	46

Amendment 8 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM5091 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the recent rises in energy prices and regrets the impact that this will have on all households in Wales, especially the fuel poor;

 

2. Notes the UK Government’s Green Deal that will:

 

a) ensure energy companies will be required, under the new Energy Company Obligation (ECO), to focus their assistance on the poorest and most vulnerable households, as well as those in hard to treat properties which cannot achieve financial savings without a measure of support;

 

b) ensure many people will be able to pay back the upfront costs of home insulation work through the lower bills that be achieved by home improvements; and

 

c) ensure that energy companies communicate with customers to ensure that they are on the most appropriate tariff according to their needs;

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to work in conjunction with the UK Government’s Green Deal to improve the energy efficiency of Welsh homes.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to build on its existing work in upgrading the energy efficiency ratings of Welsh housing stock, prioritising the fuel poor.

 

5. Notes that the significant increase in the wholesale price of gas is largely responsible for the recent rises in energy prices, and calls on the Welsh Government to continue to pursue renewable energy generation alternatives for the benefit of the Welsh public and the nation’s energy security.

 

6. Welcomes the UK Government’s introduction of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) to help those most in need and for properties that are harder to treat and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that its own energy efficiency schemes complement rather than unnecessarily duplicate the ECO.

 

7. Urges the Welsh Government to maximise the benefits of the UK Government's Green Deal policy.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	0	10	46

 

The motion as amended was agreed.