In the debate Janet said:
Wales’s population is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade, with the number of elderly persons over the age of 85 expected to double. The suitability and practicality of our urban design, our housing and the transport connections of our towns and our cities to fit this demographic need must continue to evolve in line with growing need and greater expectation. Age Cymru have highlighted the requirement for public buildings to comply with specific access considerations, especially for those with disability need or sensory impairment. The demography of our ageing population is fast-changing and Government must move at a similar pace.
In order to cope with increased congestion and more commuters, the Welsh Government must do more to promote walking and cycling in Wales. The Welsh Government must fully embrace new technologies and invest in the future of a modern transport infrastructure on a Wales-wide scale, not just in Cardiff. An essential enabler for many of our older population is access to robust and reliable public transport providing connections between our rural communities, urban areas and public services: hospitals, libraries, community centres and shops. Transport that is effective and accessible to all is essential to eradicate the impact of isolation, loneliness and despair.
The housing crisis must be confronted if Wales is to cope with population demand in our cities, but also in our towns. Furthermore, measures must be taken to guarantee that all new housing projects are energy efficient and adapted to the needs of the local demographic. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 is designed to bring about a new and exciting agenda of change. So, we do need schemes to improve the energy efficiency of our existing housing. We need measures to reduce the current rates of fuel poverty. The average dwelling in Wales falls within energy performance certificate band D, which is not high enough to protect households from fuel poverty. Here in Wales, 23 per cent of households—that’s 291,000 homes—were estimated to be in fuel poverty in 2016, a lot of this in Cardiff. That is more than twice the percentage of those in England. The future generations Act should be used as a lever to work in tandem with Nest to offer support to UK Government initiatives that have been successful in reducing energy poverty, such as the energy company obligation, ECO. So, any new properties in our cities—in Cardiff or elsewhere—should actually be fuel-poverty-proof.
The Conservatives, in 2013, brought out a scheme that provides obligations upon energy suppliers to provide energy-efficient measures to households across the UK. This is important to help us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, for which the residential sector in Wales is responsible—a quarter of our annual 3 per cent reductions target. This week, I’ve been doing some work on air pollution and, again, for our towns and cities it’s vital that, as we grow them, we don’t grow the pollution that comes with them.
I welcome the provisions of the Wales Bill, which will give the Assembly the opportunity to develop a specifically Welsh feed-in tariff scheme to support the installation of solar panels. Welsh Conservatives have warned against an overdependence on wind energy, and we wholeheartedly welcome the findings of the Hendry review in its support for tidal lagoons in north and south Wales. Our cities and urban areas will be some of the key drivers for Wales’s economic resilience and prosperity in the years to come, and it is essential that the Welsh Government works to ensure that they are suitable to the longevity and well-being of our unique demographic here in Wales.
In welcoming the city status in particular, I would just like to add St Asaph in north Wales, the little town that became a city. Having passed the legislation for the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act last term, I believe it is incumbent on us as politicians not to be looking to duplicate legislation or further complicate the aims of this Act. Fully interpreting, implementing and adequately resourcing the aims of this Act by this Welsh Labour Government will, in my opinion, move Wales forward in great strides. That is in our urban areas, our rural areas and certainly in our cities. Thank you.