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The Welsh Government has been accused of failing to take its own expert infrastructure body seriously amid warnings crucial advice is being ignored and delayed.

Llŷr Gruffydd, who chairs the Senedd’s infrastructure committee, led a debate following annual scrutiny of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW).

Mr Gruffydd said: “Our report has one overarching theme, in reality: that it’s time for the Welsh Government to treat the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales seriously.

“If Wales is to be ready for the challenges of the future, the government must back the NICW, giving them the resources they need to conduct an infrastructure assessment in Wales and giving their recommendations and reports the attention they are due.”

He raised the irony that a body charged with advising on Wales’ long-term infrastructure needs has been left with an uncertain future due to repeated short-term contract extensions.

‘Failure’

During the debate on September 24, he told the Senedd: “These short-term extensions do illustrate some of the uncertainties that we feel hamper the commission’s work.”

The Plaid Cymru politician criticised the Welsh Government’s “failure” to provide timely and clear responses to the commission’s recommendations.

Mr Gruffydd expressed concerns about the Welsh Government’s stuttering response to calls to develop a national energy plan by the end of 2024 – a commitment made in 2021.

The committee chair accused ministers of accepting the latest recommendation “in principle” while rejecting it in the reality of the narrative that followed. He also criticised delays in responding to the commission’s report on flooding, which made 17 recommendations

Mr Gruffydd warned an internal review failed to draw any firm conclusions on strategic issues such as the NICW’s status, remit, objectives and its funding

‘Radical’

He said: “The principal aim of the commission is to provide radical, challenging and evidence-informed advice and guidance to the Welsh Government that will inform and future proof decisions on infrastructure deployment from 2030 right up to 2100.

“The commission has delivered on the first, however we’ve not seen evidence that its advice is actually informing Welsh Government decisions. Without this, the commission won’t have the impact that we should all expect.”

Delyth Jewell – a member of the infrastructure committee – pressed the Welsh Government for a greater response to the commission’s recommendations, particularly on flooding.

She said: “It’s difficult to measure the impact of anxiety and concern in relation to flooding… the fear and trauma but we do have to count those costs somehow. That is what is at stake.”

Her Plaid Cymru colleague Heledd Fychan welcomed extension of the roles of the NICW’s chair and deputy chair to September 2026 but called for longer-term assurances.

‘Fully committed’

Rebecca Evans stressed the Welsh Government recognises the importance of the commission’s role in advising on the nation’s long-term infrastructure needs.

Wales’ economy secretary said: “We really do value the commission’s contributions, from its incisive renewable energy report to its recent work on flooding resilience.”

She told Senedd Members the NICW has been commissioned to carry out a “short-form infrastructure assessment” focused on energy, water, transport and the circular economy.

Ms Evans, whose responsibilities include energy and planning, acknowledged concerns about delays but emphasised the need to consider the quality of responses too.

She said ministers are fully committed to planning for Wales’ future infrastructure needs.

The NICW, which was set up in 2018, is the only infrastructure commission in the world set up as a non-statutory body, meaning it is not mandated by the law, according to the review.