Can I thank Dai Lloyd for his contribution and his questions? I think he’s absolutely right to raise the issue of buildings that are at risk but not necessarily requiring urgent work. I’ve already outlined why I think that there’s no magic bullet for dealing with buildings at risk, whether in the long term, the medium term or immediately. But local planning authorities for those buildings not requiring urgent works already have numerous powers to assist with tackling neglected buildings, and I would like to see them using these powers more often. For example, section 215 notices under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 can require an owner to undertake a variety of works to tackle the condition of land or a building that is adversely affecting amenity. There is no reason, in my view, why these can’t be used more widely on listed buildings.

But it’s important to acknowledge that the vast Majority, I think—and I’m sure the Member would agree with me—of listed building owners maintain and manage change to their buildings with great care, with pride and with a good degree of sensitivity. I think what’s essential is that we foster, support and encourage all of the owners of listed buildings, who are often our greatest allies in caring for our treasured historic buildings, to be equipped with the knowledge, intelligence and support required to take responsibility for the buildings that they are custodians of. For that reason, we’ve produced nine documents that relate to best practice. The guidance includes, ‘Managing Change to Listed Buildings in Wales’. Further titles are planned, but I do think that through a package of measures within the Act, we will encourage a greater degree of responsibility in civil society for the maintenance of historic assets.

The Member, I know, has a very keen interest, and I do admire his interest, in lists of historic place names. I know that this has been a contentious issue. It’s been an issue that many Members have spoken passionately about on numerous occasions in the Chamber, and I do respect all views on this very important issue. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales has already undertaken to compile and maintain the list, and that work is taking place right now. I have to pay tribute to the royal commission for the dedication that it’s shown to this endeavour. Indeed, a full-time member of staff has only just taken up post this week, I believe, at the royal commission, to curate the list, to assist with inquiries and to promote the list and the importance of historic place names. The list is substantial already, containing more than 350,000 historic place names, and it will doubtlessly grow very swiftly as research yields new information. Users of the list are also encouraged to contribute their own information about place names. The aim of this work is to, again, develop a more responsible culture and behaviour across Wales, and a greater degree of respect, not just for the historic environment, but the place names that are attributed to our historic assets.

The Member noted the statutory guidance, ‘Historic Environment Records in Wales: Compilation and Use’. This directs local and national park authorities, and Natural Resources Wales, to take account of the list in naming or renaming when considering the naming and renaming of streets, of properties and of other places. Without the list and those historic environment records, which often underpin the list of historic place names, I do not believe that local authorities, national park authorities or Natural Resources Wales would be in a place to be able to make informed deliberations. Now, thankfully, they will be in a position to make informed decisions. On the best practice guidance on historic place names, well, I’ve asked my officials in Cadw to begin preparing a new publication on historic place names as part of the best practice guidance that complements the Act. It will be aimed at a wide audience to communicate the importance of historic place names to the heritage of Wales, and also to explain what the list offers for those engaged in the management of that heritage.

In terms of the question of legal protection of historic place names, again, this is an issue that has been raised and debated in the Chamber on numerous occasions, and I do respect the Member’s views and the Member’s work in this particular field. Options for the legal protection of Wales’s historic place names were, I believe, thoroughly considered during the passage of the 2016 Act. Formal legal protection would require a consent regime that would be complex, it would be costly and difficult to run, if not impossible to enforce. The approach that we’ve taken—. I do respect Members’ views on this matter, but I equally believe that the approach that we’ve taken is proportionate and, crucially, deliverable. The list will record our rich legacy of historic place names for posterity, it will also raise public awareness of their importance as integral components of our nation’s heritage, with a view, as I outlined, to improving the degree of respect for historic place names in Wales. This, coupled with the statutory guidance issued to public bodies, will, I believe, encourage the continuing use of historic place names in daily life.