Welsh wool: Pledge on wool insulation in public buildings

More British wool will be considered for insulation in public buildings, the Welsh Government has pledged, after a UK-wide petition.

The announcement came after farming union NFU Cymru wrote to the housing minister calling for more support.

British Wool said the pandemic had led to a fall in demand for fleeces as customers stopped ordering new carpets.

But the Welsh Conservatives called for a commitment to use Welsh wool in home insulation schemes.

The petition, which had gained almost 28,000 signatures up to Saturday morning, called on each of the UK's national governments to use British wool products in public projects.

The coronavirus pandemic had contributed to a "disastrous" fall in demand for the fleeces of mountain sheep, according to British Wool, a farmers' co-operative.

The closure of large hotels and cruise liners - which routinely invest in new carpets - had hit producers, said John Davies, a board member.

In response to campaigners, Wales' Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said: "I am pleased to say the Welsh Government's own facilities management team has committed to consider the more widespread use of wool in our estate in future, subject to the required compliance testing and certification."

But the Welsh Conservatives' spokeswoman for rural affairs, Janet Finch-Saunders, said she was concerned at the government's "passive stance" on using Welsh wool in devolved home insulation schemes and asked for a more "explicit commitment".

In her letter to Ms Griffiths, Ms Finch-Saunders said the situation farmers faced was "heart-breaking", with some receiving a "mere 28p a fleece, an amount which is dwarfed by the cost of shearing".

Speaking to S4C's Newyddion programme in August, Wyn Evans, NFU Cymru livestock board chair, said: "I've had a cheque this year for around £60 - that's for around 320 sheep - it's nothing."

But wool was a "great product and ticks all those environmental boxes," he said. "It's supporting Wales and our farmers."

Jackie Whittaker, who runs a cheese business in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, said she wanted a "greener business".

Mrs Whittaker said she was not aware of wool insulation until she came across the petition.

She is converting her garage into a dairy and says she will now use sheep's wool as insulation.

"I think raising more awareness that it is available is needed. People might buy more," she said.

The 52-year-old said: "It's a crime farmers are getting paid tuppence for the wool during Covid."

She said using wool for her building was a "win-win".

"It worked out cost-effective because I don't need to get any heating in the dairy, just as long as I've got the sheep's wool in the walls it will keep it warm and dry.

"It's not hugely expensive compared to other insulation. It might be another pound or two dearer, but it's a no-brainer really," she said.

A Welsh Government spokesman said it was working to "mitigate the impacts of Covid-19" on farming and support long-term profitability.

"The use of wool as a building material is already acknowledged, and while we continue to encourage those in the wool sector to develop in line with these demands, there are regulations on the use of specific materials in the construction of buildings - wool can be used provided it complies with the technical requirements of such regulations," he added.