Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. I thank the Member for his contribution. You're spot on in terms of starting your contribution by highlighting the multiple benefits that woodland creation and green infrastructure bring both in our rural and urban communities. They not only bring environmental benefits, but they make our environment a much more pleasant place to be, particularly in an urban area, and it obviously has...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch. Can I thank the Member for his questions and his contribution, and the valuable input you've just made, particularly in terms of referencing your colleague David Melding and all that he's done in this area? Of course, as I made clear in my statement, I think this is something where, if we are going to achieve what we want for Wales, nobody has the monopoly on the good ideas, and...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I want to set out today some changes to Welsh Government policy for woodlands. It is timely to do so now. The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union brings many challenges, but also provides us with a platform to build on Wales’s reputation for high-quality goods and services, underpinned by resilient natural resources. I want to make sure the...
Hannah Blythyn: And the second is educating both children and parents on air quality issues and exploring solutions collectively, such as car sharing and no idling policies around schools. To support this guidance, I will provide funding to raise air quality awareness through the Eco-Schools initiative and the Young Dragons project. In fact, I met with pupils and staff at Pen-Y-Bryn school in Cardiff just...
Hannah Blythyn: Diolch, Llywydd. I'm grateful to Members for tabling this, the latest in a series of debates on air quality. It's a subject that we've all said before, and I as Minister for Environment have said, is a top priority not just for me in my own portfolio but across Government as well. I think today's debate sponsored by Members from all parties is a testament to the consensus we have in this...
Hannah Blythyn: On 5 June, at the Volvo Ocean summit, I was proud to sign the UN environment clean seas plastics pledge on behalf of the Welsh Government. The introduction of this microbeads ban legislation supports this pledge and is part of a wider package of actions already under way by the Welsh Government, and through partnership working, to reduce levels of plastic pollution entering our seas and...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to thank both David Melding and Simon Thomas for their contributions to this debate, and for the support shown right across the Chamber for the microbeads ban. The ban is designed to protect the marine environment from further pollution, foster consumer confidence in the products they buy, will not harm the environment, and will support...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. The regulations that have been laid before the Assembly for your consideration today are the Environmental Protection (Microbeads) (Wales) Regulations 2018. These regulations have been introduced under powers contained in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008. Under these regulations it will be...
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank the Member for his follow-up? I completely empathise with the distress that it must have caused to residents in Llanelli, and particularly the area closest to where it happened, and how awful that must've been for people at the time. Absolutely, there are always lessons to be learned from these things and we can always improve what we've done. Like I said, the council has not...
Hannah Blythyn: The council’s public protection department have located the likely source of the recent infestation and arranged treatment of the site. The council is working closely with the regulator of the site, Natural Resources Wales. The Welsh Government has not been asked for support at this point.
Hannah Blythyn: The Member refers to WWF, who I have regular meetings with as stakeholders within the sector, and there is value in not just working with WWF, but collaboratively across the sector and across Government about—. And, yes, you're obviously right—we're rightfully proud about our landmark legislation and the ambitions and the aspirations contained in that legislation, but now, actually, we...
Hannah Blythyn: The Member is absolutely right that we need to take steps to not only halt the decline of biodiversity and reverse it, but also promote the value of our ecosystems, biodiversity and habitats to both communities and business alike. The economic contract and the calls to action provide a platform for us to make sure that we embed, as you say, the goals in the Well-being of Future Generations...
Hannah Blythyn: Can I thank the Member for his question, and, Llywydd, if I may, before I answer, pay tribute to Martin Bishop, the national manager of the Confederation of Forest Industries, who was a valued member of the Cabinet Secretary's stakeholder round-table group on Brexit, and a passionate advocate for the forestry sector, who sadly died in an accident at the weekend? I'm sure Members, and...
Hannah Blythyn: The Environment (Wales) Act sets the overarching framework for managing Wales’ natural resources and environment sustainably. Collaborative working across a range of organisations is at the heart of the action needed to both tackle the risks and realise the opportunities Wales’ natural resources provide for well-being and prosperity.
Hannah Blythyn: The Welsh Government’s ambition is to become the world’s first Refill nation, last week we announced a commitment to start by delivering Refill in key communities along the Wales Coast Path. We are continuing to investigate the feasibility of strategically placed water fountains in key locations such as transport hubs.
Hannah Blythyn: May I thank the Member for his intervention? I'm probably the understudy today. Look, I said at the outset of the debate that this raises many interesting and innovative and creative ideas, and I think it's for all of us to take that debate forward to see how Wales can lead the way in terms of how we approach renewable energy and energy sources in the future. If I move on to community...
Hannah Blythyn: Clearly, this is an ongoing discussion in terms of what works in Wales. Hopefully I can get on to some of that further in the response as well. Since 2011, Warm Homes Nest has provided impartial advice and support over 98,000 households. Whilst there is no direct evidence, it's likely that this advice has helped to increase supplier switching, which is low in Wales, to a position where 19...
Hannah Blythyn: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to welcome the opportunity to reply to this debate today, and I'd like to thank Plaid Cymru for proposing this debate today.
Hannah Blythyn: I'd like to thank all Members for their interesting and engaging debate today. Simon Thomas, on opening, said he made no apologies for recycling this debate. Well, we have a proud record on recycling in Wales. The Welsh Government has clearly set out our ambition to transform the energy system in Wales, so that we move to a low-carbon system. By doing this, I believe that we can secure...
Hannah Blythyn: Formally.
