1. Will the Minister make a statement on the application of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in Wales? OAQ(5)0055(ERA)

Thank you. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides controls and supports enforcement on a number of issues, including the disposal of controlled waste, litter and remedial action for contaminated land. Under the devolution settlement, we have successfully amended the Act to enable its application to more specifically address Wales’s needs.

In a letter to me on 7 November, Cabinet Secretary, you said that you saw no need to amend the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which states that local authorities have a statutory obligation to provide residents with at least one facility where they may deposit their household waste. Now, in light of the closure of the recycling centre in Machynlleth, coupled with the fact that the local authority is now considering the closure of further recycling centres in either Newtown or Welshpool, can I urge you to consider amending section 51 of the Act in order to allow every resident in Wales to have access to a recycling centre within a reasonable distance from their home, as opposed to an 80-mile potential trip, as might now be the case in some areas of rural Wales?

I know we have exchanged correspondence on this issue, and I think I probably said in the letter to you that local authorities do have a high degree of autonomy and flexibility on this issue, and that allows them, really, to respond to local needs and reflect local priorities. I would still encourage people to participate in the consultation that is taking place in Powys, and I still don’t see any need to amend section 51 of the Act at the current time. However, I’m happy to review the position if circumstances in Powys, or anywhere else for that matter, necessitate that.