Could I first mention, as many have, air pollution in terms of emissions from vehicles, and particularly diesel engines, which, as we know, are very damaging to human health. I’ve mentioned before in the Chamber that I met with Calor, as an organisation, who talked about conversions from diesel to Calor gas, particularly perhaps for taxi fleets, but this could be applied more generally and more widely. The cost, apparently, can be recouped within a two-year period—the cost of the initial conversion work. Of course, it’s very beneficial to public health, by greatly reducing the particulates content of emissions from those vehicles. So, I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary could say a little bit about what Welsh Government’s thoughts are on supporting those conversions, which could do something very practical and very timely to help contribute to reducing these very damaging emissions, and before perhaps we get onto more permanent solutions such as electric cars and electric vehicles more generally.

I would also be interested in how strongly the Cabinet Secretary is working with other Cabinet Secretaries and other Ministers on agendas that are important to creating a more doorstep-friendly environment for people—those on some of our ex-council estates and current council estates in Newport, for example on the Ringland estate. It’s been the subject of a stock transfer to Newport City Homes. Newport City Homes are looking at the wider environment, having done a lot of work to the fabric of the buildings, and I think they are amenable to ideas as to how they produce the best quality environment for local people. It’s about working in partnership, I think—Welsh Government, local authority and some of our registered social landlords—if we are to achieve the best solutions. One of the issues as well, for example on Hendre Farm Drive on the Ringland estate, is traffic speed. There’s some traffic calming in place, and, on some parts of the road, there is a 20 mph limit in place, but it’s not along the whole length of the road. There’s lots of double parking and lots of children play, but some parents are reluctant to allow their children to go out and enjoy the outdoor environment because of the dangers from speeding road traffic. So, I think that’s one example of how we need to look widely and work together within Welsh Government, and with other partners, if we are to produce the environment that will get our populations in Wales more active, more connected with their local environments, more appreciative of them, and then, hopefully, repaying that thought and work by more responsible attitudes, whether that comes through taking part in recycling schemes, not littering, not fly-tipping, or enjoying the wider environment.

The third matter I’d like to mention, again in terms of connecting local populations with their local environments, is, I think, long-planned circular routes connecting local communities with the coast path. I think this was one of the original ideas when we talked about developing the coast path, that we would encourage these circular routes. I’m not aware of that many being in place in Wales, but certainly I’d like to see those developed in Newport, which would connect estates like Rignland, which are not that far away from the coast path, with that coastal route. So, I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary could say a little bit about whether thought, and hopefully action, is imminent to achieve those circular routes, which I think would be very beneficial, and obviously it could be developed right across Wales.