Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:12 pm on 1 February 2017.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her reply, which didn’t actually specify what discussions she’s had. But, within the last hour, I think all Assembly Members have had a letter from the Cabinet Secretary, setting out what’s happened recently with Aberthaw. I note, from that letter, that Natural Resources Wales did not write to RWE, who operate this plant, until 6 January this year, although the court case was last September. They didn’t write to ask about permit variations until 6 January—incidentally, after I’d put in freedom of information requests asking what on earth was happening. That permit regulation needs to bring the nitrogen oxide emissions at Aberthaw below the 500 mg/cu m ceiling value, which the court judgment put in. They are still—according to your letter to Assembly Members—breaking that four months later than the European Court of Justice ruling. You say that it’s Natural Resources Wales that is responsible for permitting this, but clearly they haven’t pulled their finger out to do anything about it. This reflects very badly on us as a nation and yourselves as the Government.