2. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government in relation to the implementation of air pollution legislation? OAQ51883

I thank the Member for his question. Wales currently meets the legal limits for almost all air pollutants, but faces significant challenges in reducing levels of nitrogen dioxide. I fully support the Welsh Government’s commitment to improving air quality across Wales, including various initiatives to tackle air pollution to ensure compliance with the relevant statutory duties.

Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. According to guidance set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport, so-called charging authorities can establish clean-air zones under the Transport Act 2000. Now, as he will know, the Wales Act 2017 exempts only trunk road charging schemes and matters relating to the Traffic Management Act 2004 from its list of reserved transport powers. So, does the Counsel General, therefore, foresee any difficulties in establishing clean-air zones in Wales, especially when they include roads that are not trunk roads?

Well, the Member will be aware that the Welsh Government intends to consult on a clean-air zone framework, by the end of April 2018, which will set out the principles for operating clean-air zones in Wales, and as a means of accelerating compliance where it's needed, and helping to reduce pollution more widely. I know from previous questions that he's asked that he's paid close attention to the High Court litigation recently, in relation to nitrogen dioxide levels generally. He'll know that an undertaking was given to the court to bring forward a plan to consult on clean-air zones by the end of April, and to introduce a framework by the end of July this year.