4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy on the building of incinerators? OAQ52842

'Planning Policy Wales' and technical advice note 21 on waste provide a comprehensive framework for assessing proposals for waste management infrastructure in Wales. And we, of course, support the implementation of overarching waste management policy that's contained in 'Towards Zero Waste'.  

Thank you for that answer. TAN 21, as you've just outlined, covers waste disposal, but, unlike opencast, where, since 2009, coal mines have to be built more than 500m away from homes, there does not appear to be a rule on distance of incinerators from houses. I've an incinerator planned for the Llansamlet area of Swansea that is close to both houses and a school. Will the Welsh Government consider a distance from houses and schools for the building of incinerators and amend TAN 21 accordingly?

Well, there'd have to be a scientific basis for doing that—as to why 500m would have a beneficial effect. But what I can say, of course, is that incineration and co-incineration are subject to the stringent protective requirements of the industrial emissions directive. They've been incorporated into Welsh legislation for a number of years and they include requirements that there should be strict emissions limits for potentially polluting substances; there are monitoring requirements and operating conditions that are applied through environmental permits issued by the environmental regulator. I can also say that, if there are adverse impacts, of course, on amenity or the environment, and they cannot be mitigated, then planning permission, of course, can be refused on those grounds.

First Minister, back in March of this year, the environment Minister indicated that, in relation to the incinerator in Barry, the Government were minded to have an environmental impact assessment undertaken. The Government informed the developer back in February of this year that that was going to be the case. To date, the Government haven't instructed that environmental impact assessment to be undertaken, at some eight to nine months' waiting, given that the Government at the time in March were 'minded'—when are we going to move from 'minded' to instruction that the environmental impact assessment will be undertaken? Can we have a date from you?

Well, the Minister will be making a decision shortly. If I could write to him with a date to give him some idea of what the timescale might be, I will do that. But the Minister will be making a decision about the need for an EIA at the Barry biomass plant—perhaps if I write to the Member then with more details in terms of the timescale.

Caroline Jones.

Question 5, Dai Lloyd.