3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:23 pm on 15 January 2019.

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Photo of Jenny Rathbone Jenny Rathbone Labour 3:23, 15 January 2019

Trefnydd, I listened with interest yesterday to the statement by the UK environment Minister on measures to improve air quality across the UK, and whilst the measures to clean up wood and coal in open fires and stoves, as well as polluting substances in scented candles, carpets and paint, may be laudable, the major challenge in my constituency is pollutants from vehicles. So, I was disappointed that the UK Government is not planning to do anything further beyond the ban on diesel vehicles by 2040. So, I wondered if we could have a statement from the Welsh Government on how Welsh Government policy relates to this new statement from the UK Government, which also includes measures to reduce ammonia emissions from agriculture, which may be of interest. But I'm just concerned about the very slow pace of reform, given what we now know about the impact of air pollutants on really important issues like miscarriages, heart disease and dementia. Therefore, there seems to be a lack of urgency about what the UK Government is doing. So, I'd be very keen to understand the Welsh Government's response so that we can then scrutinise that. So, I wonder if we can have a statement on that.