4. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with stakeholders with regard to reducing pollution in Port Talbot? OAQ53462

Thank you. The Welsh Government has a good working relationship, with Ministers and officials meeting regularly with stakeholders in Port Talbot. This includes Tata Steel, local authorities and Natural Resources Wales. Our discussions focus around air quality management in the area, action to reduce air pollution, and communications with the local community.

Thank you for that answer, Minister, and, obviously, there are two main areas of the pollution that we've been concerned about. One is vehicle emissions, which I will raise with the Minister for Economy and Transport, because it's under his remit at this moment in time. The other one is, obviously, industrial emissions. As you've highlighted there, you have discussions with Tata, and I want to raise the issue of pollution from Tata. We all understand the importance of Tata to the economy of the town and the area, but at the same time it needs to be a responsible neighbour to the residents of my constituency. What discussions will you have with Tata to ensure that the emissions and the pollution that we are seeing—? And residents complain to me every day that they wash their car, they get up in the morning, and their cars are full of red dust or black dust, their houses, their gardens, the window sills, the patio sets—everything is continually being polluted. What discussions are you having with Tata to look at how they can actually reduce that for my constituents, because, whilst it's not deemed to be the worst of the pollutants, because the PM10s and the PM2.5s are, people are still breathing in this dust, they are still living in this dust, they're carrying this dust throughout their houses, and we need to do something to ensure that it actually is reduced? 

Thank you. As I say, officials are having ongoing discussions with Tata Steel. I know there are plans for myself and Ken Skates to do a joint visit to have further discussions with Tata Steel. You'll be aware of the intense monitoring that goes on in that area, and I know that so far this year there's only been one single exceedance of the daily limit of particulate matter, which is PM10, across all the monitoring sites but, of course, one is one too many and we are closely monitoring it. 

Swansea University, along with the universities of Warwick and Sheffield, are collaborating on this new SUSTAIN project, which will use £35 million of investment to reduce emissions from the steelmaking process and increase productivity and jobs, which I think is a very welcome collaboration, something that can reduce pollution for Tata Steel, which I hope will also, when they're building their new power station, if that comes into being, be very conscious of reducing pollution with that power station as well. If the SUSTAIN project does make the progress that's expected, what direct support do you think Welsh Government could consider giving it, particularly once or if the state-aid rules change after we leave the European Union?    

I'm unsure of what support we would be able to give, but I'd be very happy to look into that and write to the Member. 

Now, increasing the use of electric vehicles, both private and public, is a clear way to reduce air pollution levels—pun intended—such as in Port Talbot, but the Welsh Local Government Association has been critical of progress, or rather lack of progress, on this agenda, stating that there's a lack of national direction and there has not been a concerted effort by Welsh Government to work with local authorities on this agenda. Do you accept that there's been a lack of progress on this and that, until you provide that national direction, Port Talbot and other areas of Wales will continue to suffer air quality issues?  

Well, I think we certainly have shown leadership in relation to electric vehicles. I know we gave—I think it was about £2 million we gave in funding, I thought to all local authorities, but my colleague Ken Skates does lead on this. But, from my memory, I think it was about £2 million that we gave to local authorities to kick start, if you like, some progress in relation to this area. But, of course, we do need to do more and, clearly, we need—. I've certainly had discussions with the National Grid, for instance, to make sure that such a route of electric vehicle charging points would be able to be sustained by the current capacity that we have within the grid. 

Minister, it's not just air pollution that we have to worry about in Port Talbot and my wider region. Other pollutants are also having an impact. A recent review in the journal of Biological Conservation highlighted the impact pesticides were having on invertebrate species. As the species champion for the fen raft spider, whose habitat is in the shadow of the steelworks, one of only three in the UK, I am concerned about the impact pesticides will have, threatening this native species with extinction. Minister, what action will your Government take to protect the fen raft spider and other insects from pesticides and other pollutants?

It's very important that we protect all insects, as you say, and, certainly, we have guidelines for pesticide use, and I know farmers are very careful in what pesticides they use, and we work very closely with them to ensure they have up-to-date information on pesticides that can be used.