4. Statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs: Clean Air

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:25 pm on 18 June 2019.

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Photo of Andrew RT Davies Andrew RT Davies Conservative 4:25, 18 June 2019

Thank you, Commissioner. Minister, thank you for your statement today. This is one of the areas where we desperately need to make significant progress, with 2,000 premature deaths a year just in Wales alone. That's five people a day who are dying prematurely because of the poor air quality we have here in Wales. Cardiff and Port Talbot, for example, have a higher particulate level in the air that people breathe in those two areas than Birmingham or Manchester, and, as someone who was in the Birmingham and Manchester area over the weekend, when you think of the scale of those two areas and the level of potential pollution in those areas, that really drives home how far behind the curve we are here in Wales. I do think that the Welsh Government need to step up and improve their actions in this particular area. In particular, in January this year, obviously, they admitted that they weren't meeting their legal requirements—or the Welsh Government weren't meeting their legal requirements—so, can you confirm, Minister, that, after today's statement and the actions you've outlined in the statement, the Welsh Government is now meeting its legal requirements when it comes to air quality, or, if you are not meeting those legal requirements, when are you likely to be meeting the basic levels that are set under law to you as a Government?

You touched in the statement on the 50 mph speed limits that you're going to put in place along the trunk road and the motorway network in Wales; I have to say, that would be a dream for many people stuck on the M4 day in, day out, and the pollution that comes from static traffic on three lanes—well, six lanes, in effect, because very often it's both ways—is a massive issue for people who live in the Newport and the south-east Wales area. So, I wish you well on your public information campaign, but, if you're saying about 50 mph, most people would say you dare not get close to 50 mph at most times of the day on that particular motorway.

But I do think it is important that we understand why you're not coming to the Chamber today and maybe embracing some of the actions the UK Government has taken around air quality. [Interruption.] Well, it is truth. The World Health Organization themselves have said that the statement and the strategy that the UK Government—and I hear, from a sedentary position, laughs, but the World Health Organization said that the strategy that the UK Government has put in place is an example for the rest of the world to follow. So, that's not politicians saying that, that's the World Health Organization. But I'm sure the nationalists might know better than the World Health Organization.

So, could I ask—[Interruption.] Could I ask why the Minister hasn't seen fit to maybe adopt such a strategy here in Wales, given that I wouldn't suggest that there are massive differences between our economy and what's going on across the border and Offa's Dyke? And, if that strategy is robust enough for the World Health Organization, why haven't we adopted that here in Wales?

Also, I note in the statement that the Minister says that our policies and laws are based on the EU standards. It is a fact that, obviously, the World Health Organization standards are above those European standards and the UK Government has signed up to meet those WHO standards. Could the Minister confirm that it would be certainly an aspiration for the Welsh Government to deliver to WHO rather than EU standards? Because that would see a step change again in what we could achieve here in Wales. You've talked about a cleaner air Act, Minister; I'd be grateful to understand—talking about 2021, that Act coming forward from the Welsh Government, I seem to recall that being election year for us here in the Assembly, so is that more of a commitment from the Welsh Government that it would be in a manifesto, or is it going to be actually delivered and implemented by 2021? What is the timetable that the Welsh Government is working to to deliver such an Act? Because I'm sure—. I think there is cross-party support for such an Act, and it would be a relatively simple legislative process—perhaps it's wrong to actually say any legislative process is simple, but there's widespread support to see legislation in this particular area.

I'd also like to understand why Cardiff and Caerphilly—I can understand why, because they've got quite high pollution levels—are submitting plans to your good self and you're awaiting those plans, but why other areas in Wales—and I highlighted Port Talbot, for example—haven't got the same obligation placed on themselves to submit action plans for how they're going to set about improving the air quality that residents and businesses in those areas currently suffer under.

I'd also draw your attention to the proposals that the Conservatives brought forward, under my predecessor in this portfolio responsibility, David Melding, in the 'Liveable Cities' document, which talked about using the planning system and talked about creating clean air zones. There is a road map to make quick gains in this particular area, and I have to say I'm not convinced, reading this statement, that we're going to achieve that. So, I look forward to hearing your answers.