The next item is a statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs on the clean air plan. I call the Minister to make the statement. Lesley Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. I'm pleased to launch a 12-week public consultation on our ambitious, cross-Government plans to improve air quality across Wales. I know all in this Assembly agree that the people of Wales have the right to breathe healthy air. Although our current overall air quality is good and compares well with the rest of the UK and the EU, we can do better and there is clear scope for further action.

'The Clean Air Plan for Wales: Healthy Air, Healthy Wales' sets out a national framework that will enable all of us, across Wales, to work together to secure further, sustainable improvement in a way that reinforces our work on climate change, decarbonisation and environmental growth. It is an important milestone in our efforts to further improve air quality in Wales, and brings together work across many Government departments and public sector organisations through four central themes, which are: protecting the health and well-being of current and future generations; supporting the environment, ecosystems and biodiversity; supporting a prosperous Wales; and supporting sustainable places.

It is vital that our approach protects the health and well-being of current and future generations. Our first theme highlights current and planned actions to reduce air pollution, risks and inequalities, including committing to new evidence-based, health-focused targets for particulate matter in Wales that take account of stringent World Health Organization guideline values.

The second theme recognises the importance of protecting our natural environment, ecosystems and biodiversity and promoting environmental growth for future generations. One of the greatest challenges we face is to find a way to secure a healthy, resilient and productive environment for the future while continuing to create jobs, housing and infrastructure. We will measure progress through new indicators for biodiversity.

The third theme supports a prosperous Wales. We want to be an innovative, productive and low-carbon society that recognises the limits of the global environment and uses resources efficiently and proportionately. Thriving businesses are important to a successful Welsh economy and we need to deliver our ambitions for economic growth alongside our commitments to clean air and healthy environmental growth. Driven by a combination of regulation, investment and technical advances, significant progress has already been made to reduce air pollution from industry. To achieve further improvements we will continue to work with stakeholders, targeting particular industrial air quality challenges.

The fourth and final theme recognises the importance of reducing airborne pollution in public places. 'Planning Policy Wales' recognises the importance of air quality and appropriate soundscapes to the health and well-being of people and the environment. We are producing further guidance for local planning authorities and developers to support the detailed consideration of air quality and soundscapes in the planning process. A joined-up approach between national transport and planning policy supports an increase in public transport use and active travel, reducing emissions and public exposure. We will work with stakeholders to encourage a modal shift from private vehicle dependency to sustainable forms of transport.

Whilst we can take the lead and set an example through Government actions, we cannot deliver the plan on our own. Successfully addressing air pollution means Welsh Government, its agencies, local authorities, business and industry, non-governmental organisations and of course the general public all working together. We will empower everyone to reduce their impacts and exposures to local air quality through better education and awareness raising, and develop targeted and integrated communications to inform and enable behavioural change.

Our new clean air Act for Wales will play a key role in helping us achieve all of this by delivering the First Minister's manifesto commitment and reduce the burden of poor air quality on human health, our economy, biodiversity and the natural environment. I will be consulting on more detailed proposals for the Act by the end of the current Assembly term, taking into account the responses to this consultation.

Over the next 12 weeks, I am hoping for a constructive discussion on the proposals in the plan, and encourage you and your constituents to respond. Together, we have an opportunity to improve air quality throughout the country, for us, our children and future generations. Diolch.

Thank you, Minister, for your statement this afternoon. The clean air agenda policy area is vitally important for Government and for politicians of all shades of colour. If I could just read this statement—I think, in itself, this would focus minds—

'Preventable deaths due to respiratory disease in the most deprived areas of Wales run at over 60 per cent in men and 66 per cent in women, compared to only 11 per cent in both the sexes if you happen to live in a nice leafy suburb or out in the country.'

That truly is a shocking statistic, to say the least, and something in a policy area that we do have many of the levers over, where we can make a difference.

It is also worth reflecting on Wales's position over the last couple of years, which has shown that emissions in Wales between 2015 and 2016 went up by 5 per cent, and, between 2009 and 2016, went up by nearly 1.5 per cent, as opposed to a 5 per cent reduction across the UK. So, the levers that Welsh Labour have been pulling in this particular area clearly haven't been working, although I do believe in the sincerity of the Minister's statement this afternoon to try and change the narrative on this particular subject. That's why it is with regret that I stand here and do lambast the Welsh Government for not bringing forward a clean air Act and actually legislating in this particular area. I can remember first calling for the then First Minister Carwyn Jones to pull partners together and actually get a discussion going where we could get a piece of legislation on the statute book by the end of this Assembly.

Regrettably, now, despite the current First Minister's leadership commitment, we will not see that Act come into this Assembly. I hear the Minister will point to Brexit as maybe one of the problems, because of the pressures in her department, but there is a consensus in this particular policy area across this Chamber to make those improvements. And, unless these improvements are enshrined in law, many public partners and private sector partners will not be able to deliver on the improvements that they're meant to make. And so I would again urge the Minister to reflect on this particular area. Time has not completely run out—there is still nearly another 18 months to go before the Assembly election, and, as I said, with goodwill, we could make progress on this matter.

However, if you do still continue to decide not to bring forward legislation in this area—as I understand in this statement, we're just talking of a White Paper—will you commit to creating time in the Assembly calendar before the Assembly goes into dissolution to debate this particular subject and vote on any recommendations that might come from the White Paper and the consultations that you hold? Because I do think that's an important area to understand how exactly you will take this particular item forward.

Also, as we heard in the business statement, there's a big issue around incineration in Wales, and the particulate matter that does come around. Whether it be my colleagues from the constituency of Monmouthshire, the Member for Swansea, or in Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan in my own region, there does seem to be a cross-party consensus on this particular issue. Can you highlight today how the clean air strategy, or plan, as you've brought forward, will take forward and address some of the concerns in this particular area around incineration?

Biodiversity you've touched on and the importance of creating a biodiversity culture here in Wales. We know, regrettably, that the Welsh Government's tree-planting targets have been missed by a country mile. How can we have confidence that this particular plan, when it talks about increasing biodiversity across Wales, will actually be able to deliver on the improvements that you talk about making in this particular area?

Also, you touch on an expert group—an expert panel has been set up to look at interventions in the domestic setting, and, in fact, it does talk about eradicating all emissions from domestic sources. Could you enlighten us as to exactly what those interventions might look like, because that's quite a bold statement, and what interventions Government will be looking to make, because I presume you're in possession of that information, as you've had an expert panel, obviously, advise you on that particular area?

It is disappointing, as I understand it, that Welsh Government still does not subscribe to making improvements to World Health Organization standards on air quality, merely the EU standards, although you do touch on it in your statement—that you'll be guided, rather than actually saying you will want to hit those targets. Can I understand why you will not set yourself that very stretching target that the World Health Organization has, as opposed to, obviously, the EU targets that you've set yourself against?

We are all supportive of greater access to public transport, but there is a very clear divide between the country and the town. In many instances, in country locations, regrettably, there isn't a public transport option. So, I would be most interested to know how you will create the policy area that will make those improvements where public transport exists so that they are a valuable alternative to using private cars, without penalising people in rural locations, where, very often, the only mode of transport that they do have is via a private motor car that's parked on their drive.

I think that it's important now, obviously, as you said, that people do engage with this consultation and, ultimately, that we do see a response form the Government that does map out the future of this particular area. We cannot carry on having statistics from Public Health Wales that highlight that between 1,400 and 2,000 premature deaths a year are linked to poor air quality. I do refer back to that opening statement that I made in this statement, about how the inequalities—. If you live in a poor area, there is a 60-66 per cent chance of you dying of respiratory failure, as opposed to an 11 per cent chance if you live in a leafy suburb. That is an inequality that we cannot stand by and allow to continue.

My colleague David Melding, in his urban renewal paper that he brought forward some 18 months ago, did highlight how ambitious the Welsh Conservatives are in this particular policy area, and how we would willingly work with the Welsh Government to create those clean air zones in urban settings and safe spaces around schools, so that come 2021, we are still not talking about this, we do have action, and we can point to areas in Wales that can be beacons of excellence, rather than those statistics that I used in my opening remarks, which show that, actually, air quality has deteriorated in Wales by 5 per cent in recent times, as opposed to other parts of the UK, where it's improved by 5 per cent.

Thank you, Andrew R.T. Davies, for that very long list of comments around the consultation that I have launched today. I will try my best to answer all your questions. I have to take task with him about his lambasting of the Welsh Government. It's good to see the British Lung Foundation here in Wales recognising the good work that we have been doing. I'm very pleased about the plan, whereas the Tories' plans in England were described by the British Lung Foundation as a missed opportunity with risks of going backwards. So, I'll just put that out there straight away. However, it is nearly Christmas, so I'm very pleased that you are happy to work with us around that.

Certainly, I do remember David Melding's paper, and I'm very happy to work with you. We don't have all of the answers. Certainly, this consultation, I hope, will bring forward some really good responses that we can take forward. We've had the programme, I'm launching the planned consultation today, and then we will have the clean air Act. I heard what Andrew R.T. Davies said about the Act, and the fact that we are not proposing it during this Assembly term. I have committed to producing a White Paper before the end of term. I know that you said that we will blame Brexit. Well, Brexit is a massive issue for my department. You know that my department is absolutely, completely embraced in European legislation and funding and regulation, et cetera. So, it has taken a focus away from things like this. I would love to bring a clean air Act forward this term, but I am committed to a White Paper.

I have to say, legislation isn't the answer to everything. We do have levers that we can use, and I think that we have made significant progress over the last couple of years. One of the things that we've been doing as a Welsh Government in relation to air quality and improving air quality is building an evidence base that we didn't have before. A lot of the time, we looked to the UK Government because they were the ones with all of the evidence. But, I think that we now have the climate emergency, we have the biodiversity issues that you referred to, and the air quality. While there is overlap, they are three very separate things that we have to bring together.

Some of the things that we have been doing—. You'll be aware that local authorities currently have powers to introduce low-emission zones, for instance, and clean air zones, so that is already available; they don't need further legislation to be able to do that.

You referred to incineration. Obviously, waste doesn't sit with me, but I've had several discussions with Hannah Blythyn, the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government around incineration and what we can do. And, of course, we are a responsible nation. We have to deal effectively with our non-recyclable waste in a way that prevents it from polluting the environment or sees the problem being exported. I think that it's very important that we take that responsibility. So, while the incineration of waste material for heat and power is higher up the statutory waste hierarchy, if you like—it's above landfill—I think it is a transitionary step. We need to find a solution to move away from single-use plastics, for instance, and I know the Minister is looking at banning or restricting certain single-use plastic products. 

You raise a very important point about woodland. We haven't been planting the number of trees that we would have liked to have done, but again, you will see an increase in that, because I'm ensuring that that does occur.

In relation to domestic combustion, this is a really interesting area, because obviously that's indoors, that's where people are, and unfortunately the air can be polluted. So, I've been asked the question, 'Are you going to ban wood-burning stoves?' No, we're not. But, what we need to look at is the fuel that's used. So, for instance, we are looking to ban wet wood because we know that the fire obviously has to work even harder to produce the heat, so to look at people using dry wood. If people use wood with varnish or paint on, for instance, that can obviously increase the chemicals. So, I'm going to consult on proposals shortly to ban or restrict the sale of wet wood and traditional coal also, because we know some of the Welsh anthracite smokeless coal, for instance, is actually considered to be a clean product. 

In relation to the World Health Organization guidelines, I know that you have raised this with me before and I think I answered that we don't know yet whether it's possible to achieve the WHO guidelines absolutely everywhere across Wales, or how it could be achieved at all, really. So, we are looking at that. We do comply with current legislative limits for particulate matter in Wales, but if you look at the guidelines, I think that's about 50 per cent more that we need to look at. So, it's something that we will look at very, very closely. Again, we'll consult on new targets for particulate matter in Wales, and that will take account of the WHO guidelines as part of the development of a clean air Act for Wales. 

Your last question around transport—you'll be aware that the Minister for Economy and Transport will be brining forward a transport strategy that will have a focus on rural areas. He's also got the buses Bill coming forward. I absolutely agree, we want to see behavioural change with people from that mode, from the car to public transport, but for that to happen, the public transport has to be there. So, again, I've been having discussions with the Minister about all aspects, also around taxis, for instance, and using more low-carbon cars. So, once the strategy is published, you'll be able to see the link between those. 

Can I thank the Minister for her statement on the clean air plans? Obviously, as chair of the cross-party group on a clean air Act for Wales, I want to see an Act, basically. I commend what the Minister says as far as it goes, but I think we need urgent action now. The time has come for urgent action, because this rim of air that we breathe is only 10 miles deep. We have to look after it, you know. When we talk of space travel and distance to planets and stuff, we're talking billions of miles and light years and stuff, but the air we breathe is only 10 miles deep. We have to look after it. 

Now, of course, we've had, going back in history, original clean air Acts that reflected the suffocating fatal smogs and pea soupers in London in 1952 and other large cities in the 1940s and 1965s, Manchester and Liverpool. Legislation to produce smokeless fuels then arrived. Obviously, the air cleaned, but there's still pollution there, it's just that the difference now is we can't see it. But our foot has literally gone off the pedal because we're no longer being blinded by those pea soupers. And obviously, the other anomaly was that producing the smokeless fuels for London meant that we managed the transfer of that solid particulate air pollution that was in London, we transferred it to Abercwmboi in the Cynon Valley, that was tasked with producing the smokeless coke fuels instead—a bit of irony.

But anyway, that, along with the legacy of heavy industry and their pollution, and we still see it with open-cast coal and the steel industry and heavy metals like nickel, they're still swooning around the lower Swansea Valley—. So, it's not just the history of pollution that is still very much alive. Obviously, as has been said, we're still producing it as well, actively, with rogue road traffic accidents and road traffic distributions of all sorts. We have huge delays on the M4 at the best of times. 

Now, we have declared a climate emergency, we have the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and we have serious levels of air pollution damaging health and killing people now, today. That's 2,000 deaths per year in Wales. We have increasing asthma levels, we have increasing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease levels, we have a legacy of pneumoconiosis from the miners, silicosis from our quarry workers, asbestosis still lingers around, and we have increasing rates of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis—idiopathic is Latin for 'We don't know the cause', but I suspect one of these days we'll find the cause to be air pollution, largely caused by our cavalier attitude to air pollution over the generations. Inhaled particulate matter 2.5 particles are killers, nitrogen dioxide also is a killer, nanoparticles of plastics can get absorbed into our blood system, into our circulatory system and heart. So, we have the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, which needs a serious step-change in action. So my first question is: what is the Minister doing to help realise that step-change in legislation we already have?

In addition, as we've heard—. Over the years, I've been involved in at least two campaigns to halt incinerator developments—in Crymlyn Burrows near Swansea and also now in Llansamlet in Swansea. Will the Minister agree—? She's heard the other comments about proposed incinerators in other areas, in Usk and in Barry, not just the Llansamlet one; will you agree on a moratorium on building incinerators, at least in residential areas and near schools? Because, if there's a climate change emergency and if we're talking about all these deaths from air pollution, surely we can do something about it.

And, as I've said, I personally favour legislation. There's nothing like the back-up of the law to make sure that people act rather than plans, however well-meaning. A clean air Act to enshrine in law World Health Organization air quality guidelines; a clean air Act to mandate Welsh Government to produce a statutory air quality strategy every five years; a clean air Act to provide a legal statutory duty on local authorities to monitor air pollution, to assess air pollution, to take air pollution seriously, and to take action against it, to take seriously air pollution concerns in planning applications; and we need a clean air Act to introduce a right to breathe, whereby local councils have to tell vulnerable groups when certain levels are breached. Can I invite the Minister to agree to that last point?

And so, finally, as everybody bleats that the health service costs increasing amounts of money year on year, nobody believes in investing in changing behaviour to stop people getting ill in the first place. No, we just slag off the NHS for hoovering up money, when the health service has to tackle the problems that Governments should stop happening in the first place. So, we have an obesity agenda that causes increasing diabetes and increasing cancers, well, legislate in schools for 120 minutes of physical activity per week, then. Ban advertising and junk food. Channel a Welsh sugar tax to this education agenda. Don't slag off health for having to deal with the consequences. And, as regards air pollution, yes, legislate to form a clean air Act, to tackle those increasing asthma rates, to tackle the suffering from COPD, those increasing levels of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the damage to growing children's lungs. We no longer tolerate dirty water, we should no longer tolerate dirty air.

The Welsh Government has been tasked with reducing emissions in the quickest way possible after being found in breach of EU regulations nearly two years ago—23 months ago, to be precise. Let me not be accused of exaggerating the issue. Nearly two years ago, it was found guilty of breaching EU regulations on air pollution. Why hasn't Welsh Government proposed for this Chamber to sit an extra day in order to bring forward policies and frameworks set in this plan to address the public health crisis that air pollution presents today? Two thousand deaths per year in Wales. If that was a drug, if that was a tablet, we'd be jumping up and down to ban it and sort it out within a matter of days or weeks. There's a plan and a White Paper, and perhaps legislation in 18 months. The challenge is dire. The time is now. Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you, Dai Lloyd, for that contribution. I think we have made significant progress over the previous two years, and you will have heard my answer to Andrew R.T. Davies about the non-legislative options that we have and that we've implemented. I have committed to bringing a White Paper forward, and I also set out in my oral statement the actions that we'll be taking forward.

I think you make a very important point about behavioural changes. And I've just been at Conference of the Parties 25 in Madrid for a couple of days, and it was really interesting talking to my counterparts from all over the world about behavioural change. I think it's really important that we learn from each other, and we see what happens if you don't take the public with you. And I think, in Wales, we've got a good record to tell about behavioural change. If you think about recycling, we were next to bottom in the recycling league table 20 years ago when devolution began. We're now third in the world. And that is because of leadership, I think, from Welsh Government and funding, our local authorities engaging, and, most importantly, the public also doing so. If you think of organ donation—again, we really lead the way on behavioural change, so I think it's really important that we make people aware of the dangers of poor air quality, and that they understand the actions that we can all take, and it is sometimes difficult to think about what changes you can make in your own life to improve it. So, I set out in my oral statement the work we will be doing around behavioural change. I think people are getting to the stage now where they don't want be told what they can't do; they want to be told what they can do. So, I think it's really important that we enable them to do so.

You refer to our heavy industrial heritage and around coal, and you'll be aware that, now, coal extraction has reduced to a level where there are relatively few active opencast coal sites operating in Wales. But we do recognise that our industrial heritage was built on coal, and it still plays a very important part in Welsh life. So, what we need to do is find low carbon alternatives to coal, both for energy and other industrial usage. So, we do need that rapid transition to clean energy industries. But I think we need to do it in a way that it preserves and protects the places where people live and work.

You referred to the M4. You'll be aware that the Burns commission is currently undertaking a piece of work for the First Minister. I'm sure air quality will be part of—. We need to look at part of the solution for the M4, and, obviously, air quality, and improving air quality needs to be done.

You'll be aware of the five nitrogen dioxide—we've put 50 mph in five zones to reduce nitrogen dioxide, and, certainly, the interim data that the Minister for Economy and Transport received showed improvements now that those 50 mph zones have been put in place, and I do hope that continues.

Around active travel, we are putting in record amounts of funding into active travel, and you'll be aware the First Minister launched the low carbon delivery plan back in March, and I asked all Ministers to look at those plans and proposals in there to see if they needed to be updated in light of the climate emergency, but air quality absolutely sits there as well, and active travel is somewhere where I know the Minister for Economy and Transport and the deputy Minister put increased funding.

Around incineration, that sits with the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, and I know she has been asked to look at a moratorium, and I'm sure she will update us in due course.

Planning clearly has a massive role to play. And, again, air quality and soundscape was addressed in the new 'Planning Policy Wales' that was issued last December. It's a key component of the natural and the built environment, and it places the issues on an equal footing with other objectives, such as housing, transport and economic development.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

I welcome this statement by the Minister this afternoon. Air pollution is one of the biggest issues of our time, and a significant public health issue. Throughout the world, we're not only warming the atmosphere as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, but we're also damaging our most-needed lifeline: the air that we breathe.

In Newport West, areas like Caerleon, which, from its historic significance, has narrow roads, an increasing population and poor public transport options—that creates a perfect storm of air pollution. In Newport, we also have the M4 running through the heart, which is in close proximity to houses and schools, and where idling traffic regularly sits. And I'm glad that you've already mentioned that this will be on the agenda of the Burns commission. Newport City Council have worked hard to bring forward proposals to improve air quality in our city, but there is still much more that can be done.

Action to reduce traffic near our schools is a must. Last week, pupils from Maesglas Primary School in my constituency held a climate change protest along a busy road near their school, calling for change. And it's our duty to listen and to respond to these calls.

Small measures can help. For example, idling traffic is often the biggest contributor of air pollution outside schools. Just a minute of an idling engine can fill 150 balloons with exhaust fumes. So, for those who absolutely have to drive at that moment, encouraging them to switch off their engines when they're parked up will help reduce air pollution.

Another relatively simple measure that can make a huge difference is tree planting. Urban trees are particularly effective at absorbing carbon dioxide, with one study showing that urban green zones absorb as much carbon dioxide as rainforests. We know the ambition of the Welsh Government on planting trees, but more can and must be done, quicker and faster. For many schools, there are no trees or hedges as a barrier to the road. Measures like that could help with pollution levels, and help to disperse fumes. Could the Minister outline what plans the Welsh Government has to work with schools and community groups to encourage them to plant more appropriate trees within their grounds?

And I’m also very pleased to see that this consultation will review the powers local authorities have to tackle emissions from indoor burning of fossil fuels, such as wood and coal. Indoor pollution is a significant issue, and something that's very often overlooked. And I'd also like to welcome the inclusion in the consultation of bonfires and fireworks, and the contribution they make to levels of harmful emissions.

Finally, the 2019 Welsh index of multiple deprivation has shown that areas of poor deprivation also have poor levels of air quality. There are pockets in my constituency that are amongst the most deprived in Wales. How will the Minister be working with her colleagues across Welsh Government to address this inequality?

Thank you, Jayne Bryant. You will have heard my answer to previous colleagues around the M4, but I do think it is important that the commission will consider all problems and opportunities and challenges and objectives for tackling congestion around the M4. And I understand there will be an interim report—I think it's before the end of this year, which, obviously, I will watch with interest.

Around air quality and schools, again, it's a very important point. And if you look where we spend our time, we spend our time indoors—and I'll come back to what you were saying about domestic combustion—and also in the workplace, and, of course, outside—places like schools. So, you'll be aware of our statutory guidance to local authorities—we published that back in 2017—which recognised schools and active travel routes, amongst others, as sensitive receptor locations. And we know that we've—. We've given guidance so that local authorities have to take a risk-based approach in siting their monitors. They need to be informed by where the evidence indicates people are likely to be exposed to the highest levels of air pollution, and, clearly, schools is an area where this needs to be done. I mentioned that we've already got levers, and local authorities have powers—particularly around engine idling; I think that's a very important point that you raised.

Tree planting—again, other Members have raised the issue that we're not planting enough trees, as we should be, but, as I say, we are making progress here. You'll be aware of the First Minister's manifesto commitment to a national forest. And within that national forest, we are looking at a concept called tiny forests, where you have an area the size of, perhaps, a tennis court, which can be used to plant trees to make that tiny forest. So, we're looking at, for instance, hospitals; schools would be an area where we perhaps could work, to see if that can be done.

Indoor pollution—I mentioned that we will be looking to ban wet wood, because we know that wet wood uses more—there needs to be more energy from the fire to burn it. So, we will be looking to do that. And in relation to some forms of coal being more polluting than others, we will be taking further advice on that, and consulting on proposals to restrict the use of bituminous coal going forward.

Around bonfire and fireworks, this is something that's raised with me quite often in relation to noise pollution. But, as you say, it can also obviously have an impact on air quality. So, again, I look forward to consultation responses around that. Across Government there are many—probably the majority of my Cabinet colleagues that I'm dealing with—. I mentioned before that 'Planning Policy Wales' had been changed at the end of last year to ensure it was looked at, and, clearly, with Ken Skates, around the transport strategy—I've had significant discussions with him around that, and I know he's launching the strategy in the very near future as to how we can address air pollution caused by transport.

But I go back to behavioural change. I think it's really important that we hear what people think they can do. And I think, looking at the consultation that I've launched today, and why I'm urging Members to encourage their constituents to put forward—perhaps individual constituents wouldn't think to put forward this sort of consultation. So, I think it's really important that we use existing organisations such as Healthy Air Cymru and the British Lung Foundation to help us with this plan.

Minister, can I commend the work of Healthy Air Cymru, which is the umbrella group campaigning for a clean air Act? And I think if you look at their literature and the campaign material you'll see clearly why we do need an Act to embed the World Health Organization air quality guidelines, to ensure that we mandate a strategy on air quality every five years, and also ensure there are statutory duties on local authorities. It's a very coherent approach and there's a cross-party consensus here that this is what we should have. So, I think many people are disappointed that we're not going to see this in this Assembly term. It was raised in the very early days of the Assembly, because you may recall clean air was not mentioned in the Government programme at all, and the Government, rightly, got a lot of criticism across the sector because of that.

Can I just say now more positively that, in our 'Liveable Cities' document, we also looked at the situation around schools in particular, because we think we can move here very quickly? Jayne Bryant mentioned idling cars—the whole issue of dropping off children immediately at the school, creating a huge level of pollution. And we don't have great data, so one thing we could have is all schools having to monitor the quality of the air, particularly around the drop-off points and any busy road. I think it's very important that we raise the bar here and ensure that our younger citizens have the right to the best possible quality air, and that's something you could do tomorrow, or at least start the process tomorrow.

Thank you, David Melding, and, obviously, my officials particularly have worked very closely with Healthy Air Cymru, and I was very pleased they welcomed the plan this morning and I'll certainly continue to work with them. I just mentioned, in my answer to Jayne Bryant, I think it's really important that we work with our stakeholders going forward.

The First Minister's manifesto commitment was to improve air quality through the development of a clean air Act for Wales. It would absolutely provide a formal mechanism, and I am committed to bringing forward a White Paper before the end of this term. But, as I say, we do have access to a wide range of levers to take forward action now to improve air quality, and local authorities currently have powers, for instance, to introduce low emission zones and clean air zones, either charging or non-charging. They do, again, have the powers to introduce fines for engine idling that you referred to as being an issue. But I do think we need to consider how we can enhance these powers through a clean air Act, and that is absolutely the intention of this Government.

Talking about schools, when I mentioned to Andrew R.T. Davies that I'd recently been in Madrid for COP25, which is still ongoing, one of the things I saw in Madrid was living walls. So, incredible, really high walls just covered in greenery and with irrigation in them, and you just wonder why we don't have more of those in this country, and that's certainly something I'd be very keen to take forward.

And you talked about the schools monitoring their air quality. I think I mentioned to Jayne Bryant that they need to take a risk-based approach in siting their monitors. They know the local population and the local area the best and they need to make sure they look at the guidance that we've given around schools and active travel routes.

Minister, can I welcome the statement you've made today, and can I welcome the decision of the Welsh Government to actually produce an action plan, because it is critical? I do note that it refers quite a few times to Port Talbot. As you fully understand, the implications for Port Talbot are huge. We have a motorway going through that. We have the steelworks and other industries within there. We have a combination of everything your plan says, in reality, and therefore I've got a few questions, and I'll try and keep to my two questions because I know the Deputy Presiding Officer would like a focus on questions at this point.

On the issues about 'Planning Policy Wales', you talked earlier in a response to that. It is important that we again get support on that, because it has to address how the local development plans will look at this question of air quality and air quality management, particularly in planning proposals that will include either incinerators or some form of aspect that will increase air pollution in that area, whether it be in a residential area or an industrial area. And, therefore, will you be looking at local authorities and asking them to review their LDPs to ensure that they're up to date to meet this plan?

Regarding motorways, as you've highlighted, the section on M4, junctions 41 to 42 in my area, is one of the roads that had to limit itself to 50 mph. Again, will you assure me, give me reassurances, that you're talking to the Minister to look at how you address that matter, because putting them off the M4 onto local roads is going to make air quality in the areas worse for the residents of those local roads, particularly children, as they're going to be walking along those roads to their schools? Therefore, it's not a solution; we have to find alternative solutions, rather than simply either closing junctions or taking traffic off the M4 and putting them on local roads. 

Andrew R.T. Davies highlighted the issue about public transport and, again, that's crucial. The Minister for Economy and Transport is going to be bringing forward a public transport Bill. Could you ask him to ensure that it meets this plan, because there are many areas where people don't have cars and the bus is the only option? If we're going to make sure that they can actually use the bus, they have to have a bus to use. Therefore, that Bill must ensure that it puts an onus upon areas that have no other alternative to cars other than a bus, and to ensure those buses are available.

I do welcome the review of the action plan for Port Talbot—it is time we had that—but can you also ensure that it looks at nuisance dust as well as the PM10s, PM2.5s and nitrogen dioxide? Because, whilst people might think that's not necessarily a health issue in one aspect, it's the well-being of people as well we need to address, and it does impact upon my constituents heavily in that area.

I welcome the indoor pollution reference in the statement and we need to publicise that more, because I was up the attic only last week, getting Christmas decorations down. When you look at the plan and what areas actually affect indoor properties, you start to realise how we can all be affected by something simple, but people might not know that. I was unaware of some of the points in that plan. 

Behavioural change is important, but we need alternatives if you want behavioural change, and that's the problem. Sometimes, we do not have those alternatives available for behavioural change to occur. I think I'll end there. 

Thank you. [Laughter.] 

Thank you, Dai Rees, for those points. I'll just refer to Port Talbot and Tata Steel and, obviously, the Member never misses an opportunity to speak to me about air quality in Port Talbot. As you know, the short-term action plan was put in place to specifically prevent exceedances to legal limits and safeguard residents' health. We've never exceeded European legal limits for particulate matter in Port Talbot; I think it's very important to make that point. However, like many of these things, it's about perception, and I know that you've had concerns that your constituents have had a lot of dust. I think Dai Lloyd made a very important before that it's the stuff that we can't see that causes the most problems, not that we can see. However, the perception is that that is really damaging.

I think you're right about the 50 mph zone; you don't want to get perverse results. As the transport strategy comes forward—I think the Minister is bringing that forward next week—we can certainly ensure that this plan fits into that strategy. I think it's very important that that is the case, and also the public transport Bill, because you're right: we can't expect behavioural change if that form of travel is not there for that person. I mentioned in an earlier answer to Andrew R.T. Davies about the rural areas of Wales that, if you haven't got the public transport infrastructure in place, then people are not going to make that modal shift from the car.

There's also the economic impact, I think, to consider around public transport because, if people look at the cost and it's so much cheaper to go in the car, again, that will definitely affect people, and also, if you're sitting on a bus and you're sitting in a bus behind 200 cars, you're going to think it's not worth it. However, if there's a bus lane and you're able to go in the bus lane and be much quicker—. I think it's just simple things because, as I said, I think Wales has really led the way on behavioural change in relation to recycling and organ donation, so I think we can do it here as well.

Oh, sorry, you asked me about planning as well, and I mentioned that 'Planning Policy Wales' had been changed, but it is important that local authorities look at this clean air plan going forward to ensure that it fits in.

Okay. We have reached the time, but I've got two more speakers and I'm sure that they will only ask questions. Huw Irranca-Davies. 

I always get to this point. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I give a broad welcome to the statement and the announcements today, but, like many individuals and organisations outside, this is a bit like that 'Bake Off' moment, where they describe to us what they're going to do and we're licking our lips at it but we're waiting to see what actually comes out of the oven? So, there is a bit of anticipation on timescales and detail and so on going forward, which I'm sure will come. But could I just say—? I've said this before and I mean it absolutely thoroughly: this is our equivalent nowadays of the cholera epidemics in London in the mid-nineteenth century. The evidence clearly shows that this is a social justice issue and it shows what measures need to be taken. The question is now whether we are minded to move firmly and fast to actually take the necessary actions and the Minister has described some of that within her statement today and some of the ideas of what we could do. What we now need to do is actually to action them and get on with them. 

So, let me ask some specific questions here—and it is a social justice issue, because this affects by and large the most disadvantaged communities more heavily and it is the children in those schools in those. So, I'm going to focus on transport. First of all, I would ask the Minister: do we not now have to do what the active travel hierarchy says, which is to invest most in cycling and walking and public transport, and, actually, the little metal boxes that we're in—they're down the bottom of the list, not at the top of the list as they currently are? That's part of the sequence to doing this air quality issue because we've literally now—quite literally—driven ourselves into an air quality cul-de-sac where we're sitting in air-conditioned, surround-sound, heated-seat metal boxes, dropping our children off to school, competing like pinballs with other mums and dads to squeeze along zig-zag yellow lines, and then we bang our heads on steering wheels as we sit in another daily crush on the motorway or back road rush-hour rat runs on the way into work in towns and cities. Now, Chris Rea may happen to be one of the largest individual donors to the Conservative Party, but he was wise indeed when he said

'this is the road to hell.'

So, can we look at—? How soon can we look at introducing 20 mph default speed limits? We've talked about them. It's the right idea. We now need to get on with it. Why aren't school exclusion zones mentioned within this specifically? I hope you haven't ruled them out. I hope, in the consultation, school exclusion zones, where we can either say to parents, 'Do the walk or cycle or scoot to school with your children, accompany them'—like I did myself, I'm not speaking out of turn here—'or, alternatively, park elsewhere and stride'. The park and stride stuff that's been done by Sustrans, Living Cities and so on—

Yes. And finally.

And finally—. Finally—gosh, I always get to this point when I know others have spoken for—. Sorry. My final point, then, would be: have you had time to look at Sustrans's 20-minute neighbourhood planning principle proposals, which is the idea that no community in Wales should be developed where you are more than 20 minutes away by bike or cycle from all essential services? Because, in that regard, we can stop them driving everywhere and we can get to it without diminishing the air quality. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Follow the evidence: let's do it.

The Member's passion is very clear, as always. So, we're already bringing forward a broad range of actions. We've been implementing them and obviously we know we need to go further. This is a 12-week consultation. Nothing has been ruled out and, as I said to colleagues from the Welsh Conservatives, I'm very happy to listen to anybody's ideas to make sure that this plan brings about the improvement that we want to see in relation to air quality. You focused more or less on transport and I think you're very correct to do that. Active travel is clearly an area where we need to improve and we have improved. I mentioned in an earlier answer that the Minister for Economy and Transport and the Deputy Minister have put forward significant additional funding around active travel for this purpose. The transport strategy that the Minister will be bringing forward looks at specific modes of transport. It includes, obviously, buses, and there will be a public transport and buses Bill. We're looking at taxis. I know that in Cardiff they're looking to replace the current taxi fleet to have much lower carbon emissions.

Many of the actions are within the context of decarbonisation of transport, because we know that improving that air quality by reducing emissions is the right way and it will be a key pillar in the development of the transport strategy going forward. We need to encourage a shift from an over-reliance on cars. You're quite right. I couldn't possibly quote what you said, but certainly we need to be looking at walking, cycling and public transport, but that infrastructure has to be there for people to use it. In my earlier answer to Dai Rees I was saying that there's also an economic aspect to this because we go back to those areas of deprivation. We need to make sure that that public transport is affordable.

I just want to emphasise my disappointment that we aren't going for a clean air Act in this Assembly, because it is in the manifestos of all three main parties for this general election, so there is huge consensus around this and, therefore, I wonder why it isn't possible to move forward on something that we can all agree on. It's also in the Liberal Democrats' manifesto as well. 

Not repeating what other people have already said, picking up on Jayne Bryant's point about the lack of hedges around schools to protect them from air pollution, can we therefore ensure that all local authorities are stopping the indiscriminate spraying of pesticides around school perimeters, because that makes it impossible to produce these hedges if they're then being killed off?

The other thing, picking up on an idea in the Green Party's manifesto, is the importance of ensuring that new housing developments aren't built in areas where there is no ready access to public transport. My question, apart from the one back to the local authorities, is: once we've re-regulated bus services and we now have Transport for Wales commissioning train and bus services, is it the aspiration of the Government to make travelling by public transport cheaper than travelling by car?

So, if I can just start with the last part of Jenny Rathbone's question, you will have heard me just say in answer to Huw Irranca-Davies that is really important, because people have to consider how much public transport costs, if they've got a car, compared with the car. So, we absolutely have to look at that.

I am aware that a clean air Act is in several of the parties' manifestos. I have looked at that and I think most of them don't give timescales for it. Obviously, it was a manifesto commitment of the First Minister. I have committed to bringing forward a White Paper. The reality is—. And I know Andrew R.T. Davies said, 'Oh, you'll blame Brexit', but that has been an issue for my department. We may need to bring forward emergency legislation in order to pay farmers, for instance, next year. I don't what the impact on the legislative programme is going to be if we do leave the European Union. So, I think we have to be pragmatic about this. I think it's very important that we bring the White Paper forward, but I also think it's very important that people recognise that legislation is not the answer for everything and we do need to use the levers that we have.

We need to have a focus, I think, on behavioural change. Having been at COP25 in Madrid for a couple of days—and I've met with many of my ministerial counterparts from around the world—it's really interesting that there has been a significant focus on behavioural change and enabling people to make those changes: not telling them what they can't do, but telling them what they can do, and I will continue to do that. Obviously, raising awareness with people is really important and very much a part of the plan.

In relation to your question around pesticides and schools, I will write to the Member about that. I'm not aware of anything specific that I've written to local authorities about, but I will certainly write to the Member about that.

Thank you very much, Minister. Thank you.