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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:37 pm on 10 December 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 3:37, 10 December 2019

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.