As the Assembly Member for Islwyn, I have from the very first day I was elected to the Senedd, as have others, campaigned to reduce air pollution in my constituency and across Wales. Improving air quality is a priority for the Welsh Labour Government, as the draft budget outlines. The Welsh Government's national strategy, 'Prosperity for All', commits the Welsh Government to reducing emissions and delivering vital improvements in air quality through planning, infrastructure, regulation and health communication measures. The Welsh Labour Government is currently consulting on the clean air plan for Wales, 'Healthy Air, Healthy Wales', which set out ambitious actions across all Government departments and sectors to reduce air pollution. The present consultation on this, the most important of plans, seeks to raise public awareness about air pollution and behaviour change communications, as well as mitigations to help everyone improve air quality and encourage others to do so. It is absolutely right that good policy is not rushed policy, and that it is optimum. The Government is right in its approach, and a knee-jerk methodology is not the way forward. 

As Members will know, and as has been mentioned, in Islwyn sits Woodside Terrace in the village of Hafodyrynys, one of our nation's most polluted streets. The truth is, as everyone who lives there will say, the answers are not simple. They're not connected into one single sphere. Nitrogen dioxide levels on this road have been recorded as the highest in the United Kingdom outside of central London, but there is an issue, and that is because they have been recorded. We do not know where the next Hafodyrynys is. With the positive partnership working between the Labour-run Caerphilly county council and local residents, and the Welsh Labour Government, a solution has been reached after complex and far-reaching negotiations in the public policy and governmental spheres.

The British Heart Foundation today have launched a fresh campaign to draw public attention to the vital issue of air pollution. And although we cannot see it with the naked eye, it is fine particulate matter, as has been stated previously, known as PM2.5, which offers that serious threat to public health. We know that this issue needs to be tackled at every level of Government and in every arena of public and civic life, from local councils to the Welsh Assembly to Westminster and the UK Government, as well as international inter-governmental organisations. This week, the UK was forced to announce plans to ban the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035—a little earlier than originally planned. Yes, this is welcome news, but the devil is in the detail here. It is imperative that the UK Government must come forward with detailed plans on how this will be delivered, including publishing a concrete set of milestones to be achieved ahead of 2035, accelerating the transition to zero emission road transport in the UK. 

We are not an island in this regard. We need to remember that the UK will not be in the vanguard of change in these matters. Norway has a phase-out target of 2025 while the Netherlands, the Irish Republic, Sweden and Denmark have all set a 2030 deadline. In truth, the UK Tory Government proposal will only cover wholly new cars. How many of your constituents can afford a brand-new car?

A recent study by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers forecast that 37.1 million petrol and diesel cars would still be on the road in 2020 and 22.6 million by 2040. That's not good enough. So there is much that the UK Tory Government needs to do if the UK is to hit—I've nearly finished—its target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. They would do well to follow the enthusiastic, energetic and imaginative leadership on this vital issue by the Labour Government here in Cardiff. The £140 million alone in the draft budget this year is just the start of an ambitious sea change in Welsh cultural attitude and policy shift in Wales. I hope that it does gain the consistent cross-party support that seems to be relevant in this Chamber today, but there are those in this Chamber who do not believe in climate change and I would urge them very much to open their eyes and see what's in front of them. Thank you, Llywydd.