5. What assessment has the Minister made of air pollution levels in Wales? OQ55688

We regularly assess air quality in line with statutory requirements. Recently, we commissioned a study to assess impacts of COVID-19 on air quality. This showed a mixed picture with levels of some pollutants decreasing and others increasing. We continue to assess the situation to inform and develop future actions.

Thank you, Minister. Last week we marked Clean Air Day, where we received updated data, highlighting that south Wales, pre lockdown, had the UK's second-worst levels of air pollution—toxic nitrogen dioxide levels were 1.6 times greater than EU legal limits. Now, during this year's lockdown, we saw air pollution in Wales dramatically improve, and the Welsh Government also introduced a clean air plan, albeit on the streets of Cardiff. Now, as chair of the cross-party group on the clean air Act for Wales, can I ask when will this plan be introduced in the Senedd and when will we get the opportunity to ask questions on the details of the plan and contents of the White Paper that will become the foundation of the legislative framework for a new clean air Act for Wales?

Thank you. And I was very pleased to attend your cross-party group last week, or the week before—I can't quite remember now—and I think it was very important that we recognise Clean Air Day, not in the way that we were able to last year, but I was really proud to be able to support that key initiative. As you say, I did launch the clean air plan in August, and it is does set out the key action that we will be taking to reduce air pollution and its effect on public health and biodiversity, and also the natural environment in Wales. The plan also sets out measures to achieve compliance with both European and domestic legislative requirements.

As you say, we will be producing a White Paper on clean air, and we're developing that to enhance the existing legislation that we have. I do intend to publish a White Paper on a clean air Bill for Wales by the end of this Senedd term for Members to scrutinise.

Minister, one of the consequences of COVID is that we've seen a lot of our urban spaces being reshaped at a greater pace than any time in the last 25 years: one-way systems for pedestrians, no-traffic zones, suppressed traffic anyway. We've also seen greater calls for certain areas to have much more regulation of traffic, and other cities around the world, such as Paris, are beginning to exclude traffic other than for residents from large areas so there are more open spaces for children, for instance, to play in. All this has a great benefit for air quality. Will you be co-operating with your colleagues to ensure that this sort of approach is going to go forward as part of the clean air plan, because planning our environment, our urban areas, our traffic flows is essential to this?

Yes, I agree with the points that David Melding has made. Dai Lloyd referred to the fact that I launched the plan on Cardiff streets, but I launched it on Castle Street, which, obviously, has been closed to traffic, and it was a very sunny day, and it was good to see families out enjoying, using that street in a different way. I think you're quite right that one of the benefits—I suppose we have to look for benefits of COVID-19—is that we have seen local authorities reshaping their areas in a way that we haven't done before.

I'm certainly very happy to have those conversations with local authorities. I'm sure they're all coming forward with plans. If we're going to achieve a carbon neutral public sector by 2030, this is just the sort of thing that local authorities need to be looking at.

Minister, I spoke last week at the launch of the Living Streets Cymru manifesto for walking in Wales. They want all people in Wales to be able to breathe clean air and they want the next Government to prioritise the climate emergency, introduce a clean air Act for Wales and clean air zones all around Welsh schools, create more urban green spaces and green corridors where people can walk and cycle, and work towards a goal of net-zero carbon emissions in towns and cities, tackle pavement parking, put more investment behind targets for children walking to school and adults choosing active travel. So, Minister, will you read their manifesto in detail and ensure that as many measures as possible are taken forward by the next Labour Government?

Thank you, Huw, for raising those points, and I'll certainly be very happy to have a look at the manifesto. Some of the things you refer to—you'll be aware my colleague Lee Waters made a statement yesterday around tackling pavement parking, the Welsh Government's put significant funding into active travel over this term of Government, but we increased that funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, there are things that we're doing. The First Minister, when he brought forward his manifesto two years ago, was committed to a clean air Act, and, as I said in an earlier answer, we're currently developing the White Paper on a clean air Bill, subsequently a clean air Act, so that we can enhance the legislation we currently have here in Wales.