Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, do you regret the fact that the rate of installation of new renewable energy capacity has fallen every year under Labour in Wales since 2015?

I think we've done a huge amount of work to support the installation of renewable energy schemes. I've worked very closely with anyone who is happy to bring forward the schemes. Tomorrow, I'll be meeting with developers and looking at new schemes. You must appreciate that we have put significant funding in also, but we really need developers and we need to work with the UK Government to make sure all levers are used in relation to new installations. 

But that doesn't change the fact that renewable energy development in Wales is slowing down under Labour's watch. Declaring a climate emergency should mean a ramping up and an acceleration in the rate of development, but you haven't delivered that. Now, maybe we shouldn't be surprised, given that you cut support from the hydropower sector, for example, in Wales, leaving many of those schemes facing financial ruin, and your decision probably has zapped the confidence of others as well who were considering developing similar new energy schemes.

And that slowing down of renewable energy development in Wales under your watch isn't the only matter, of course, that you should regret. Plastic waste is another one. It's a scourge that we all want to see tackled with a huge ramping up of interventions to get to grips with the problem. I was elected to this Senedd in 2011 and, at that time, there was talk of action on a deposit-return scheme. Ten years and two Labour Governments later, we're still waiting for those interventions to materialise. Are you not embarrassed that we still don't have a deposit-return scheme in Wales? 

This is something, as you know, that has recently come back into my portfolio, and I have had several discussions around a DRS. I think the most important thing for me is to make sure there are no perverse outcomes from a DRS, because, as you know, we have made fantastic strides in relation to our recycling. We've hit the target of 65 per cent recycling. I think it's a year ahead of the target that we had, and that is down to three things: it's down to leadership from Welsh Government, it's down to leadership from local authorities, and it's down to the people of Wales, who have embraced recycling. Now, we need to move to the next stage, and that's why I've recently launched the circular economy strategy. 

If leadership is having 'several discussions', to quote what you just told me in answer, I mean, crikey, you've had 10 years' worth of several discussions, Minister, as a Government, and you've gone from leading the UK on this agenda to playing catch-up. Those aren't the actions of a Government that's taking the plastics crisis seriously. And you can ask your own constituents, because I know of a group—the Wrexham Litter Pickers—who recently collected over 1,000 bags of rubbish and plastic waste, underlining again the need for more urgency on this matter.

Now, I could point to other areas of your responsibility where you've not produced the goods. We know about the clean air Act. That's something Plaid Cymru has been advocating for many, many years—something you eventually agreed with us is necessary, but still a painfully slow response from the Government means, once again, that you haven't delivered, and it's going to take a new Government and a new Senedd to finally get this life-saving legislation in place.

But I have to say, maybe the biggest disappointment for me is your failure to ensure the highest standards of energy efficiency in new homes. I remember, six or seven years ago, Labour passed new standards to be incorporated in the Part L building regulations. Now, Plaid Cymru called at the time for higher energy efficiency standards. You voted that down, insisting on more modest standards, but you did so—Labour did so—saying that you'd address that in this Senedd. And now, of course, we know that, six years later, you failed to do so, and with that failure, of course, you've locked in the higher level of energy inefficiency in new Welsh homes that a future Government will have to address through retrofitting and other costly interventions in years to come. So, why is it that this Labour Government has broken its word on so many of these issues? And, frankly, why should the people of Wales believe anything you say in future, given your failure to deliver on your promises?

I should declare that I am a member of the Wrexham Litter Pickers that Llyr Gruffydd referred to—we must remember that it's not Government that litters; it's people who litter—and I would really like to praise the work that they've done. And you'll be aware of the new litter and fly-tipping plan that I mentioned in an earlier answer to Jayne Bryant.

This Government has done a huge amount in relation to energy efficiency and many millions of pounds have been spent on homes. We have a very old housing stock here in Wales and I think my colleague Julie James has done some fantastic work in ensuring that we're not building homes now that will need further retrofitting in years to come. And I think what we're seeing here is not you showing the failures of this Government, because I don't recognise the ones you are, but just the Plaid Cymru manifesto.

Now the Conservative spokesperson, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Diolch, Llywydd. Firstly, Minister, as this is the last spokespersons' questions of this term, I just wanted to thank you. We've had some lively and robust scrutiny and challenge and just to thank you for your answers along the way. Thank you, Lesley.

Now, according to the White Paper on the clean air (Wales) Bill, we may not see regulations set until spring 2024—that would be a quarter of a century into the life of this Welsh Parliament, despite the First Minister telling this Chamber in May 2019 that the debate had been ongoing for a decade, that he had already at that point had discussions with you and that at that time, preparation inside the Welsh Government had begun about how a clean air Act might be developed. Almost two years on, this Welsh Government has failed to deliver on the First Minister's leadership promise—and I quote—to

'Develop a new Clean Air Act to ensure that our children can go to school, be active and play outside safely without fear of respiratory problems, such as asthma, because of pollution levels in some of our towns and cities.'

In September 2019, you told this Chamber that you were continuing to make progress towards the introduction of a clean air Act for Wales. Do you now regret some of the Welsh Government's failure during this Senedd to deliver this Act or even a draft Bill and full regulatory impact assessment? Thank you.

Thank you. I would have very much liked to have brought a clean air Act through this Government. As you say, it was part of the First Minister's leadership bid back in December 2018, so just over two years ago. And what has happened in those two years? I think you can recognise why there has been so much pressure on the legislative programme for this Welsh Government and, unfortunately, we didn't have the capacity to bring forward a clean air Bill and then an Act during this term of Government, which I do regret and I know the First Minister regrets. However, I don't think there's any Member in this Senedd who can't understand the absolute use of our legislative programme in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and, of course, leaving the European Union and the pressures that's put on our legal capacity and, as I say, our legislative programme.

However, what we have done is launch the clean air plan for Wales, which I published back in August of last year. That sets out a range of actions to deliver those improvements in air quality across Wales that we all want to see.

You don't necessarily need legislation for everything, so I think that clean air plan has brought forward some of the improvements we want to see. I also published the consultation on the White Paper on a clean air (Wales) Bill on 13 January. As you're aware, that will close on 7 April, so that in the next term of Government, the Government can then be in a place to take forward the Act, as it wishes. 

Thank you. Whilst you rightly admitted to the Senedd in January that you would have liked to have brought the White Paper on the clean air Bill forward sooner, there is no escaping the fact that quick legislative action would have benefited public health. The long-term mortality burden attributable to air pollution exposure is between 1,000 and 1,400 deaths in Wales each year. More than 57 health centres, 54 GP practices and three hospitals are above the latest World Health Organization limit for PM2.5.

Even you stated that, like COVID, air pollution disproportionately impacts the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society. Despite air pollution being acknowledged as the world's largest single environmental health risk, and your existing RIA estimating that the monetised health impact is £950 million per year, you have chosen to prioritise legislation on agricultural pollution, which, according to your own explanatory memorandum, will have a negative impact on mental health and well-being.

During a health and climate emergency, do you acknowledge that you should have focused the mechanics of Government on assisting people's health through legislation on air pollution, rather than negatively impacting public health with the Wales-wide nitrate vulnerable zone? You rightly pointed out the pressures that the Government have been under with legal and other advice to take forward legislation. You failed on the clean air Act, but yet were prepared to betray the farmers with the NVZ. How do you reason with that, Minister?    

Well, I am not betraying the farmers. What I am trying to do is reduce the number of agricultural pollution incidents that are having a massive negative impact on our air quality, as well as our water quality. So, I'm afraid the argument that you put forward doesn't stack up at all. And let's just be clear: this is not just NVZs. It's not just nitrates. This is around phosphates. This is around ammonia pollution incidents as well. So, it's not just this NVZ that I keep on hearing about.

In relation to mental health, of course, you don't want anything that would be detrimental to anybody's mental health. I put significant funding into mental health support services for our agriculture sector, because I do understand that it is a difficult time. But, the one thing that's caused, I think, the most angst to farmers in this term of Government and my time in this portfolio is leaving the European Union, and the uncertainty around that. 

Now, further evidence of the lack of prioritisation that you have given to air pollution is the budget for 2021-22. You admitted to our Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee that there is still no detailed cost estimate of the clean air plan that was published seven months ago. The £3.4 million revenue funding and £17 million capital funding allocated for air quality action actually remains unchanged from the previous year, and therefore represents a real-terms cut.

In fact, I know that this is not the first time that this has been raised with you, as you were scrutinised on the matter during committee in January, blowing the concerns about funding to one side by informing us again that you have competing priorities in the budget and, of course, the impact of COVID-19. As you know, I acknowledge that challenge, but I still need you to explain why there is no detailed cost estimate for this plan, and what led you to make a political decision to deprioritise the health crisis caused by air pollution by delivering a real-terms cut in funding.

Well, you know, you do have to make decisions around your budget. There is only a certain pot of money and, of course, you do. There are lots of calls on that budget, and it's about making sure that there is ample funding for everything. But, clearly, it's not always the case that you are able to increase funding in places where you would wish to. It's about making sure that you cover as much as you can. What the clean air plan did was, as I say, set out the range of actions to deliver improvements for the benefit of public health, as you referred to, and biodiversity, and, of course, help us with the climate emergency. And I'm trying to ensure that there is enough funding. We're coming to the end of this year's budget and, believe me, trying to manage the underspend and the overspend is quite a difficult feat that, fortunately, officials are there to advise me on. So, I don't think we did deprioritise this. And, obviously, as we take the Bill forward for a clean air Act, there will be significant evidence around the budget that can be scrutinised. But I do hope it's recognised that we have very difficult decisions to make—every government does—and we do our best to ensure, and certainly when I look back at this year, I think everybody within different parts of my portfolio has had the funding that's been necessary.