1. What early action will the Welsh Government take to tackle air pollution in Wales? OQ56616

Llywydd, the programme for government, published today, reiterates our commitment to a clean air Act for Wales. As early as this week, we will support and promote Clean Air Day Wales, raising awareness of air pollution and the part that each one of us can play to make the air cleaner and healthier.

First Minister, the impact of air pollution is very significant in terms of our health, as shown in asthma rates and other respiratory conditions, for example, and also with regard to environment and climate change. I know, First Minister, you are fully committed to radical and timely action for this Welsh Government, and that's certainly needed with regard to public health and our precious environment. We need to find practical and productive ways forward that have a real positive impact in our communities, and, as far as air pollution is concerned, road traffic is quite a major part of the problem. The transition to electric vehicles will make a very welcome impact on these issues, and, indeed, Newport Transport has a fleet of electric buses, which is a good example of progress. First Minister, will you look at Welsh Government schemes and support for the switch to electricity for vehicles for those most in use in our communities—buses, taxis, local authority—[Inaudible.]—and local delivery vehicles as well?

Well, Llywydd, I thank John Griffiths for that supplementary question and, of course, agree with him about the significance of clean air to human health, to the environment, to biodiversity, and indeed to our economy. The Welsh Government, Llywydd, is investing nearly £30 million in electric and low-emission buses, in taxis, and in improving our charging infrastructure, particularly in those places where people are most likely to be travelling—so, at railway station car parks and public car parks. Our £4 million green taxi pilots have purchased 50 fully electric wheelchair-compliant taxis, so that taxi drivers can take them on a use-and-decide basis, so that they can see the advantages for themselves. 

And, Llywydd, can I particularly commend the actions of Newport council for the leadership they have shown with the extended flexi bus service that has recently been introduced? On Thursday of this week, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change will be visiting Newport council to celebrate the launch of their new active travel routes as part of Clean Air Day, and I know that that's going to take place at Lliswerry, where the council will be showcasing some of the 15 new electric buses that they have available as part of their electric vehicle fleet and which will help significantly to provide clean air for the citizens of Newport.

I do find it somewhat amusing that John Griffiths, our colleague, speaks of early action on air pollution. As the First Minister and I know, he's already very late on this argument. In fact, in May 2019, he told the Senedd that this debate had been ongoing for a decade, and we all know that you, First Minister, have failed to deliver on your leadership promise, and I quote,

'to develop a new clean air Act'.

Now, whilst I appreciate that the responses to the White Paper consultation are currently being reviewed, it does remain the case that we may not see regulations set until spring 2024. So, I warn John Griffiths that positive action does seem set to be ever further delayed.

However, turning to you, First Minister, there is a short-term step that you can take. The £3.4 million revenue funding and £17 million capital funding, allocated for air quality action in 2021-22, represents a real-terms cut from the previous year. So, will you undo this cut and invest further in tackling the world's largest single environmental health risk? Diolch, Llywydd.

Well, Llywydd, despite the climate health emergency, and the constraints that that placed both on the Senedd in terms of legislation and on the Welsh Government's capacity, having had to divert significant resources to the burden of coronavirus legislation that has had to pass through the Senedd, we published our clean air plan in August 2020, we published the clean air White Paper in January 2021. We published alongside it a consultation on reducing emissions from domestic burning of solid fuels. And we are responding now to the consultation—the significant replies to consultations, which have come in from all parts of Wales. I expect to be able to publish a summary of those responses in September.

So, Llywydd, despite our capacity to move ahead with the clean air legislation that I had hoped we would be able to bring forward in the last Senedd term, we have been able to make significant steps ahead, and we will continue to invest. We'll continue to invest in the way I've already explained—in those practical actions that John Griffiths pointed to, that make a practical difference.

There is a street in my region, in Hafodyrynys, that's known as the most polluted street in Wales. The likelihood is that there are many other streets like that in Hafodyrynys but we don't know about the pollution because the monitoring isn't there. Now, the clean air Act that you've mentioned, First Minister, which we all await, should provide an opportunity to increase air monitoring, to highlight the problem areas and to help get to grips with these issues, to avoid other streets from choking in fumes from congestion and domestic burning, like the previous residents of Hafodyrynys. This Act should be tabled within the first 100 days of this Government. Will you bring forward the timetable, First Minister, and start the clock on saving thousands of lives?

Llywydd, I will make a statement on the legislative programme before the summer break. It will set out our plans for legislation. It will inevitably have to attend to the continuing constraints that coronavirus places on us and the demands that it makes on our legislative services. We have not finished yet with Brexit legislation, which the Senedd will have to find a way of dealing with. But, nevertheless, I will set out the legislative programme. It will include our ambition to bring forward a clean air Bill for debate in the Senedd. And Delyth Jewell is right, Llywydd, that monitoring is an essential part of the way in which we can identify clean air difficulties, and then marshall a response to them, as my colleague Lesley Griffiths did in relation to Hafodyrynys, confirming the plans that Caerphilly County Borough Council put forward to us and funding them in full. So, the record of this Government in dealing with those clean air hotspots, where monitoring has identified them, I think stands up very clearly to examination.