6. Debate: Using the UK Government Spending Review to address coal tip safety in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:14 pm on 28 September 2021.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 5:14, 28 September 2021

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Our climate is changing. The Met Office reported in July this year that we should expect a pattern of wetter weather, more frequent storms and heavier rainfall. There's no doubt that we are seeing destructive climate change unfold before us. The latest climate change impact assessment explains what this means for us here in Wales. It spells out, among wider impacts, the increased risk of future landslips, landslides and subsidence linked to historic mining activities, and these are not just theoretical predictions. In February 2020, as a result of devastating storms, we all saw the impact of the landslip at Tylorstown, a stark reminder of the legacy of Wales's industrial history. This landslide highlighted that there are still risks associated with our proud mining past. In February this year, we saw a landslip at Pentre threaten significant disruption. We need to ensure the legacy of coal mining does not continue to pose a risk to public safety while also preparing for the challenges of climate change, which could cause more extreme weather events. And of course, in just a few weeks, we will remember the devastating consequences of the tip slide that killed 144 people, 116 of them children, on 21 October 1966 at Aberfan.