, Plenary
Topical Questions
Again, Adam, thank you for your long-held support for the principles underpinning this legislation and getting this legislation right, and also, in concert with Mick Antoniw, seeking to make sure that this does apply universally across public bodies. In…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Mick, thank you very much for that. I acknowledge your campaigning on this issue and also for the Orgreave miners and their families over decades. We're looking at the application of a piece of legislation that will bring new duties that will respond to the…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill aims to strengthen conduct in public office, introducing a new duty of candour, making it an offence to mislead the public, and expands access to legal aid for bereaved families at inquests involving public authorities…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Entirely. That last point is so important, because we want to do this with the communities, with what they want from these sites, not to the communities. I think that community engagement piece I described earlier as part of the solution of what should be…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Thank you so much for that, and, again, thank you for your support for this. I think this is one of the finest pieces of legislation this Senedd has passed. We've passed many good bits of legislation, but this is a generational change for those communities…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
On the latter point, absolutely, definitely, Lindsay. I think the work, and our engagement with the UK Government, has been pivotal. They were ready to invest, but we needed to let them know how much we wanted for the next four years, how much can be done…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Thank you, Jane, and thank you again for your support for this. And I can give you categorical assurance, because, in this period now, we are still working with NRW, the existing mines authority, and local authority partners who put the bids in for the work…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Thank you very much and, Julie, thank you so much for your support for this and for recognising this is a landmark step forward. By the way, the establishment of this authority, and the funding that we've put behind this now, is attracting interest…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
It is important that we don't take our eye off the ball on this, because this is the start of a long journey of making these tips safe and with after-uses, potentially, for these communities as well. We're going to be here for a long time doing this work, and…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Thanks, Delyth. Thank you very much. And thank you very much for welcoming these proposals here today.
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Well, Janet, I note as the frontbench spokesperson for the Conservatives, you welcome the funding that we've put into it, and I stress: we've put into it. And just to correct you: not a penny piece came from the Conservative Government after years of asking…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
This work cannot be achieved without substantial and sustained investment. The previous UK Government did not help fund the shared responsibility of this UK industrial legacy. I want to acknowledge the contribution of the current UK Government, which has…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
This work on coal tip safety, rooted in our history, shaped by the challenges of climate change, and driven by a duty of care to our communities, remains one of this Government's highest priorities. Coal tip safety is an issue that touches the lives of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
This Welsh Government is taking decisive steps to safeguard communities across Wales from the threat posed by our mining legacy.
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Coal Tip Safety
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I'll try and heed your guidance there.
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Not only seagrass, but also salt marsh is important within this context as well. You rightly point out that this isn't the only funding that we've done. We've awarded, since 2021, nearly £852,000 of funding towards salt marsh restoration through the Nature…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thank you very much, Mabon. We have invested £300,000 to support the recovery of seagrass along the coastline of Wales. This includes recent funding for the development of Seagrass Network Cymru’s national seagrass action plan, which sets out a vision for the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thanks, Delyth. One of the things that may be of interest to you and to others, rather than rehearse the protections that are currently in place and our expectation as the Welsh Government that those are used, is that, since the 2024 Act, we've opened a…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thank you, Delyth. Local authorities have a clear duty to ensure that the air environment is considered with any planning application made. Local authorities also have duties to improve air quality in their areas, using mechanisms including planning…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thanks, Natasha. And, look, I think that headline for a local authority is deeply unwanted. I saw some of the coverage on that and I've seen some of the responses from some of the officers and councillors, that they've issued now more than…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thanks, Natasha. Fly-tipping Action Wales, a Welsh Government-funded programme, continues to work with local authorities in south-east Wales targeting fly-tipping hotspots. Successful surveillance exercises have led to prosecutions and other enforcement…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Mike, you're absolutely right. I'm glad that you and so many Members were there for that opening of it. I've just got to point out that I do have a vested interest, as I've sailed every inch of that navigable canal, and others within south Wales, in my…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thank you, Altaf, and I can feel the love here at the moment in this Chamber, for the volunteers as well as for the fen raft spider, from the species champion. There is investment that we can enable, but it's also giving—. As I've outlined, there's the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thank you very much for that supplementary. Can I just begin by joining you in praising the work of those many volunteers across our whole canal network in Wales, and across the UK, who do so much? I remember that the inception of the Canal & River Trust…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Thanks, Sioned. Canals contribute to the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales. Whilst canals are non-devolved, of course, the Welsh Government has funded projects to enhance the network, and these have included improvements to…
