Written question WQ82637
- Asked by
- Janet Finch-SaundersConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Climate Change
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 12 days
Question
What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that high-risk tips are maintained to a standard necessary by winter to help safeguard communities?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Climate Change
Local authorities, Natural Resource Wales with support from the Coal Authority have been preparing a capital works programme for coal tips requiring maintenance works as identified in inspections. Local authorities will be providing regular updates on progress in line with the conditions of support to ensure all necessary maintenance works are being carried out to safeguard communities and ensure public safety.
In addition a third round of inspections on all higher rated tips will take place this autumn with the intention of providing assurance that sites are “winter ready”.
I want to stress Wales is affected disproportionately by the legacy of the UK coal industry, the benefits from which being shared across the whole of the UK. As a government we are working to protect our coalfield communities against the dangerous legacy of the United Kingdom’s proud industrial past but the UK Government also has a role to play in supporting a long-term settlement outside of the Barnett formula, to reflect the disproportionate industrial legacy risks Wales faces.