, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 6
I'll ask Haf to introduce herself.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 6
Thank you so much, Jenny.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 6
We'll move straight on. We'll be holding two evidence sessions with stakeholders on the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill. I'll ask our witnesses to introduce themselves for the record. I'll go to Jenny first, because Jenny is joining us…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest
Thank you for that, Huw. This meeting will be held in hybrid format, and one of our witnesses is joining us online. Aside from those adaptations, other requirements relating to Standing Orders will remain in place.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest
Is that working now? Great. Thank you for that. We have received apologies from Llyr Gruffydd. Are there any declarations of interest from Members? I don't see that there are.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest
Okay. So, we'll just check the translation quickly.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest
I would like to welcome Members and the witnesses to this meeting of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee. We have received apologies from Llyr Gruffydd, as we have heard—[Interruption.]
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Appointment of temporary Chair
Thank you for that, Marc.
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
A few weeks ago, Merthyr council rejected an application for the Ffos-y-Frân opencast coal mine to continue operating, to the relief of climate campaigners. But drone footage and photographs have shown that coal mining has continued in that area, in spite of…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Sustainability of Welsh Bus Services - evidence session with bus operators
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Sustainability of Welsh Bus Services - evidence session with bus operators
Thank you for that. The BES funding is something that the committee is going to come back to in detail in the session, certainly. Scott, is there anything that you would add to that? And if I can also ask a supplementary question to that to you, is there…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Sustainability of Welsh Bus Services - evidence session with bus operators
By the way, I'll be leaving the session part way through, so it won't be because of anything that you've said if you see me turn my camera off. So, I just wanted to apologise to you in advance that I'll be leaving before the end. I wanted to ask you about…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Sustainability of Welsh Bus Services - evidence session with bus operators
Thank you very much, Chair. And good afternoon to both of you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Sorry to the engineers; I always unmute myself and forget you’re going to do it. Forgive me, I’m sorry. It’s building on the earlier questions that Joyce had asked you near the beginning of the session in terms of raising people’s awareness. This is such a…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay. Thank you all very much. Diolch, Gadeirydd.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you, Peter. I think, Stephen, you wanted to come in again.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you, Stephen. Was there anything that anyone else wanted to add to that? Peter.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you so much, and, by the way, I love that idea of the word 'euphonic'—what a wonderful word. Thank you for sharing that with us as well. My final question is about how the strategy on soundscapes—. The fact that it is being presented together with the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes, certainly it does. And Chair, I think that Joyce may want to come in on this point.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you, Stephen. Can I ask you—? Well, I'll Peter first, actually, and then I'll come back to Stephen, because Peter's put his hand up. And it was building on an earlier point that you made, Peter, when you were talking about that this shouldn't just be…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay. Thank you very much. Stephen, did you want to come in on this as well?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you very much for that. And in terms of—. Well, do you think that—? Well, what are your views—I don't want to actually ask you a leading question—what are your views on the fact that at the moment the Bill says that there is a duty for local authorities…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you, Peter. That's really useful, actually, because I know that, if I go for a walk, hearing bird song is something that immediately lifts my mood. We talk so often—we talked so often during the pandemic and during lockdowns—about the importance of…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay. Thank you, Rosie. I think, Peter, you wanted to say something.
