, Equality and Social Justice Committee
The public health approach to preventing gender-based violence: evidence session 1
So, when you talk about a blueprint approach, you're meaning a collaborative approach, are you?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
The public health approach to preventing gender-based violence: evidence session 1
Don't worry. Obviously, there's a new policy action by the Welsh Government on gender-based violence, and, obviously, you're arguing very strongly for a public health approach. Could you tell us how the Welsh Government has approached the vision and the…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
The public health approach to preventing gender-based violence: evidence session 1
This is our first evidence session on our inquiry into the public health approach to preventing gender-based violence, and I'm very pleased to welcome Lara Snowdon, the public health lead in the violence prevention unit within Public Health Wales. So, thank…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Introductions, apologies and substitutions
Prynhawn da—or it will be in about 20 seconds. Welcome to the Equality and Social Justice Committee. This is a bilingual institution, so we welcome contributions in English and Welsh, and there is instantaneous translation from Welsh to English. I've had one…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Respiratory disease
I absolutely agree with you, and thank you for pointing out the importance of the legislation that’s currently being scrutinised in the climate change committee. Would you agree with me that vehicle idling is one of the most pointless and harmful activities…
, Plenary
Debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee Report—Homelessness
—we thought they were only going to be 10 minutes, but actually, modern timber-framed homes can be constructed on site in two to three weeks. And I appreciate that the Welsh Government hasn't got the capital to meet the need, so we need to have a look at the…
, Plenary
Debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee Report—Homelessness
I'd like to thank the Local Government and Housing Committee for a really interesting report. This is something that affects, I imagine, all Members, but it certainly is a major problem in my constituency. I think you've captured a lot of the challenges and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you, Counsel General. Elections provoke a lot of online activity, and, at one level, that's a very good thing, to enable people to engage with the issues thrown up at any given election. However, there has been a tendency by online residents groups to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
4. What is the Welsh Government doing to prevent the dissemination of disinformation during Welsh elections? OQ59511
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
I just wanted to ask you about these existing provisions, because I represent a very urban constituency, so, commercial air conditioning systems used by restaurants and takeaways sit alongside flats above shops, and yet, that seems to be tolerated. Is it that…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Anyway, people do it and they give that as the excuse, because I regularly—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
I can see there are complex arguments around idling while you’re in a traffic queue, and the adverse impact of everybody starting up together, but surely keeping your vehicle idling because you want to keep the central heating on or you want to charge your…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Fine. So, other than that, you think that—. Okay. I think I'll leave it there, as we're short of time.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Yes, okay. What comment might you have on the reporting requirements set out in the Bill as to whether they're sufficiently robust, to ensure that Welsh Ministers are held to account if they fail to meet air quality targets?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Well, I think the thing about rural pollution is it's not so much the impact on people as opposed to the impact on biodiversity, where it seems to be really significant.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Thank you. So, that takes me to the final area of questioning, really, which is on the gaps that there may or may not be for monitoring and reporting air quality data, and what changes would be needed to give the Minister more confidence that she can take…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
I just want to—. Two more questions, really, from me. What's your view on the get-out-of-jail clause, to allow Welsh Ministers to revoke or lower targets in this Bill? Why would that be necessary, under what circumstances?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Joyce.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Okay. So, at the moment, all the information that your members are gathering does or doesn't get fed in to Welsh Government—it just gets filed or—?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Okay. Thank you for that. There's no requirement on the Welsh Government, in the way the Bill's drafted, to consult with stakeholders before setting targets. What role do you think consulting stakeholders like yourselves would have to support these more…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Obviously, there are pollution plumes from particular industrial emissions and also concentrations of illegal levels of air pollution in constituencies like mine—inner-city Cardiff. So, we're already not meeting the guidelines. So, the more stringent WHO…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
So, given that you're asking for a nitrogen reduction strategy and for the Bill to adhere to WHO air quality guidelines, how satisfied are you that the target-setting process is sufficiently robust in terms of ambition as well as being achievable air quality…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 7
Okay. So, could you just expand on your point that once ammonia mixes with industrial and transport emissions, it increases the levels of PM2.5 in the air, because that's not something I was aware of?
