Meetings
NDM7133 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Air Quality
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Meeting: 18/09/2019 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd (Item 9)
Welsh Conservatives Debate - Air Quality
NDM7133 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To propose that the National Assembly of
Wales:
1. Notes that Wales has some of the worst air
quality in the UK and that some areas have breached EU regulations for several
years, culminating in the Welsh Government being taken to court for its lack of
action.
2. Regrets that around 2,000 people die
early each year (6 per cent of all deaths in Wales) as a result of poor air
quality.
3. Further notes that air pollution
exacerbates existing lung conditions and is a cause of asthma and lung cancer,
and that long-term impacts of poor air quality are not yet fully understood.
4. Calls on this Assembly to pass and enact
a clean air bill in this Assembly term before the next Assembly elections.
5. Believes that the act should:
a) enshrine in law World Health
Organisation air quality guidelines;
b) mandate the Welsh Government to produce
a statutory air quality strategy every 5 years;
c) provide a statutory duty on local
authorities to appropriately monitor and assess air pollution, and take action
against it;
d) introduce a ‘right to breathe’ whereby
local authorities are obliged to inform vulnerable groups when certain levels
breach recommended guidance.
The following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1 - Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the National Assembly for
Wales:
Notes that unacceptable levels of air
pollution persist in some areas of Wales, the UK and Europe.
Regrets that some estimates suggest long
term exposure to poor air quality is a contributory factor in the death of as
many as 36,000 people in the UK, and as many as 1,400 people in Wales.
Further notes that short term exposure to
air pollution can exacerbate respiratory disease, that long term exposure
increases morbidity and mortality risk from lung cancer and other conditions,
and that we may expect other health impacts of poor air quality to be
identified as the scientific understanding evolves.
Welcomes positive action by Welsh
Government including the introduction of permanent 50mph speed limits, the
delivery of the Clean Air Day campaign and the development of a Clean Air Plan
for Wales.
Calls on the UK and Welsh governments to
use all available legislative and non-legislative actions to improve air
quality.
[If amendment 1 is
agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected]
Amendment 2 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Insert as new sub-points in point 5:
require the gradual phase-out of the sale
of diesel-only and petrol-only vehicles by 2030;
create clean air zones in towns and cities;
give communities the right to place
pollution-monitoring equipment outside of schools and hospitals;
enable local authorities to introduce
pollution and congestion charges;
set national and regional plans to reduce
air pollution in Wales;
reform planning law to require impact of
air pollution to be given greater weight in the planning system.
Minutes:
The item started at
15.57
Voting
on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.
A
vote was taken on the motion without amendment:
NDM7133 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To
propose that the National Assembly of Wales:
1.
Notes that Wales has some of the worst air quality in the UK and that some
areas have breached EU regulations for several years, culminating in the Welsh
Government being taken to court for its lack of action.
2.
Regrets that around 2,000 people die early each year (6 per cent of all deaths
in Wales) as a result of poor air quality.
3.
Further notes that air pollution exacerbates existing lung conditions and is a
cause of asthma and lung cancer, and that long-term impacts of poor air quality
are not yet fully understood.
4.
Calls on this Assembly to pass and enact a clean air bill in this Assembly term
before the next Assembly elections.
5.
Believes that the act should:
a)
enshrine in law World Health Organisation air quality guidelines;
b)
mandate the Welsh Government to produce a statutory air quality strategy every
5 years;
c)
provide a statutory duty on local authorities to appropriately monitor and
assess air pollution, and take action against it;
d)
introduce a ‘right to breathe’ whereby local authorities are obliged to inform
vulnerable groups when certain levels breach recommended guidance.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
14 |
0 |
33 |
47 |
The motion without amendment was not
agreed.
The
following amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)
Delete all and
replace with:
To propose that the
National Assembly for Wales:
Notes that
unacceptable levels of air pollution persist in some areas of Wales, the UK and
Europe.
Regrets that some
estimates suggest long term exposure to poor air quality is a contributory
factor in the death of as many as 36,000 people in the UK, and as many as 1,400
people in Wales.
Further notes that
short term exposure to air pollution can exacerbate respiratory disease, that
long term exposure increases morbidity and mortality risk from lung cancer and
other conditions, and that we may expect other health impacts of poor air
quality to be identified as the scientific understanding evolves.
Welcomes positive
action by Welsh Government including the introduction of permanent 50mph speed
limits, the delivery of the Clean Air Day campaign and the development of a
Clean Air Plan for Wales.
Calls on the UK and
Welsh governments to use all available legislative and non-legislative actions
to improve air quality.
A vote was taken on
amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
26 |
0 |
21 |
47 |
Amendment 1 was agreed.
As amendment 1 was
agreed, amendment 2 was de-selected
A
vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM7133 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To propose that the
National Assembly for Wales:
1. Notes that unacceptable
levels of air pollution persist in some areas of Wales, the UK and Europe.
2. Regrets that
some estimates suggest long term exposure to poor air quality is a contributory
factor in the death of as many as 36,000 people in the UK, and as many as 1,400
people in Wales.
3. Further notes
that short term exposure to air pollution can exacerbate respiratory disease,
that long term exposure increases morbidity and mortality risk from lung cancer
and other conditions, and that we may expect other health impacts of poor air
quality to be identified as the scientific understanding evolves.
4. Welcomes
positive action by Welsh Government including the introduction of permanent
50mph speed limits, the delivery of the Clean Air Day campaign and the
development of a Clean Air Plan for Wales.
5. Calls on the UK
and Welsh governments to use all available legislative and non-legislative
actions to improve air quality.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
25 |
0 |
20 |
45 |
The motion as amended was agreed.