Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill

The Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill (“the Bill”) has been referred to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee (“the Committee”) for Stage 1 scrutiny of the general principles of the Bill.

 

According to the Welsh Government, the overarching aim of the Bill is to reduce the likelihood of landslides on disused coal and non-coal tips through the establishment of a new public body which will have functions in relation to the assessment, registration, monitoring and management of disused tips.

 

The Bill proposes:

>>>> 

>>>to establish the Disused Tips Authority for Wales (“the Authority”) as a body corporate. Its main objective in carrying out its functions under the Bill is to ensure that disused tips do not threaten human welfare by reason of their instability;

>>>to make provision for the assessment, registration and monitoring of disused tips;

>>>to contain provisions that enable the Authority to deal with tip instability and threats to tip instability. This includes powers to require an owner of land to carry out operations and for the Authority to carry out operations itself, and related provisions in respect of payments in connection with such operations;

>>>to contain supplementary provisions including powers of entry for the Authority, information sharing provisions and powers to require information; and

>>>to create related offences to support the enforcement of the regime.

<<< 

 

Further details about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum (PDF 1.4MB)

 

To help inform its scrutiny, the Committee is seeking views on:

>>>> 

>>>The general principles of the Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the stated policy intention;

>>>The Bill’s provisions, including whether they are workable and will deliver the stated policy intention:

>*>*>*

***The Disused Tips Authority for Wales (Part 1 sections 1 to 5 and Schedule 1)

***Assessment, registration and monitoring of disused tips (Part 2 sections 6 to 32 and Schedule 2)

***Dealing with tip instability and threats to tip stability (Part 3 sections 33 to 54 and Schedule 3)

***Supplementary (Part 4 sections 55 to 70)

***General (Part 5 sections 71 to 88)

<*<*<*

>>>Any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions and whether the Bill takes account of them;

>>>The appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (set out in Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the Explanatory Memorandum).

>>>Whether there are any unintended consequences arising from the Bill; and

>>>The financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum).

<<< 

 

Submitting your views

The Committee would like to invite you to submit written evidence to assist in its consideration of the Bill.

 

We would like you to submit your views by completing this online form.

 

A downloadable template is available for you to draft your response before submitting it, if you wish. However, please do not submit your response on that template via email. Responses should be submitted via the online form.

 

We are keen to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. If you would like to submit your views but do not want/are not able to complete the online form, please write to the Committee (SeneddClimate@senedd.wales) and the Committee’s clerks can arrange with you a different way for your voice to be heard.

 

The closing date for submission to this consultation is 17 January 2024.

 

Please refer to the Bill page for further details and up-to-date information on the Bill.

 

Providing Written Evidence

The Senedd has two official languages, Welsh and English.

 

In line with the Senedd’s Official Languages Scheme, the Committee welcomes contributions in both or either of our official languages, and we ask organisations that are subject to Welsh Language standards or schemes to respond in line with their own obligations. Please inform the Committee when submitting responses if you intend to provide a translation at a later date.

 

Please see guidance for those providing evidence for committees.

 

Disclosure of information

Please ensure that you have considered the Senedd’s policy on disclosure of information before submitting information to the Committee.