, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes. I don't think—. I'm sorry, I should've raised earlier, actually: capacity, Minister, WLGA, and—. Did you touch on it earlier, did you?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Good.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
I think that's—. Oh, hang on a minute. You're right. Yes, sorry. What assessment has the Welsh Government made about whether lids for cups or takeaway food containers are within the scope of the excluded items from the UK internal market Act?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Okay.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
[Inaudible.] It’s all right—he’s missed me out, too. But don’t worry. Why do the Bill’s explanatory memorandum and regulatory impact assessment not address the potential impact that the UK internal market Act could have on the practical effects of this Bill?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
And I am right in my own mind, Chair—polystyrene, I hate that more than plastic, I must admit, and that takes a lot for me to say because I hate plastic, but polystyrene is going to be included in this, isn't it?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Great. I'm glad you've covered off the medical exemptions, because I know that some medical people who produce them are very concerned, and the amount that is used is very important. But will you also be considering amendments to the Bill so that, rather than…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
Thank you, Minister. Just going back, Chair, previously today we were asking, when you say, 'Ah, but going forward, we can do this', how difficult, or how easy, is it going to be to add things, and what's the mechanism for you to do that?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session with the Minister for Climate Change
[Inaudible.]—Minister. Welsh Water and Wales Environment Link have expressed disappointment that wet wipes containing plastics are not included in the draft Bill. Minister, I'm expressing my disappointment that these are not included. You know that, on the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
Thank you very much.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
Okay. And then, my final point: grace periods for businesses. Do you think there should be a grace period? What do you think is a reasonable time for a grace period for businesses so that they can put all their plans in place, and to get their heads around…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
Just going back, sorry, to capacity and resourcing, do you think that there should be some consideration given in the Bill that includes provision for the Welsh Government to be legally responsible for funding the enforcement officers at each local authority…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
Fabulous. Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
With that in mind, would you agree with me that we as a committee—and indeed the Senedd Members per se—really need to be pressing Welsh Government that if they're going to bring legislation out, somehow, by hook or by crook, they have to give those resources…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
And then, my second question. I'm really concerned—this is not the first piece of legislation, in fact, many pieces of legislation in the 11 years I've been in the Senedd put a lot of the responsibility for making the legislation work on to local authorities…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
Thank you. Yes. You've identified the potential for retailers to substitute single-use plastics by using other materials that are equally damaging to the environment, but not covered by the ban. Should the Bill be expanded so that all single-use materials are…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Do you agree with the current list of proposed exemptions, and do you agree with me that consideration needs to be given to providing an exemption—I'm back on to my carrier bags—for the sale of compostable carrier bags in Wales? And are there any other…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes, I'm guilty of that.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you. And then, the items listed in the Bill go beyond those listed in the EU single-use plastics directive. Are you confident that enough is being done to ensure that the items that will replace each single-use plastic item that is being banned are not…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes. Does Natalia agree?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you. Good morning. In your evidence, you've highlighted, 'that the UK-wide Environment Bill sets out measures for all single use materials'. Do you think that the Bill should be focused on single-use plastics or do you think that it should be broadened…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Gynaecological cancer
Yes. You make a really valid point. I know that when we've done inquiries into obesity in children, we have some of the most shockingly worrying statistics. So, yes, you make a valid point. Russ George highlighted concerns that we as a group have had these…
