, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic) Bill - evidence session 6
Welcome back to this meeting of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee at the Senedd. We're continuing with the work on the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill, and we are going to hear from…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Excellent. Thank you. Well, I think that brings us to the end of our questioning. Can I thank you both for being with us this morning? You will be sent a copy of the draft transcript, just to check for accuracy, and, of course, as I mentioned, we will have…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Excellent. Okay. Those are points that we can raise directly with the Minister when she joins us later on this morning. Huw isn't sure whether he wants to come in on something. Go on then, Huw. Go on.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes. I was just wondering—. It is quite a big question, really, but the Government does have a clear policy intent in terms of why it's bringing this Bill forward, and, taken as a whole, do you believe that the Bill as proposed actually meets that and…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes. Okay. So, I suppose, finally, the six-million-dollar question is that there's a clear policy intent here in terms of the Government. Do you believe that the Bill actually delivers on that policy intent?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay. So, we know obviously this is a very rapidly developing area of technology, isn't it? There are always new innovations and new products coming online. I'm just wondering whether there's a risk that, in compensating for a ban, that alternative products…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
But there we are. Okay, we hear that message loud and clear. Over to Joyce, then.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes, and that actually chimes with the evidence we had from the Federation of Small Businesses last week in terms of maybe this is one part of the jigsaw, isn't it, this Bill, and this proposed ban. And of course, if a ban is introduced this year, and then…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay. And what about potential cross-border issues, then, relating to the ban? Is there anything there that you feel may be an issue or may need to be mitigated?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
No, but more generally I was just thinking that's just one example of how this Bill could have a direct impact on industry in Wales in terms of the plastic sector. I'm just thinking if there's anything else that stands out in the Bill that is maybe cause for…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
The mention of wet wipes there is useful, because we've had evidence from Kimberly-Clark that they're developing a plastic-free wet wipe, which will potentially be produced in north-east Wales. That brings me on, really, to the question about whether there's…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Diolch yn fawr. Thank you. Janet.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you, Delyth. Huw.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Thank you. Delyth.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay. Thank you very much for that. Joyce.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes. And actually, not to go off on a tangent, but the Scottish legislation is different, isn't it, because that actually bans manufacture, whereas in Wales the focus in on supply. So, would you have a view on that, then? Clearly, you would, I'd imagine.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
So, that's a change again, I suppose, isn't it? Okay, thank you for that. Can I just pick up on—? There's a list in the Bill of products to be banned, but next to that there's a list of certain exemptions. I'm just wondering whether you had any particular…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes. We don't always remember to take the shopping plastic bags with us, but maybe that's down to—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay, there we are, that's clear enough. Thank you. We'll move on, then, to Janet.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Okay, fine. Yes, no problem at all. Matt.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
Yes, okay. Thank you. So, could you tell us a bit about your views on the inclusion of oxo-degradable products in the draft Bill? Clearly, we've heard some evidence about potential unintended consequences, particularly around compostable plastic. Is that a…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
And do you share that view, Natalia? Yes, okay. One-word answers are good, actually. That's fine. Very, very acceptable. Okay, because interestingly, Natural Resources Wales suggested that the definition for Wales should align with the plastic packaging tax…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5
So, on we go, therefore, to the latest evidence session in the work that we're doing in looking at the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill. I extend a very warm welcome to Matt Davies, head of public and environmental affairs…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Papers to note: note papers from the Committee's meeting on 22 September 2022 (6.1 to 6.11)
The second item on the agenda is to note papers from the meeting of 22 September. I didn't do so in last week's meeting and it's a requirement that we do so, so I'll refer you to papers 6.1 to 6.11 in the papers from last week, and ask if you're content to…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Good morning and welcome to you all to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee at the Senedd. Welcome to Members. We have received an apology from Jenny Rathbone, who isn't with us this morning, but Ken Skates will be substituting on her…
