Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)
Wales’s dangerous coal tips loom over our industrial communities like spectres from our industrial past and remind us of how our natural resources were exploited, mostly for the benefit of others. Climate change is set to compound the risk posed by coal tips, and we expect rainfall to increase by around 6% over the next 30 years. This month, the COP26 President said it was vital
“that we help at risk communities adapt to the impact of”
climate change. How is the Minister’s refusal to settle the £600 million bill consistent with that statement?
David T. C. Davies
Included in the £2.5 billion of extra funding that will be given to the Welsh Government this year is an allocation of money precisely to deal with the sort of problems to which the right hon. Lady refers. She has often said that the UK Government should not get involved in devolved issues; this is a devolved issue, but we have provided the money for the Welsh Government to deal with it. If there are dangerous coal tips, the Welsh Government have the money and must get on and solve the problem.
[Official Report, 17 November 2021, Vol. 703, c. 563.]
Letter of correction from the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T. C. Davies):
An error has been identified in my response to the right hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts).
The correct response should have been:
David T. C. Davies
Included in the £2.5 billion of extra funding that will be given to the Welsh Government on average for each year of the spending review 2021 period is an allocation of money precisely to deal with the sort of problems to which the right hon. Lady refers. She has often said that the UK Government should not get involved in devolved issues; this is a devolved issue, but we have provided the money for the Welsh Government to deal with it. If there are dangerous coal tips, the Welsh Government have the money and must get on and solve the problem.