Five minute Q&A: Jane Davidson AM

With a duty to use sustainable development to guide policy, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is seeking to push forward the green agenda. Heading this is Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing Jane Davidson AM. MQR chatted to her during the launch of the report on the Effectiveness Review of the WAG Sustainable Development Scheme to find out how she sees aggregates fitting into the picture.

MQR: For readers, could you give a brief overview of your responsibilities at the WAG?

Davidson: I am lead minister on sustainable development and climate change. But I also have portfolio responsibilities for planning, water, waste, environment and housing. Yes it is a wide portfolio but it cuts across agendas, especially in aggregates. This is useful for people as it is a one-stop shop. Instead of the English model where you would have to deal with ministers from BERR, Defra, DLGC and other departments. You only have one point of contact.

MQR: Where do primary aggregates fit into your view for the future of Wales?

Davidson: Aggregates are essential to the economic health of a country. Our major task in aggregates supply is to ensure it is managed in a sustainable way.

We have been taking a plan-led approach to aggregates. We first published our Wales Minerals Planning Policy back in 2000. The first Technical Advice Note (TAN) came about in 2004. What we are doing now is ensuring that minerals planning authorities manage what they do.

MQR: Some local authorities have been reticent when it comes to safeguarding minerals.

Davidson: The critical point to get over is that safeguarding the resource does not mean that it will be extracted. People are not right to see it like this. Once they understand that what we are doing is limiting development we are able to resolve issues.

The Welsh Assembly Government is sure it is joining up its policies on carbon reduction and sustainable development and we want all public organisations we fund to be joining up these policies as well.

MQR: So primary aggregates play a part in your re-writing of the WAG sustainable development scheme?

Davidson: Very much so as long as they are sourced in a sustainable manner. The re-written scheme will be a high level strategic statement and encompass those who receive funding from the WAG like local authorities and others.

But we have to have proper processes to move away from the traditional pattern of aggregates supply towards one with more environmentally sensitive areas for extraction.

MQR: This will require local planners with the right skills. How are you ensuring they have these skills.

Davidson: It is critical they do have the right skills. What looks to be happening in authorities without appropriate skills is that they create problems for themselves because they cannot explain the policy in full to local communities and since we have a plan led system it is important communities are engaged in what the plans mean.

I am a believer in sharing resources. We have a number of small authorities in Wales and our policy is for them to share expertise and best practice. It is a combination of WAG taking the lead and local authorities doing their part.

We can ensure that only plans that pass a certain test are signed off, and it is in everyone’s interest to get plans signed off. Therefore, more expertise devoted to a particular plan means it is more likely to go smoothly through its process. Our officials are working closely with authorities to advise and support on this issue.

MQR: The industry needs a good demand. How are you helping Welsh house-builders in order to improve demand?

Davidson: This is a really interesting issue. In a time like now the public pound is king and so we can demand more. Where traditionally we may have demanded more in volume now we are demanding more in terms of environmental concerns.

We have 28 sites where we are working with developers on creating homes based on sustainable development codes five or six. These are funded or match funded by the assembly so no shortage of applicants. By 2011 we want to be building zero carbon homes.

We have a government commitment to build 6,500 affordable homes during the lifetime of this Assembly Government to 2011. Around 2,300 homes were built in Wales last year. Before 2011 they won’t be zero carbon but level three on the sustainable buildings code.

This all requires aggregates and building products. But people are going to ask about the supplier’s carbon footprint, so operators need to be ready to answer.

MQR: Finally, are you supportive of expanding the coal industry in Wales?

Davidson: We are supportive of sustainable extraction. I have just gone out to consultation on a 500m buffer zone between communities and the coal. I want to safeguard coal for the future and it is important we do so.

But extracting coal is high carbon and there are targets for reduction. So carbon capture and storage are critical to the industry.

Yes, I envisage seeing new coal extraction points in the coming years. We see a future for coal in Wales. But we need to ensure it is done environmentally appropriately and that we have carbon capture to reduce emissions.

Sustainable development and climate change are the overarching imperatives of this Assembly Government. Our expectation is that everyone who engages with us can demonstrate they can respond to those challenges.