§ Ms LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales over issues directly related to disposal or storage of nuclear waste in Wales when that waste does not originate in Wales. [85662]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesFrom 1 July, the National Assembly will assume a range of functions under both planning and environmental legislation. This will include power to call in applications for planning consent or for environmental authorisations, and the determination of appeals against decisions made by local authorities or the Environment Agency. The Assembly will also be responsible for guidance to local planning authorities and the Environment Agency, and will have power to issue directions to either. The Environment Agency will be under a statutory duty to consult the National Assembly before granting any authorisation to dispose of radioactive waste on or from a nuclear site in Wales. The Assembly's exercise of these functions will relate to waste disposal in Wales, whether or not the waste originates in Wales.
The extent to which these responsibilities are delegated to the First Secretary is a matter for the National Assembly.