The Welsh Government’s Coal Tip Safety Bill was rubber stamped by the First Minister in Blaenavon on Thursday, after the legislation passed the Senedd in July.

The Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill aims to improve the management of old tips across the country and improve public safety, with over 2,500 of them recorded in Wales.

There are 360 category D and C tips in the country, which mean they have the potential to impact public safety.

“We’ve changed the law, and we are going even further by setting up a new organisation to carry on this important safety work for generations to come,” Eluned Morgan said at the Big Pit National Coal Museum.

“This investment brings economic growth and employment opportunities to some of the most deprived areas of Wales, bringing land back into use and encouraging investment in new technologies.”

The UK Government has promised £118 million over three years towards coal tip safety, meanwhile the Welsh Government will be contributing over £100 million itself.

As a result, they say the partnership between Labour in Westminster and Cardiff Bay has resulted in over £220 million being invested to tackle the problem across the board.

The bill officially becomes law following years of concerns about the conditions of disused coal tips, which paves the way for the formation of a dedicated body.

A new Disused Tips Authority for Wales would be responsible for assessing, registering, monitoring and managing the disused tips in the interests of public safety.

It isn’t expected to be operational until April 2027, but it will take over the work currently carried out by the Mining Remediation Authority at that point.

Until the new organisation is established, the current authority will continue the existing programme with local authorities and Natural Resources Wales.