The UK continues to meet all current international air quality limits except for NO2. In July 2017 we published the NO2 Plan, backed by £3.5 billion funding, which sets out the steps we are taking to comply with NO2 limits as soon as possible. Also, we published our ambitious Clean Air Strategy in January which the Director-General of the World Health Organization described as \u201can example for the rest of the world to follow\u201d.<\/p>
<\/p>
Recognising that there are still local authorities which are in breach of statutory limits on roadside NO2 concentrations, the UK government allocated £495 million of funding to support local authorities in its 2017 plan. Local authorities already have many powers to monitor and reduce air pollution and we continue to work intensively with them, to identify measures to bring forward compliance as soon as possible.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-04T15:42:02.747Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Air Pollution"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to ClientEarth's correspondence with local authorities in England and Wales on the the legal risk of inaction on air pollution, whether local authorities are sufficiently equipped to address illegal air pollution levels.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1436", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Farrelly"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle-under-Lyme"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Farrelly"} ], "uin" : "239189"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1090979", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1090979/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This question concerns both energy and air quality. Defra is the Government Department with policy responsibility for air quality and energy policy is within the remit of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are working across Government to ensure future electricity, heat and industrial policies will together improve air quality and tackle climate change. Phasing out coal-fired power stations, improving energy efficiency, and shifting to cleaner power sources will reduce emissions of air pollution, as well as carbon.<\/p>
<\/p>
As we phase out oil and coal heating, we will ensure this transition improves air quality wherever possible and cost-effective to do so.<\/p>
<\/p>
Although Defra is unable to comment on hydrogen specifically, as part of our cross-departmental review into the role of biomass for heat and power, we have established a framework of principles and processes to ensure air quality is considered at the outset of policy development and appropriate tools and evidence are used to assess the impact on public health.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-21T10:16:44.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Air Pollution"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using large-scale hydrogen conversion projects to deliver improvements in air quality.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4449", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Turley"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anna Turley"} ], "uin" : "233602"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1091050", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1091050/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Defra\u2019s national network of air quality monitors currently comprises 272 sites across the UK and is managed by the Environment Agency. Sites are organised into networks that gather information for a wide range of pollutants in towns, cities as well as in rural areas. Some monitoring sites are focused on measuring specific sources \u2013 e.g. road traffic or industry whilst others are focused on background concentrations.<\/p>
<\/p>
All monitoring data is made available on our UK-AIR website. Data from the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) is reported in near-real-time and is updated every hour. The website URL is: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> In addition, National Statistics are produced annually which analyse trends and levels of air pollution for the UK AURN. The website URL is: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-quality-statistics<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> On the AURN there are 5 sites within Hampshire (including Southampton and Portsmouth) and 2 sites in Portsmouth. The annual statistics tool on UK-AIR can be used to determine annual mean concentrations of the measured air pollutants.<\/p> <\/p> In addition, local authorities submit their monitoring data and local actions to Defra in their Annual Status Reports. This is a requirement under the Local Air Quality Management process, underpinned by the Environment Act 1995.<\/p> <\/p> Annual mean concentrations of air pollutants in 2003 and 2018 from the Portsmouth sites on the AURN are shown in the table below:<\/p> <\/p>
AURN Site<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Pollutant<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Annual Mean Concentration (µg/m3<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Portsmouth<\/p><\/td> Nitrogen dioxide<\/p><\/td> 2003<\/p><\/td> 26<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Portsmouth<\/p><\/td> Nitrogen dioxide<\/p><\/td> 2018<\/p><\/td> 19<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Portsmouth<\/p><\/td> PM10<\/sub><\/p><\/td> 2003<\/p><\/td> 24<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Portsmouth Anglesea Road<\/p><\/td> Nitrogen dioxide<\/p><\/td> 2018<\/p><\/td> 31<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Portsmouth Anglesea Road<\/p><\/td> PM10<\/sub><\/p><\/td> 2018<\/p><\/td> 19<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "233630"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-21T15:14:52.803Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Air Pollution"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the average reading for an air quality sample in (a) the UK, (b) Hampshire and (c) Portsmouth.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"}
], "uin" : "233628"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1088582", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1088582/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK remains a signatory to the 1979 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and will continue to be at the forefront of international action and cooperation to tackle transboundary air pollution alongside the EU.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Air quality targets agreed at an EU level have already been given effect in domestic law to ensure that they continue to have effect in the UK. This includes a continued commitment to the Best Available Technique approach to regulating industrial emissions.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-26T17:02:09.753Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Air Pollution"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure agreements with EU countries to work on reducing levels of air pollution after Brexit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1796", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Taylor of Warwick"}
], "uin" : "HL14542"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1087133", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1087133/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " |