Air Quality

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 12 Jun 2020 Closed: 24 Nov 2021 Parliament page
Air pollution has been classified as the largest environmental risk to UK public health. In 2016, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Physicians estimated about 40,000 people in the UK die every year due to outdoor air pollution, with disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected. … Read more
11 Recommendations
9 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
4 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
24 Apr
2021
Report published
11 Feb
2021
Report published
16 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
16 Nov
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
3 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
3 Nov
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
29 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
29 Sep
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
8 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
8 Sep
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
16 Nov 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Andrew Jackson · Joint Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Department for Transport Air Quality Unit Dr Bill Parish · Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Rachel Maclean MP · Department for Transport Rebecca Pow MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
3 Nov 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Marvin Rees · Bristol City Council Matthew Holmes · Derby City Council
29 Sep 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Jemima Hartshorn · Mums for Lungs Kate Langford · Guy's and St Thomas' Charity Parveen Kumar · British Medical Association (BMA) Paul Swinney · Centre for Cities Subrah Krishnan-Harihara · Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
8 Sep 2020
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Professor Alastair Lewis · University of York Professor Anna Hansell · University of Leicester Professor Eloise Scotford · University College London Professor Sir Michael Marmot · University College London (UCL)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth report - Air Quality and coronavirus: a glimpse of a diffe… HC 468 11 Feb 2021 20 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
20 results
1 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Before the pandemic, the UK had made limited progress in improving air quality, with less...
Before the pandemic, the UK had made limited progress in improving air quality, with less than a quarter of air quality assessment areas meeting the annual mean limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Lockdown restrictions from March 2020 led to less … Read more
Government Response
The UK has existing legally binding air quality limits, set out in UK legislation (Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010, National Emission Ceilings Regulations 2018). The Environment Bill additionally places a … Read more
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2 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
The noticeable improvement many people had in their experience of air quality and their wellbeing...
The noticeable improvement many people had in their experience of air quality and their wellbeing following the initial lockdown illustrates the benefits of action to tackle air quality for all of us. The tragic death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, and thousands … Read more
Government Response
Our Clean Air Strategy outlines a comprehensive and ambitious programme of actions across all sectors of the economy, including proposals for new goals, legislation, investment and policies which will help … Read more
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3 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Many of the areas with the highest levels of social deprivation are also the most...
Many of the areas with the highest levels of social deprivation are also the most exposed to air pollution and this link is also more pronounced for people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Further research is urgently needed to fully understand … Read more
Government Response
quality targets required through the Environment Bill. There is a strong case for taking action on PM2.5 as it is the air pollutant that has the most significant impact on … Read more
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4 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
The Environment Bill should be amended to include a health inequalities target, to reduce the...
The Environment Bill should be amended to include a health inequalities target, to reduce the number of deaths associated with air pollution; and to require the Secretary of State to take account of human health considerations when setting or reviewing … Read more
Government Response
Reducing public health impacts is a primary focus of the process for developing new air quality targets required through the Environment Bill. There is a strong case for taking action … Read more
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5 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
The Committee recommends that the Office for Environmental Protection is given the necessary powers to...
The Committee recommends that the Office for Environmental Protection is given the necessary powers to enforce these limits.
Government Response
Reducing public health impacts is a primary focus of the process for developing new air quality targets required through the Environment Bill. There is a strong case for taking action … Read more
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6 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
The Clean Air Strategy is a step in the right direction but relies too much...
The Clean Air Strategy is a step in the right direction but relies too much on local authorities, delegating most responsibility for delivering air quality improvements to them without providing sufficient competencies and resources to deliver. It also lacks the … Read more
Government Response
The UK has ambitious, legally binding targets in place to significantly reduce emissions of the five most damaging air pollutants (Nitrogen Oxides, Sulphur dioxide, Ammonia (NH3), Primary particulate matter (PM2.5), … Read more
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7 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Alongside the PM2.5 target, the Secretary of State should use his discretionary powers in the...
Alongside the PM2.5 target, the Secretary of State should use his discretionary powers in the Bill to set additional long-term air quality targets to reduce NO2, PM10, SO2, NMVOCs and ammonia. The Government should also commit to a long-term funding … Read more
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8 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
As part of the Clean Air Strategy the Government should include a timeline on when...
As part of the Clean Air Strategy the Government should include a timeline on when the reduction in limits of other pollutants is to be delivered. (Paragraph 58) National and local action
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9 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
We recognise the commitment of the ministers in Defra and DfT, and their officials, to...
We recognise the commitment of the ministers in Defra and DfT, and their officials, to tackling poor air quality. However, it is not clear that this is matched elsewhere in Government, nor is the urgency of the issue being communicated … Read more
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10 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Government and the public sector at all levels must lead by example on air quality...
Government and the public sector at all levels must lead by example on air quality if they are asking businesses and individuals to make changes. There are numerous examples of that already happening in the NHS, local government and other … Read more
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11 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Clean Air Zones (CAZs) are the UK Government’s key mechanism for reducing NO2 from road...
Clean Air Zones (CAZs) are the UK Government’s key mechanism for reducing NO2 from road transport to legal levels “in the shortest possible time”, but they illustrate the Government’s over-reliance on local government to deliver progress. CAZs were already being … Read more
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12 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
The Government’s framework should ensure that all CAZs are class D (i.e.
The Government’s framework should ensure that all CAZs are class D (i.e. charging zones), and include time-limited exemptions for people with reduced mobility to help them adapt. (Paragraph 88) Air Quality and coronavirus: a glimpse of a different future or … Read more
Government Response
are useful, providing them with regular updates on ongoing research in their Local Plan areas. Our recent publication of the first annual report of the JAQU evaluation of local NO2 … Read more
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13 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
We recognise that CAZs do not address the root causes of air pollution, nor the...
We recognise that CAZs do not address the root causes of air pollution, nor the wider issues beyond their boundaries, and that local leaders sometimes have to strike a difficult balance so as to not “lose the dressing room”. However, … Read more
Government Response
The Clean Air Strategy sets out how the Government will drive and enable greater local action on air pollution. We are currently conducting a major review of the Local Air … Read more
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14 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
We welcome the Government’s commitment to a green recovery, including bringing forward the ban on...
We welcome the Government’s commitment to a green recovery, including bringing forward the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars. This must include a strong focus on improving air quality, especially given the risk that changes in local … Read more
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15 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
There are also opportunities to enable businesses to invest to reduce their contribution to air...
There are also opportunities to enable businesses to invest to reduce their contribution to air pollution; but risks this won’t happen given the financial difficulties many face. This should be in addition to the “Best Available Techniques” process which covers … Read more
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16 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Although reducing the use of public transport has been necessary during the pandemic, action is...
Although reducing the use of public transport has been necessary during the pandemic, action is needed to prevent a permanent shift in public attitudes towards it. As restrictions are lifted, the Government should work with local authorities and providers to … Read more
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17 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
During the first lockdown in spring 2020, active travel increased significantly, facilitated in part by...
During the first lockdown in spring 2020, active travel increased significantly, facilitated in part by timely Government action. It is important that this progress is not lost, and the Government must match its rhetoric on a longer-term shift to active … Read more
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18 Conclusion
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
There remains a mixed picture on implementation across the country however, reflecting both local needs...
There remains a mixed picture on implementation across the country however, reflecting both local needs but also in some place the willingness of local leaders to make the case for changes which take time to bed-in. We recognise the difficult … Read more
Government Response
The Active Travel Fund has encouraged local authorities to look at how people can use their streets in other ways to than being simply vessels for cars. Local authorities have … Read more
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19 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
Active travel schemes, and other local efforts to tackle air pollution, must benefit the communities...
Active travel schemes, and other local efforts to tackle air pollution, must benefit the communities most affected by air pollution, and focus on changing the behaviour of those who contribute most to the problem. They must also avoid undermining public … Read more
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20 Recommendation
Fifth report - Air Quality and cor…
The pandemic has caused substantial shifts in how people travel.
The pandemic has caused substantial shifts in how people travel. This has had a positive effect on some measures of air quality; but it is likely to be temporary, and positive moves such as more working from home and active … Read more
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