Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect on levels of noise pollution of Environment Agency proposals to allow an increase in operating hours for gas peaking plants from 1,500 to 3,500 hours per year.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At this time, no decision has been made to amend guidance on operating hours for gas peaking plants.
The Environment Agency consider noise impacts in individual environmental permit applications and will consider noise assessments for gas peaking plants based upon the operating hours agreed within the permit.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether air quality targets for enclosed train stations will be included in proposals combined in the Environment Bill.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government considers air pollution on the railway to be an important issue. The Department for Transport is working closely with Network Rail and industry to improve air quality for railway users, workers, and neighbours.
The Environment Bill introduces measures to improve the natural environment, including outdoor air quality. The Bill establishes a duty to set a legally binding target on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in outdoor air as this is the most damaging pollutant to human health. An additional legally binding air quality target will also be set through the target framework. Setting ambitious air quality targets will drive comprehensive action across all parts of Government and society to reduce emissions and will deliver health benefits in all locations including stations.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will include proposals for air quality targets for train stations in the forthcoming environment Bill.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government considers air pollution on the railway to be an important issue. The Department for Transport is working closely with Network Rail and industry to improve air quality for railway users, workers, and neighbours.
The Environment Bill introduces measures to improve the natural environment, including outdoor air quality. The Bill establishes a duty to set a legally binding target on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in outdoor air as this is the most damaging pollutant to human health. An additional legally binding air quality target will also be set through the target framework. Setting ambitious air quality targets will drive comprehensive action across all parts of Government and society to reduce emissions and will deliver health benefits in all locations including stations.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood in England, if he will place in the Library copies of all the data and reports his Department is using to inform the consultation in respect of non-PM2.5 toxic pollutants released when burning (a) smokeless briquettes, (b) wet wood, (c) dried wood and (d) house coal on open domestic fires in England; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Shipley, Philp Davies, on 20 June 2019, PQ UIN 263780.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to which schemes and projects with the specific purpose of reducing children’s exposure to air pollution his Department has allocated funding to local authorities from the air quality grant in (a) 2018- 19, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2016-17 and (d) 2015-16; and how much such funding was allocated to each of those schemes and projects in each of those years.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Defra’s Air Quality Grant Programme provides funding to local authorities for projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions affecting schools, businesses and residents. Local authorities have a duty to monitor and assess air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where these breach statutory limits, and are best placed to determine local priorities.
Defra awarded a total of £2.4million to local authorities in England from the 2017/18 air quality grant fund; £3.7million was awarded in 2016/17, and £0.5million in 2015/6. £3million has been allocated for 2018/19.
Whilst all measures which reduce air pollution will reduce children’s exposure to these harmful pollutants, some projects have elements that are specifically targeted at children. For example:
In 2016-17, the London Borough of Islington were awarded £50,000 to run a local school focused awareness and engagement campaign through the air quality grant.
In 2017/18, Spelthorne Borough Council were given £145,188 to run an awareness campaign in schools across Surrey.
Details of further funding from the Air Quality Grant Programme, including funding specifically directed at children can be found on the Air Quality Grant Programme webpage here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/air-quality-grant-programme.
The Government has also put in place a £3.5billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions, which includes £495million for councils to improve air quality. We have consulted on our new world leading Clean Air Strategy, which includes new and ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies which will help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to include a commitment to reach World Health Organization limits on particulate matter in its new clean air strategy.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The evidence of health impacts from particulate matter (PM) is particularly strong and the Government is already taking action to reduce emissions of harmful PM. The UK has signed up to ambitious new targets to reduce emissions of PM2.5 as well as four other damaging pollutants (ammonia, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds and sulphur dioxide) by 2020 and 2030. The Government is aiming to cut early deaths from air pollution by half. The Statutory Instrument committing these targets to law was laid on 1 February.
We will publish a Clean Air Strategy, which will set out plans to meet these targets, for consultation in 2018. We are currently calling for evidence on domestic solid fuel use, one of the largest emissions sources of PM. Householders and businesses are being asked for their views on proposals to cut harmful emissions caused by domestic fuel burning.
Defra works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England to develop a strong evidence base on the health impacts of air pollution and to provide health advice during episodes of elevated air pollution. We are carefully considering public health measures.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to include a target on decreasing premature deaths from air pollution in its new clean air strategy.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The evidence of health impacts from particulate matter (PM) is particularly strong and the Government is already taking action to reduce emissions of harmful PM. The UK has signed up to ambitious new targets to reduce emissions of PM2.5 as well as four other damaging pollutants (ammonia, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds and sulphur dioxide) by 2020 and 2030. The Government is aiming to cut early deaths from air pollution by half. The Statutory Instrument committing these targets to law was laid on 1 February.
We will publish a Clean Air Strategy, which will set out plans to meet these targets, for consultation in 2018. We are currently calling for evidence on domestic solid fuel use, one of the largest emissions sources of PM. Householders and businesses are being asked for their views on proposals to cut harmful emissions caused by domestic fuel burning.
Defra works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England to develop a strong evidence base on the health impacts of air pollution and to provide health advice during episodes of elevated air pollution. We are carefully considering public health measures.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for diesel vehicles owned by people on low incomes.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
On 22 November 2017, the Government launched a consultation on additional measures to support individuals and businesses affected by local nitrogen dioxide plans. Options considered include retrofitting vehicles, support for car clubs, vehicle scrappage and improved public transport offers. The consultation closed on 5 January 2018 and the Government will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to introduce a public health campaign on air pollution.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
We are committed to making sure the best independent evidence and information on air pollution is available to the public.
Defra publishes extensive air quality information on its UK-AIR website: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk. Publicly available information on this website includes daily air pollution forecasts and hourly monitoring data. Health advice is provided when pollutant levels are elevated.
During episodes of elevated air pollution Defra works closely with Public Health England and a network of health charities to ensure that key health messages are communicated to people who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, in addition to communicating through our normal digital channels.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to ensure that the air pollution alert system provides effective warnings to (a) children, (b) medical patients and (c) schools.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
We are committed to making sure the best independent evidence and information on air pollution is available to the public.
Defra publishes extensive air quality information on its UK-AIR website: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk. Publicly available information on this website includes daily air pollution forecasts and hourly monitoring data. Health advice is provided when pollutant levels are elevated.
During episodes of elevated air pollution Defra works closely with Public Health England and a network of health charities to ensure that key health messages are communicated to people who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, in addition to communicating through our normal digital channels.