Tim Farron

Predicting when locations will comply with the annual mean limit value for nitrogen dioxide is inherently uncertain. Our current estimates reflect the impact of agreed local Clean Air Plans and are based on 2023 data from Defra’s national monitoring networks and national modelling, as well as local authority-owned air quality monitoring and modelling. 2023 is the most recent year of fully ratified monitoring data available. As additional years of data become available or where additional measures are agreed some of these predictions are likely to change. Current estimates for when the following reporting zones will become compliant are:

The most recent national compliance assessment for 2023 did not report any road links within 10 miles of Heathrow Airport to be in exceedance of the annual mean limit value for nitrogen dioxide.

Local monitoring as part of the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process shows a small number of measurements in 2023 above 40µg/m³ at sites within a 10-mile radius of Heathrow Airport. There were single measurement sites above 40µg/m³ in the London Boroughs of Brent (A404), Wandsworth (A3), Richmond (A205), Merton (A219) and Kensington & Chelsea (A3220), and three measurement sites in Ealing (A4020, A40 and A406). National Highways’ assessments also indicated concentrations above 40µg/m³ at four road links on the Strategic Road Network (SRN). These are in the London Boroughs of Hounslow (two road links on the M4), Hillingdon (M4), and Spelthorne (A316). Air quality assessments under LAQM are assessed differently to the national assessment as they are focused on targeting local pollution hotspots which may occur in locations that don’t meet the data quality requirements for the national assessment.

The most recent national compliance assessment for 2023 did not report any road links within 10 miles of Gatwick Airport to be in exceedance of the annual mean limit value for nitrogen dioxide. There were also no exceedances reported through the Local Air Quality Management process in 2023.

There have been no discussions with the Office for Environmental Protection on this topic.

The farming blog published on Wednesday 12^th March set out Defra’s spend for 24/25 and 25/26 split across the Farming and Countryside Programme schemes.

Defra manages the farming budget flexibly to respond to demand, and achieve our intended outcomes for farm productivity, environment, climate and animal health and welfare.

In line with its obligations under the Agriculture Act 2020, Defra regularly publishes an annual report, setting out commitments in the previous financial year.

The revised Environmental Improvement Plan is due to include further details on fine particulate matter targets set under the Environment Act 2021.

The government has worked closely with industry, including the brewing and hospitality sectors, throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). This is a major reform that will be iterated over several years to incentivise packaging producers to reduce their material footprint and use more sustainable packaging.

Since Autumn 2024, the Government has been working with stakeholders, including representatives of the brewing and hospitality sector, to consider potential amendments to the definition of household packaging. Despite considering multiple approaches, a consensus on a single approach that works for all sectors and within the bounds of legal and regulatory requirements, was not reached. We are continuing to engage with sectors on a way forward and on assessing the tonnages of packaging any amendment might affect in the hospitality sector and in other sectors. We are planning next steps as a priority and will share more information soon.

The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme (FVAS) runs from 01 January – 31 December. In relation to the 2023 scheme year, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received 32 successful applications by recognised Producer Organisations (POs). There were no unsuccessful applications during the same period.

The scheme was first introduced in 1996 and the number of UK-recognised Producer Organisations (POs) has varied overtime, but now there are 32 F&V POs across the UK. Each recognized PO will submit an application for an operational programme (OP) or amendment to that OP each year.

The farming blog published on Wednesday 12 March set out Defra’s spend for 24/25 and 25/26 split across the Farming and Countryside Programme schemes.

Defra manages the farming budget flexibly to respond to demand, and achieve our intended outcomes for farm productivity, environment, climate and animal health and welfare.

In line with its obligations under the Agriculture Act 2020, Defra regularly publishes an annual report, setting out commitments in the previous financial year.

Our Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs), funded by a farming budget of £5 billion over two years, are paying farmers to take up land management practices that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Government has also spent £51.8 million through the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP), with a further £98 million committed to ongoing projects in support of Agri-technology research and innovation. FIP competitions for 2025/26 will include up to £12.5 million for the Net Zero Farming thematic competition.

Since 2021, Defra’s Farming Investment Fund awarded more than 11,000 grants worth over £130 million to farmers, growers and foresters to invest in technology, equipment and infrastructure, much of which supports low carbon farming practices. Of this, £107 million was through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF). The next window of FETF will launch in Spring 2025.

The extent of emissions reductions required by Defra sectors in order to deliver the Government’s overall Carbon Budgets is determined by a cross-Government decision making process led by DESNZ. Underpinning this is the UKTM (UK Times Model).

This takes assumptions on the ‘baseline’ trajectory for emissions informed by the annual Emissions and Energy Projections and seeks to determine what interventions can achieve the lowest cost pathway to achieving Net Zero, accounting for the Government’s energy and growth plans.

The Carbon Budget Delivery Plan provides the specific estimates on the extent of emissions reductions required in Defra sectors.

Under the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 where levels of pollutants are below the set limit values, they must continue to be maintained. We have also set a Population Exposure Reduction Target for PM2.5, which will continue to reduce peoples’ average exposure across the country.

The Government is committed to working with local authorities and stakeholders to continue reducing air pollution and its harmful effects.

Under the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010), there is a requirement to meet annual mean limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) of 40μg/m³. This is an ongoing requirement and does not expire once the limit value has been met in a single reporting year.

As an independent public body set up to hold public authorities to account, the OEP does not routinely share information regarding specific complaints with Defra unless those complaints relate directly to Defra and are considered eligible by the OEP. To date, the OEP has notified us of one complaint in relation to this topic. The OEP publishes a quarterly complaints report on their website providing an overview of the complaints received and ongoing enforcement activity. They also publish information relating to individual casework where investigations have been launched and resolutions achieved.

The key legislation that details how and where air pollutant concentration standards apply in England are the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 and the Environment Act Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) Targets (England) 2023. Requirements for local air quality management are set out in the Environment Act 1995 requiring local authorities to review and assess air quality concentrations in their areas.

The key legislation that details how and where air pollutant concentration standards apply in England are the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 and the Environment Act Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) Targets (England) 2023. Requirements for local air quality management are set out in the Environment Act 1995 requiring local authorities to review and assess air quality concentrations in their areas.

Trends on air pollutant concentrations can be found in Defra’s annual compliance reporting here.

The limit values set in the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010) to control concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) in ambient air apply across the UK. Compliance with the limit values is assessed through a combination of monitored and modelled data, with non-compliance being determined if any one location breaches the limit value.

Limit values, national objectives and long-term targets complement each other and are all recognised as necessary in delivering cleaner air.

The Air Quality Information System (AQIS) review outputs were published on the 6 March 2025. This comprehensive expert-led review has recommended changes to how the risks of air pollution are communicated to the public and Government has already started work to make air quality part of everyday conversations.

Defra did not receive any media queries about AQIS on 5 March or in the seven days leading up to that date. A notice was released on gov.uk: Better alerts to make air quality part of everyday conversation - GOV.UK.

Poor air quality continues to be the biggest environmental risk to human health. Whilst responsibility for air quality and transport is devolved in London, we welcome the progress made there to address air pollution and improve people’s health. Local and devolved authorities are best placed to determine the most effective route to improving air quality in their cities. We are committed to working with them to improve the air we breathe.

Pollution notifications were issued on Defra’s UK-Air website, via the Defra UK-Air X feed and through email alerts that individuals and organisations can subscribe to. The daily air quality forecast provided by the Met office also provided information on the expected air pollution levels for that day.

As part of the Air Quality Information System review an evaluation of the Daily Air Quality Index (DAQI), including the provision of the forecast, was carried out. This evaluation found that the forecast was accurate and provided precise representation of real-world air quality conditions at a UK regional level. Some areas for improvement were identified and Defra are discussing with the Met Office how to take these forward.

Defra uses a combination of national-scale modelling and on the ground monitoring to assess nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations in England each year. Evidence shows that NO₂ concentrations have reduced substantially in recent years, however a reporting zone is still considered to be exceeding the NO₂ limit value if a single location remains above the limit value. The cities, agglomeration and non-agglomeration zones exceeding the NO₂ limit value in 2023, and the predictions of when they will become compliant with the limit value, are based on data from Defra’s national modelling and monitoring networks, and additional local monitoring data gathered by cities and towns in England and held by the Joint Air Quality Unit.

13 cities in England exceeded the annual mean limit value for NO₂ in 2023. These were:

15 out of 31 reporting zones in England were non-compliant with the annual mean NO₂ limit value in 2023. This included 2 of the 8 non-agglomeration zones (South East and Eastern) and 13 of the 23 agglomeration zones. The 13 non-compliant agglomeration zones were:

Predicting when locations that are currently exceeding will comply with the limit value is inherently uncertain. We don’t hold up-to-date detailed modelled projections to predict the impact of all current policies on future NO₂ concentrations, however current indicative estimates suggest the majority of locations will become compliant with the limit value within the next four years. By 2029, we estimate all zones will be compliant except Bristol Urban Area, Sheffield Urban Area, The Potteries, West Midlands Urban Area and Tyneside. These correspond to Bristol, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham, all of which we estimate will become compliant by 2032, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. We expect Newcastle-upon-Tyne will be the last city to become compliant due to a localised hotspot. There is considerable uncertainty in current estimates for when this location will become compliant, but we estimate this will be by 2045, at the latest. As the road traffic fleet continues to transition to zero emission vehicles this date is likely to come forward.

Defra uses a combination of national-scale modelling and on the ground monitoring to assess nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations in England each year. Evidence shows that NO₂ concentrations have reduced substantially in recent years, however a reporting zone is still considered to be exceeding the NO₂ limit value if a single location remains above the limit value. The cities, agglomeration and non-agglomeration zones exceeding the NO₂ limit value in 2023, and the predictions of when they will become compliant with the limit value, are based on data from Defra’s national modelling and monitoring networks, and additional local monitoring data gathered by cities and towns in England and held by the Joint Air Quality Unit.

13 cities in England exceeded the annual mean limit value for NO₂ in 2023. These were:

15 out of 31 reporting zones in England were non-compliant with the annual mean NO₂ limit value in 2023. This included 2 of the 8 non-agglomeration zones (South East and Eastern) and 13 of the 23 agglomeration zones. The 13 non-compliant agglomeration zones were:

Predicting when locations that are currently exceeding will comply with the limit value is inherently uncertain. We don’t hold up-to-date detailed modelled projections to predict the impact of all current policies on future NO₂ concentrations, however current indicative estimates suggest the majority of locations will become compliant with the limit value within the next four years. By 2029, we estimate all zones will be compliant except Bristol Urban Area, Sheffield Urban Area, The Potteries, West Midlands Urban Area and Tyneside. These correspond to Bristol, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham, all of which we estimate will become compliant by 2032, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. We expect Newcastle-upon-Tyne will be the last city to become compliant due to a localised hotspot. There is considerable uncertainty in current estimates for when this location will become compliant, but we estimate this will be by 2045, at the latest. As the road traffic fleet continues to transition to zero emission vehicles this date is likely to come forward.