Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans to introduce legislative proposals to reduce the level of PM2.5 particles in the air.

The Clean Air Strategy (CAS), published in January 2019, set out the comprehensive action required across all parts of Government to improve air quality, and reduce public exposure to particulate matter pollution.

In line with the CAS, Defra consulted on the cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood between August–October 2018. The proposals in this consultation included:

• Restrictions on the sale of wet wood for domestic burning

• Phasing out the sale of traditional house coal

• Applying sulphur standards and smoke emission limits to all manufactured solid fuels

We expect to publish the response to this consultation in the near future.

The Environment Bill, which was re-introduced to Parliament on 30 January, also establishes a legally binding duty to set a target for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), demonstrating our commitment to take further action on the air pollutant that has the most significant impact on human health. The Bill contains measures to reduce emissions from domestic solid fuel burning by creating a simpler mechanism for local authorities seeking to reduce smoke emissions within their areas.