Air Pollution: EU Law
(asked on 5th November 2015) - View Source
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 set out the costs and benefits to the UK of the EU Air Quality Framework Directive, and of the first, second, third and fourth daughter directives.
Defra commissioned consultants Ricardo AEA to evaluate the measures required to deliver the EU Air Quality Framework Directive and the First, Second and Third Daughter Directives. This analysis found that they would deliver significant benefits. The full report is available at:
http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/1403040925_exec-summary.pdf
The EU Air Quality Framework Directive (Directive 96/62/EC) was revoked by Article 31(1) of the Ambient Air Quality Directive, along with the First, Second and Third Daughter Directives (1999/30, 2000/69 and 2002/3). Today the Ambient Air Quality Directive and the Fourth Daughter Directive remain in force.
Our impact assessment of the Fourth Daughter Directive in 2009 indicated that the net benefit to society is £875 million. A summary of this is available at: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2010/01/25153504/10.
It is evident that the measures have not performed as well as expected, in particular the European emission standards (Euro standards) for NOx emissions from diesel vehicles. Rectifying this problem is a key part of ensuring compliance with EU air quality standards and improving air quality in our towns and cities. To address the resultant gap and bring the UK into compliance with EU limit values for NO2 we have developed revised draft air quality plans. We are currently consulting on these plans and will submit them to the European Commission by the end of the year. The impact assessment of our proposed measures estimates a net benefit to society of £1,455 million. The full report is available at: