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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of findings of research presented in the 2019 Air Quality: Assessing progress towards WHO guideline levels of PM2.5 in the UK report and 2022 Pathway to Healthy Air in the UK Report report, that WHO air pollution targets are achievable by 2030; and whether the Department plans to take that modelling into account as part of its consultation on the review of the Local Air Quality Management Policy Guidance.

We are using an evidence-based approach to inform our proposed PM_2.5 targets. We recently launched the consultation for the targets under the Environment Act, seeking views from key stakeholders and individuals. These include two highly ambitious air quality targets, which will be further supported by stretching interim targets. With the introduction of these new PM_2.5 targets, we are considering the role local authorities could play in reducing PM_2.5.

We have also launched a consultation on revised Policy Guidance to local authorities under our Local Air Quality Management framework. This reflects changes that were made to the Local Air Quality Management framework through the Environment Act 2021, which enter into force on 1 May 2022.