Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on its approach to tackling toxic air.

I have regular discussions with Welsh Ministers on a wide range of subjects pertaining to the environment, like air quality.

Air quality is a largely devolved policy area. The UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive have provisionally agreed a UK-wide ‘Air Quality Common Framework’. This framework outlines how the four administrations will effectively work together to improve air quality, in line with our current and future obligations, following the UK’s exit from the EU. The framework sets out governance arrangements including mechanisms for joint decision-making, dispute resolution and strategic direction. The ‘common framework working group’, meets regularly in line with the commitment for all four administrations to engage with each other at the earliest opportunity on any development in AQ policy, including the Welsh Government’s Clean Air Plan.

The UK-wide National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) sets out the proposed measures and technical analysis, which demonstrate how the legally binding 2020 and 2030 emission reduction commitments for five damaging pollutants can be met across the UK. The UK government and the devolved administrations work collaboratively and consult at UK level on actions needed to improve air quality under the NAPCP.