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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to improve air quality in the UK.

Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010. Emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 33% and are at their lowest level since records began. Defra Ministers regularly hold discussions with Ministers and officials across Government, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Significant funding has been made available to address air pollution. In particular, we have put in place a £3.8 billion plan to improve air quality and deliver cleaner transport. This includes:

• £1.5 billion in funding to support charge point infrastructure and grants to support uptake of ultra-low emissions vehicles, which has now risen to £2.8 billion following subsequent funding announcements;
• £1.2 billion for the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to increase cycling and walking and make our roads safer for vulnerable users;
• £880 million to help local authorities develop and implement local air quality plans and to support those impacted by these plans.

We have also provided over £16 million since 2016 directly to local authorities through our LA grants programme to fund innovative projects that tackle localised air pollution more generally.