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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of current progress against the air quality target of 40 microgrammes of NO2 per cubic metre; and whether the Government expects to meet that target.

We have improved air quality significantly over recent decades and the UK currently meets the EU limit values for almost all pollutants. We have consulted on our draft revised air quality plans for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), which set out a range of local, national and international actions to lower levels of harmful emissions and are currently analysing all of the responses received. By the end of the year we will submit the finalised plans to the European Commission outlining how the UK will meet the EU limit values for NO₂ including those of 40 micrograms of NO₂ per cubic metre in the shortest possible time.