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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what local measures and targets he is planning to introduce to reduce air pollution.

The Government works closely with local authorities who manage air pollution at the local level and there are local standards in place for a number of air pollutants, as set out in the Air Quality (England) Regulations 2000. We have recently awarded £11.6 million from Defra’s annual Air Quality Grant Scheme to 41 local authorities in England for local projects to tackle air pollution. The scheme will reopen for applications later this year, building on more than £38 million investment so far since 2010.

In addition, we have recently launched consultations on new guidance to local authorities, on designating National Highways as Relevant Public Authority for air quality, and on an ambitious set of new, legally-binding environmental targets, including two on PM2.5. When these consultations are concluded, we will be considering the role local authorities can play in meeting our new targets.