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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions staff in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in the Irish Government on the effect of that Government's proposal on the burning of house coal in Ireland; and if he will make a statement

Defra officials have met with their counterparts in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in the Irish Government to discuss the house coal proposals outlined in the recent domestic burning consultation. Irish officials have shared data on the approach taken in Ireland as well as the health benefits achieved from their initial ban on the burning of smoky coal housecoal in Low Smoke Zones.