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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding and resources the Government has made available to cities that have been mandated to establish a clean air zone; and how much such funding she plans to contribute towards health awareness campaigns on those zones.

In addition to committing £2bn to support greener transport initiatives since 2011, Defra has allocated funding to help five cities in England outside London implement Clean Air Zones and meet new burdens associated with implementing the zones.

On 6 October this year the Government launched its Air Quality Grant for 2016-17, which will be at least £3m - significantly larger than the last three years. This is in recognition of the urgent need to support action on air quality and deliver the Government’s commitment to comply with the legal air pollution standards in the shortest time possible.

Defra also works closely with the Department for Health, Public Health England, and their advisors the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants. Health awareness campaigns in the five cities outside London will be for the local authorities to decide on, based on their understanding of local needs.