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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the government plans to take to (a) tackle air pollution and (b) find innovative solutions to provide clean air.

Latest published figures show that air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010, with emissions of nitrogen oxides down by 44%, sulphur dioxide down 70% and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) down 18%. However, HM Government absolutely recognises that there is more to do to drive down air pollution and its damaging effects on people's health, the environment, and the economy.

The Clean Air Strategy 2019 sets out HM Government's plans to tackle emissions across all sectors. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have also consulted on two new targets for fine particulate matter (PM _2.5) - the pollutant most harmful to human health. This includes an innovative population exposure reduction target which, if achieved, will would on average cut people's exposure to PM _2.5 by over a third by 2040, compared to 2018 levels.

We are driving innovative solutions to tackling improve air quality across a range of sectors:

· We fund local authorities to use innovative solutions to tackle air quality problems in their local areas through our Air Quality Grant scheme. We have more than doubled the funding paid to local authorities through the 21/22 grant scheme to £11.6 million, and we are now assessing bids for the 22/23 round of funding. Since 2010 more than £42 million has been awarded through the scheme, across almost 500 projects.

· In August this year we published our response to our consultation on the UK 'best available techniques' regime, through which we will regulate emissions from larger industry. Our collaborative approach will support business investment, the adoption of new and innovative technologies, and management practices to reduce emissions of air pollutants.

· The Farming Transformation Fund provides investment for innovative farming equipment that increases productivity and improves the environment. It offers grants between £25,000 and £500,000.

· As climate change and air pollution have many of the same contributing emission sources, delivering net zero will likely significantly benefit air quality. HM Government is supporting a range of innovative clean technologies, many of which are being pioneered by businesses based in all corners of the UK.

· We have invested over £2 million in evidence projects to look at the performance of low-cost sensor technologies, including practical trials. This work lays foundations to enable the dependable use of low-cost sensor systems in measuring air pollutant concentrations at finer geographical scales, providing better local forecasts and therefore better information on air quality.

As part of the 2017 NO2 plan, we have also made £883 million available to affected local authorities to deliver cleaner transport and improve air quality.