The Government is taking significant and wide-ranging action to drive improvements to air quality, as set out in our Environmental Improvement Plan, including by providing over £883 million to help local authorities develop and implement local nitrogen dioxide reduction plans, and to support those impacted by these plans.

The Government has published guidance for private and social landlords on understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould, following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from a severe respiratory condition due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home, and is additionally investing £10 million into the Healthy Homes pilots, working with selected local authorities to test measures to improve enforcement on damp and mould in private rented sector housing, while boosting the capability and capacity of enforcement teams in the greatest areas of housing and health need. Further information on the guidance for private and social landlords is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers/understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-of-damp-and-mould-in-the-home--2

I had a meeting about the Thames tideway tunnel yesterday. That amazing project has already increased wildlife so extraordinarily at the end by the Lee tunnel that there are kingfishers, otters and all kinds of other creatures there. When the tunnel is finished, it will be the biggest single means of cleaning up the Thames that has ever been put in place. It is this Government, through a special tool of private-public funding, who are enabling that.

My Department has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on steps to reduce emissions in Wales.

Air quality is devolved and the responsibility of the Welsh Government. This UK Government has committed £20bn over the next two decades to reduce industrial emissions and drive up air quality across the UK.

Latest published figures show that air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010. However, we absolutely recognise that there is more to do to protect people and the environment from the effects of air pollution, which is why we are working across Government to take the range of action set out in the Clean Air Strategy.

On 16 March my Noble Friend Lord Kamall referenced in a debate on the Health and Care Bill that the next meeting of the Health Promotion Task Force would have a focus on air quality.

I recently held a round table meeting with Ministers and officials from other Government departments to discuss the range of cross-Government policies that affect air quality and its impact on public health, with a particular focus on targeting action where people are most likely to be exposed to poor air quality.

The Government recently launched a consultation on our two proposed targets for fine particulate matter (PM _2.5) - a pollutant of significant harm to health:

• A maximum annual mean concentration of 10 µg/m3 by 2040
• A population exposure reduction target of 35% by 2040 compared to 2018

This dual-target approach will tackle the highest concentrations and ensure continuous improvement across the country. The population exposure reduction target will drive action even where concentration targets have already been achieved. We plan to set out our pathways to delivering these targets through the Environmental Improvement Plan in January 2023.

The Government has allocated £880 million to tackle nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exceedances under the 2017 NO₂ Plan. We are also taking action across transport by supporting the switch to electric vehicles with £2.8 billion of investment, and £2 billion in funding for cycling and walking over this Parliament.

Latest published figures show that air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010. However, we absolutely recognise that there is more to do to protect people and the environment from the effects of air pollution, which is why we are working across Government to take the range of action set out in the Clean Air Strategy.

On 16 March my Noble Friend Lord Kamall referenced in a debate on the Health and Care Bill that the next meeting of the Health Promotion Task Force would have a focus on air quality.

I recently held a round table meeting with Ministers and officials from other Government departments to discuss the range of cross-Government policies that affect air quality and its impact on public health, with a particular focus on targeting action where people are most likely to be exposed to poor air quality.

The Government recently launched a consultation on our two proposed targets for fine particulate matter (PM _2.5) - a pollutant of significant harm to health:

• A maximum annual mean concentration of 10 µg/m3 by 2040
• A population exposure reduction target of 35% by 2040 compared to 2018

This dual-target approach will tackle the highest concentrations and ensure continuous improvement across the country. The population exposure reduction target will drive action even where concentration targets have already been achieved. We plan to set out our pathways to delivering these targets through the Environmental Improvement Plan in January 2023.

The Government has allocated £880 million to tackle nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exceedances under the 2017 NO₂ Plan. We are also taking action across transport by supporting the switch to electric vehicles with £2.8 billion of investment, and £2 billion in funding for cycling and walking over this Parliament.

The Restoration and Renewal Programme is committed to sustainability and to meeting its environmental obligations. Under the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal Act) 2019, the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body has a statutory duty to have regard to the need to protect the environment and to contribute to achieiving sustainable development in exercising its functions.

The Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority had been working on developing a detailed and costed plan for the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. This would have included an environmental assessment on both the construction phase and operations of the restored buildings, including considering the impact on air pollution and steps to mitigate road traffic pollution. The work on developing a detailed and costed plan is currently paused following the decisions made by the two House Commissions in February.

Despite the broader uncertainty about the future of the programme, the Delivery Authority is planning to conduct an Air Quality Survey to set a site-specific air quality baseline. This will allow site-specific assessments to be completed in the future. The Delivery Authority is also continuing to review opportunities to make use of the River Thames during construction to reduce environmental and traffic impacts on the surrounding area and road networks.

The Environment Act 2021 introduces a number of measures to improve local air quality management. In line with commitments in the Act, we are also currently reviewing the National Air Quality Strategy and will publish a revised Strategy in 2023. Through the Strategy we aim to strengthen our existing support and capability-building framework to ensure local authorities have the necessary tools to take local action and to clarify the powers and levers available to them. We are working across government on this Strategy, including with officials at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

I have regular meetings with Department for Transport (DfT) Parliamentary Under Secretary, Trudy Harrison, as part of our collective oversight of the Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU).

JAQU was established in 2016 as a joint Defra/ DfT unit to deliver compliance with roadside nitrogen dioxide concentration limit values via the UK NO₂ Plan.