To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health on the link between toxic fumes and respiratory conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health on the link between toxic fumes and respiratory conditions.

I attended the first Transport Council under the Latvian Presidency (the Presidency) in Brussels on Friday 13 March.

The first item on the agenda was a policy debate on the Fourth Railway Package. The Presidency sought further guidance on the market pillar of the package in order to reach their...

I attended the first Transport Council under the Latvian Presidency (the Presidency) in Brussels on Friday 13 March.

The first item on the agenda was a policy debate on the Fourth Railway Package. The Presidency sought further guidance on the market pillar of the package in order to reach their...

My Right Honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Patrick McLoughlin), has made the following Ministerial Statement:

I attended the first Transport Council under the Latvian Presidency (the Presidency) in Brussels on Friday 13 March.

The first item on the agenda was a policy debate on the Fourth Railway...

My Right Honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Patrick McLoughlin), has made the following Ministerial Statement:

I attended the first Transport Council under the Latvian Presidency (the Presidency) in Brussels on Friday 13 March.

The first item on the agenda was a policy debate on the Fourth Railway...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assistance the Government provides for freight operators who want to adapt their operations to low emissions restrictions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assistance the Government provides for freight operators who want to adapt their operations to low emissions restrictions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many ultra low emission vehicles of what models have been registered under the Plug-in Car Grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many ultra low emission vehicles of what models have been registered under the Plug-in Car Grant.

My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Amber Rudd) and I attended EU Environment Council in Brussels on 17 December. Mark H Durkan, Minister of Environment in the Northern Irish Government and Richard Lochead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Food and Environment...

My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Amber Rudd) and I attended EU Environment Council in Brussels on 17 December. Mark H Durkan, Minister of Environment in the Northern Irish Government and Richard Lochead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Food and Environment...

My Hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Dan Rogerson) has today made the following statement.

My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Amber Rudd) and I attended EU Environment Council in Brussels on 17 December. Mark H Durkan, Minister of Environment...

My Hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Dan Rogerson) has today made the following statement.

My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Amber Rudd) and I attended EU Environment Council in Brussels on 17 December. Mark H Durkan, Minister of Environment...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of all scoping reports on air quality in respect of motorway improvement schemes produced in the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of all scoping reports on air quality in respect of motorway improvement schemes produced in the last three years.

My Lords, the plan to reduce emissions and pollution is set out in the Sustainable, Resilient, Healthy People & Places strategy. This encourages walking and cycling, which have direct health benefits, and reduces emissions of air pollutants and carbon dioxide. Key to reducing the health impacts of air pollution is reducing emissions at source. We are investing billions of pounds in measures to reduce air pollution, including incentivising low-emission vehicles and sustainable transport.

My Lords, the plan to reduce emissions and pollution is set out in the Sustainable, Resilient, Healthy People & Places strategy. This encourages walking and cycling, which have direct health benefits, and reduces emissions of air pollutants and carbon dioxide. Key to reducing the health impacts of air pollution is reducing emissions at source. We are investing billions of pounds in measures to reduce air pollution, including incentivising low-emission vehicles and sustainable transport.

I am grateful to the Minister for that Answer, but is he aware—I am sure he is—that, according to Clean Air in London, 55,000 premature deaths a year nationally are attributable to NOx and fine particulates? Already, monitors in Oxford Street and other parts of London have shown that NOx hourly limit values have been breached for the whole of 2015, which is not bad in six days. Why then is Defra consulting on proposals to remove the obligation for local authorities to monitor such pollution? In the absence of that evidence, are the Government trying to avoid blame for denying those 55,000 people their 10 extra years of life, which they could achieve if the policies were implemented?

I am grateful to the Minister for that Answer, but is he aware—I am sure he is—that, according to Clean Air in London, 55,000 premature deaths a year nationally are attributable to NOx and fine particulates? Already, monitors in Oxford Street and other parts of London have shown that NOx hourly limit values have been breached for the whole of 2015, which is not bad in six days. Why then is Defra consulting on proposals to remove the obligation for local authorities to monitor such pollution? In the absence of that evidence, are the Government trying to avoid blame for denying those 55,000 people their 10 extra years of life, which they could achieve if the policies were implemented?

It is helpful that the noble Lord has asked that question. It gives me the opportunity to clarify that nothing in the consultation could lead to the closure of monitoring stations. It is essentially about streamlining and simplifying the reporting system to reduce unnecessary burdens and speed up delivery of air quality action plan measures to tackle pollutants such as NO₂ and particulate materials. We are not proposing a reduction of monitoring by local authorities, but decisions on local air quality monitoring are for them, so ultimately it is up to them to decide what level of monitoring they wish to undertake.

It is helpful that the noble Lord has asked that question. It gives me the opportunity to clarify that nothing in the consultation could lead to the closure of monitoring stations. It is essentially about streamlining and simplifying the reporting system to reduce unnecessary burdens and speed up delivery of air quality action plan measures to tackle pollutants such as NO₂ and particulate materials. We are not proposing a reduction of monitoring by local authorities, but decisions on local air quality monitoring are for them, so ultimately it is up to them to decide what level of monitoring they wish to undertake.

Does my noble friend recall that until very recently people were encouraged to buy diesel cars because they produced less CO₂ and had very attractive rates of vehicle excise duty? What does my noble friend say to those people now?

Does my noble friend recall that until very recently people were encouraged to buy diesel cars because they produced less CO₂ and had very attractive rates of vehicle excise duty? What does my noble friend say to those people now?

My Lords, my noble friend makes an important point, of course. The point is that the EU procedures for testing diesel engines did not deliver the health outcomes that were sought. That is why the Commission is looking at this again.

My Lords, my noble friend makes an important point, of course. The point is that the EU procedures for testing diesel engines did not deliver the health outcomes that were sought. That is why the Commission is looking at this again.

My Lords, the Minister says that the proposal to reduce the reporting requirements of local authorities will not lead to a reduction in the number of reporting stations. But he will have seen analysis that suggests that 600 of them will be closed down because there will less of a requirement on local authorities to report the provisions. Why will the Government not look again at this?

My Lords, the Minister says that the proposal to reduce the reporting requirements of local authorities will not lead to a reduction in the number of reporting stations. But he will have seen analysis that suggests that 600 of them will be closed down because there will less of a requirement on local authorities to report the provisions. Why will the Government not look again at this?

My Lords, to go into a little more detail, the review is aiming, as I said, to reduce administrative burdens to free up local authorities’ time and resources so that they can focus on taking action to address air quality. The consultation was

split into two parts. Part 1 proposes the removal of the requirement in regulations for local authorities to report on specific pollutants that have been well within limits for many years. Indeed, monitoring of these will be maintained at national level.

My Lords, to go into a little more detail, the review is aiming, as I said, to reduce administrative burdens to free up local authorities’ time and resources so that they can focus on taking action to address air quality. The consultation was

split into two parts. Part 1 proposes the removal of the requirement in regulations for local authorities to report on specific pollutants that have been well within limits for many years. Indeed, monitoring of these will be maintained at national level.

My Lords, I wonder whether the Minister has considered the use of the petrol and diesel engines which drive the refrigeration units that pervade our high streets, airports and other congested places. Those refrigeration units use fuel but it is not passed through any sort of cleaning-up device to get out the particulates and the NOx. I believe it is a very fruitful field for examination by the Government.

My Lords, I wonder whether the Minister has considered the use of the petrol and diesel engines which drive the refrigeration units that pervade our high streets, airports and other congested places. Those refrigeration units use fuel but it is not passed through any sort of cleaning-up device to get out the particulates and the NOx. I believe it is a very fruitful field for examination by the Government.