Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Pollution: Covid-19

Thursday 17 September 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government is investing 218.4 million in public transport on a rolling basis since August 4.
  • Government pledged to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles with 2.5 billion.
  • Steps include making active travel and public transport the preferred choice for journeys.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Geraint Davies Lab
Environment
Context

Concern about the growth of congestion levels to 150% of pre-lockdown levels, contributing to air pollution which increases both COVID infection and death rates.

Question

What steps is he taking with Cabinet colleagues to prevent an increase in air pollution from transport and a potential related increase in levels of covid-19 mortality? And a Welsh flag, Mr Speaker! The Minister will know that congestion levels in outer London have now grown to 150% of what they were before the lockdown and that pollution causes both covid infection and death, so why is she not encouraging the Prime Minister to continue to get people to work from home and to encourage investment from the Chancellor in public transport, when instead we are told to travel to work by car and not to work from home?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

We are investing strongly in public transport. We will continue to support the bus sector. We have provided £218.4 million of funding on a rolling basis from 4 August. We have provided over £700 million-worth of funding for public transport throughout the pandemic.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Encouraging people to work from home

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Q2 Geraint Davies Lab
Climate Energy
Context

Government considering bringing forward the date for phasing out new internal combustion engine car sales due to pressure from Labour.

Question

How is the Minister actually going to get us there? All we have had from the Government lately is gimmicks like green number plates and the suggestion that they will paint electric vehicle parking spaces green. The charging infrastructure is woefully inadequate. Other than painting everything green, what is her actual strategy?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

This was a Conservative Government pledge in our latest manifesto. We are accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles with £2.5 billion of support. We already have one of the most extensive charging networks in Europe, and we are ramping it up all the time.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Cosmetic measures like green number plates and painting electric vehicle parking spaces green

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Q3 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Environment
Context

Concern about the growth of congestion levels to 150% of pre-lockdown levels, contributing to air pollution which increases both COVID infection and death rates.

Question

What steps is he taking with Cabinet colleagues to prevent an increase in air pollution from transport and a potential related increase in levels of covid-19 mortality? And a Welsh flag, Mr Speaker! The Minister will know that congestion levels in outer London have now grown to 150% of what they were before the lockdown and that pollution causes both covid infection and death, so why is she not encouraging the Prime Minister to continue to get people to work from home and to encourage investment from the Chancellor in public transport, when instead we are told to travel to work by car and not to work from home?

Answer from Rachel Maclean

We are making active travel and public transport the natural first choice for journeys. We are providing £2.5 billion of support to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Encouraging people to work from home

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How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)