Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Air Quality

Thursday 30 March 2023 · 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 have taken steps to improve air quality through the Environment Act 2021, targeting PM2.5 levels.
  • Government will not lower their air quality target to align with the World Health Organisation's recent guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre.
  • Minister met with the chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, and stated that the forthcoming update of the clean air strategy addresses many of the recommendations made.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jane Hunt
Environment
Context

The question pertains to steps being taken by the government to improve air quality, particularly focusing on issues like incinerators and pollution targets.

Question

What steps she is taking to improve air quality. I am really referring to incinerators in my particular instance. The Government have taken steps to improve air quality through the Environment Act 2021, one of the targets being an annual mean concentration for PM2.5 levels of 10 micrograms per cubic metre or below by 2040. When determining these targets, the Government considered the World Health Organisation's own target, which was 10 micrograms per cubic metre. However, it has recently lowered that to 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Will the Government consider lowering their target so that it is in line with the WHO?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

The simple answer is no. Clearly we look at all the World Health Organisation guidelines, but they are only there to inform the setting of standards; they are not ready-made targets. Being realistic, even without man-made emissions and all the measures we have set forward in our groundbreaking targets, PM2.5 concentrations would still exceed the WHO guidelines—even the lower one—because we get these emissions from natural sources and also from other countries. The WHO guidelines would therefore be unachievable.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question specifically asked about lowering the target to align with the revised WHO guideline, but the response did not provide a direct commitment or rationale addressing this specific ask.

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Q2 Jane Hunt
Climate Environment
Context

The question builds on the initial inquiry about PM2.5 concentration levels, questioning whether the government will reconsider its target in light of a WHO update.

Question

When determining these targets, the Government considered the World Health Organisation's own target, which was 10 micrograms per cubic metre. However, it has recently lowered that to 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Will the Government consider lowering their target so that it is in line with the WHO?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

The simple answer is no. Clearly we look at all the World Health Organisation guidelines, but they are only there to inform the setting of standards; they are not ready-made targets. Being realistic, even without man-made emissions and all the measures we have set forward in our groundbreaking targets, PM2.5 concentrations would still exceed the WHO guidelines—even the lower one—because we get these emissions from natural sources and also from other countries. The WHO guidelines would therefore be unachievable.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question specifically asked about lowering the target to align with the revised WHO guideline, but the response did not provide a direct commitment or rationale addressing this specific ask.

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Q3 Geraint Davies Lab
NHS Environment
Context

The question addresses the chief medical officer's recent report that outlines recommendations for achieving better air quality targets, including indoor air pollution and wood burners.

Question

The chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, has just issued a report with 15 recommendations giving a route map on how to achieve these targets earlier. Will the Minister respond to that now, write in greater detail to me as the chair of the all-party group on air pollution, and come to a meeting to explain what progress the Government can make on these 15 objectives so that we can make faster progress and save more lives sooner?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

I thank the hon. Member for that. I have met him many times on these issues, and I commend him for this work, but I have also met Professor Chris Whitty on this very subject. The hon. Member just needs to look at the forthcoming update of our clean air strategy. We are already working on many of the things that Chris Whitty has raised, and we have to get the Department of Health and Social Care to play its part as well.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question asked for a direct commitment to respond in detail and attend meetings, but the response was vague and did not provide specific details or timelines.

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