Key Facts

• Air pollution is linked to lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, dementia, and other health conditions.
• Children breathe three times as much air as adults due to faster breathing rates.
• About 4.5 million children between ages zero and 18 are growing up in areas with unsafe levels of particulate matter.
• Current legal limits for particulate matter pollution are more than two times higher than the World Health Organisation guidelines set back in 2005.
• The Environment Bill sets a new legally binding target for PM2.5 pollution.
• The World Health Organisation recommends a limit value of around 10 micrograms per cubic metre.
• The consultation process will involve experts to ensure that the assessment framework is robust.
• The Government is committed to improving air quality beyond existing legal limits.
• There is concern that the Bill lacks provisions to ensure targets are set to protect human health.
• The Bill requires periodic review of targets but does not explicitly mention human health benefits.
• Air pollution targets are discussed within the context of the Environment Bill.
• There is a need for coordinated action involving multiple Departments of Government.
• Funding was announced in the Budget related to reducing air pollution.
• George Howarth allows two more questions before concluding.
• Questions are directed towards ClientEarth regarding legal action against the Government over air pollution failures.
• Concerns about funding for local authorities to implement required changes are highlighted.
• George Howarth is presiding over a session of the Environment Bill Committee.
• The committee has until 1 pm for questioning Water UK, Blueprint for Water, and the Marine Conservation Society.
• Alan Whitehead asks about water efficiency targets in the Bill.
• Clause 49 of the Environment Bill caters for resource and water efficiency.
• A water target must be set in part 1 of the Bill.
• The Marine Conservation Society would like the Bill to explicitly mention marine environments due to their significant territorial coverage.
• Water framework directive target for good ecological status by 2027.
• Targets inherited from the water framework directive will expire in 2027.
• Investment lead times for the water industry are 10 to 15 years.
• Clause 18 of the Environment Bill excludes armed forces, defence or national security from its scope.
• Local authorities are important for accountability in river catchment management.
• Funding for inshore fisheries and conservation authorities through local councils is critical.
• Clause 81 of the Bill gives powers to monitor water quality substances but requires no regression on standards.
• The River Wharfe has significant sewage outflows during rain, exceeding EU bathing water limits by 40-50 times.
• Only 14% of rivers are in a good ecological state according to EU standards.
• £100 million is spent annually on issues caused by wet wipes and fat, oil, and grease congealed in the sewerage network.
• Agriculture and rural land management account for 61% of reasons why water bodies fail to meet ecological status criteria.
• The session is concluded without further questions being put.
• The Chair adjourns the Committee until later that day at Two o'clock.