§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he plans to ensure that the air pollution targets set out in the National Air Quality Strategy will be met. [71911]
§ Mr. MealeMy right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced last month the outcome of the Government's review of the National Air Quality Service. We are now consulting on our proposals to amend the Strategy in order to deliver our commitment to cleaner air.
National policies will go a significant way to meeting our air quality objectives throughout the country. However, action at local level will also be essential since air quality has an important local dimension which needs
South Cambridgeshire: April 1997 to March 1998 Grid reference Monitoring site Environment Nearest road East West Annual mean Parts per billion(ppb) Histon 1N Kerbside Glebe Way (B1049) 5440 2635 20 Histon 2N Intermediate Narrow Close 5440 2641 15 Histon 3N Background Narrow Lane — — 12 Histon 4N Background The Coppice, Impington 4552 2620 14
Cambridgeshire: April 1997 to March 1998 Grid reference Monitoring site Environment Nearest road East West Annual mean Parts per billion(ppb) Cambridge 1N Kerbside Parker Street 5454 2584 34 Cambridge 2N Intermediate Abbey Road 5462 2589 21 Cambridge 3N Background Cockburn Street 5466 2577 15 Cambridge 4N Background Oak Tree Avenue 5459 2601 16 Further information and daily data up to September 1998, can be obtained via the World Wide Web, at DETR's Air Quality Archive at http://www/environment.detr.gov.uk/aiq/aqinfo.htm.
The Government's policies with respect to improving air quality in the UK were published on the 13 January, in the "Report of the Review of the National Air Quality Strategy". Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mrs. HumbleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will give details of the 1999–2000 charging scheme for local air pollution control under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. [72364]
§ Mr. MealeCharges to cover the costs of local enforcing authorities in regulating processes which are subject to Part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were introduced in April 1991.
With the approval of the Treasury, and following consultation with local authority associations and industry, my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for 64W a focused local approach. Local Authorities are therefore required to carry out periodic reviews of air quality in their areas and to assess present and likely future air quality against the objectives set out in the Strategy. Where any of the objectives are not likely to be met by 2005, authorities are required to designate Air Quality Management Areas and prepare and implement action plans in pursuit of the objectives.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the average levels of air pollution affecting residential homes adjacent to(a) motorways, (b) major trunk roads and (c) minor trunk roads in South Cambridgeshire in 1997–98. [71912]
§ Mr. MealeThere are eight Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Diffusion Tube Network sites in or near Cambridge (sites and annual mean levels recorded in the following table). None of the sites are adjacent to motorways or trunk roads although the Cambridge Parker Street site is in the busy town centre.
the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Secretary of State for Wales have made a revised scheme specifying the scale of fees and charges to take effect from 1 April 1999.
The level of fees and charges will be increased by approximately 20 per cent. to cover an identified shortfall in recovery of costs. The main changes are that the standard application fee is increased by £215 to £1,280, the substantial change fee is increased by £135 to £815, and the annual subsistence charge is increased by £130 to £790.
The scheme will be laid before both Houses and copies placed in the Libraries.