§ Mr. Allan RobertsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times carbon monoxide levels in90W London's air have exceeded World Health Organisation guidelines in the last 12 months; what steps he is taking to ensure that guideline breaches will not increase in the next 12 months; and what actions are in process to ensure that London's air does not exceed World Health Organisation guidelines for carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide levels during the next four years.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[pursuant to her reply, 31 October 1988, c. 540]: The World Health Organisation Guidelines are intended to provide background information and guidance to Governments in setting standards. They are not intended by WHO as air quality standards or limit values in themselves.
Carbon monoxide measurements made for the Department by the Warren Spring Laboratory in central London have been analysed for the 12-month period October 1987 to September 1988. The measured levels were well below guideline values and it is not expected that the latter will be exceeded in background urban locations in the foreseeable future.
For NO2 the appropriate air quality standard is contained in the European Community directive 85/203. This standard was not exceeded at the Warren Spring central London monitoring site during the same period. To ensure that this air quality standard is not exceeded in the future, we intend to implement the European Community directive on vehicle exhaust emissions which contain provision for limiting emissions of NOx, of which NO2 is a principal component.