§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will implement the recommendation of the first report of the quality of urban air review group in respect of an enhanced urban network monitoring station for Coventry; [32807]
(2) if all the sites identified in the first report of the quality of urban air review group have or will have an enhanced urban network monitoring station; [32805]
(3) if he will reimburse Coventry the running costs of Coventry's OPSIS system to monitor air quality pending the installation of an enhanced urban network monitoring station; [32809]
(4) when Coventry will have an enhanced urban network monitoring station. [32806]
§ Mr. ClappisonOf the 24 towns and cities identified in the first report of the quality of urban air review group, QUARG, as priorities for air quality monitoring, 22 have, or will have, a Department of the Environment funded automatic urban monitoring station by the end of 1996. The location of two further sites will be announced later this year.
Meanwhile, the Government have announced their intention to integrate 35 local authority sites into a harmonised national network. The decision on the location of the two new centrally funded sites will therefore also take account of the results of consultation on which such sites should be integrated.
The Government have made no 'commitment to reimburse local authorities for the costs of any air quality monitoring which they may themselves already have introduced.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he gives to Coventry in the absence of an enhanced urban network monitoring station in the respect of the monitoring of air quality. [32808]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Government published "Air Quality —Meeting the Challenge" on 19 January 1995, setting out their strategic proposals for assessing and managing air quality in the UK. The Government have introduced amendments to the Environment Bill to implement their proposals. The amendments provide for a national strategy for air quality and a new system of local air qualify management under which local 543W authorities will assess air quality in their area and, where it falls short of targets, declare air quality management areas and produce a remedial plan. The Government intend to issue guidance to all local authorities, including Coventry, on how to undertake such an assessment at around the end of this year.
The Government are proceeding at the same time with expansion of UK air quality monitoring networks, including the integration of 35 local authority monitoring sites. In addition, the Department of the Environment will fund 13 new automatic urban monitoring stations to be set up by the end of 1996. The location of 11 of these sites has already been determined. The locations of the other two will be announced later this year.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement as to the progress being made to improve air quality if Coventry and the west midlands. [32810]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Government have introduced amendments to the Environment Bill to implement a new framework for air quality management and expect to publish later this year their draft strategy for improving air quality throughout the United Kingdom.