§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local authorities have(a) promoted local air quality schemes and (b) published information on the implementation of local Agenda 21 schemes; and if he will make a statement. [45521]
§ Angela EagleInformation about the number of local authorities which have promoted local air quality schemes is not held centrally.
The new Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) system, however, came into effect at the end of December 1997. Under this system, district and unitary local authorities are currently reviewing the quality of the air within their area and assessing it against statutory objectives in the UK National Air Quality Strategy for seven key pollutants.
Localities must be designated Air Quality Management Areas where the review and assessment shows that national measures will not ensure that an objective (or objectives) are likely to be achieved by the end of 2005. The relevant local authority must then prepare an action plan in pursuit of the objective(s).
The LAQM guidance which the Government have published to assist local authorities is listed in Environment Circular 15/97 (Welsh Office Circular 63/97) and is available in the Library.
The Local Government Management Board (LGMB) monitors progress by local authorities in adopting and implementing Local Agenda 21 strategies. "Local Agenda 21 in the UK-the first five years" published by the LGMB in July 1997 showed that 55 per cent. of UK authorities were in the process of putting a Local Agenda 21 strategy in place. In July this year, the LGMB will be publishing the results of a new survey of local authorities undertaken in April. This will indicate the number of authorities which have now published Local Agenda 21 strategies and how close we are towards meeting the Prime Minister's target that all local authorities should have a strategy in place by the year 2000.