§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the levels of air pollution in rural areas; and what plans he has for programmes to reduce such pollution levels. [110775]
§ Mr. HillThe Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, published on 19 January, provides a comprehensive assessment of current and future air quality throughout the UK. It sets objectives for reducing levels of the eight main air pollutants, to be achieved between 2003 and 2008. These objectives will be met through a combination of international, national and local measures.
Under local air quality management (LAQM), local authorities are obliged to review and assess air quality in their areas against these objectives and, where the objectives are unlikely to be met by the relevant date, establish action plans to improve air quality. Ozone is the pollutant of particular concern in rural areas. Because of its transboundary nature, it is most effectively tackled at international level and so is excluded from LAQM. In December 1999, we and other countries signed the UNECE Protocol to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground level ozone. This will lead to significant reductions in emissions of pollutants which cause the formation of ozone. We are currently negotiating within the EU proposals from the European Commission for a National Emissions Ceilings Directive and an Ozone Directive which are expected to lead to further reductions in levels of ozone.