§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress there has been in improving air quality in deprived areas to meet the objectives and targets prescribed in the Government's Air Quality Strategy; and whether the target the dates set out in the strategy have been met. [46606]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government set out its targets for safeguarding people's health and protecting the environment from air pollution in the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in January 2000. It includes health-based standards for the eight air pollutants of main concern and objectives for their achievement between 2003 and 2008. Good progress has been made towards achieving most of the targets as a result of the measures put in place by central Government and local authorities. We are, for example, broadly on track to meet our policy objectives for carbon monoxide, benzene, 1,3 butadiene, lead and sulphur dioxide, but more may need to be done in some areas to meet our targets for nitrogen dioxide, particles and ozone.
Local authorities have a duty to review and assess the local air quality in their area and to designate air quality management areas where it is likely that the air quality objectives will not be met by the relevant deadline. Out 1196W of the 88 deprived areas across England, 35 authorities have designated air quality management areas in respect of one or more pollutants. A full list of those authorities that have designated air quality management areas is available at www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual/aqma/home.html
The majority of the air quality management areas have been designated due to likely exceedences of the NO2 and PM10 objectives relating to pollution from traffic. These authorities have a duty to draw up an air quality action plan setting out those measures they intend to take in pursuit of the air quality objectives. They will also have to work closely with other local stakeholders, such as the Highways Agency, Environment Agency and local businesses, in order to deliver improvements in local air quality. The Government will continue to oversee this process to ensure that the objectives are met as far as possible in all parts of the country, including the most deprived areas, by the relevant target dates.