To ask Her Majesty's Government which local authorities in Greater London are in breach of the legal requirement to declare an air quality management area for all places within their area where European Union limit values for (a) particulate matter, (b) nitrogen dioxide, and (c) named other regulated air pollutants which are not on the Mayor's draft air quality strategy are exceeded. [HL5652]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Davies of Oldham): Under Part IV of the
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Environment Act 1995, local authorities are required to review and assess air quality in their authorities for seven key pollutants as set out in the air quality strategy. Where levels of these pollutants are above the air quality objectives set out in the strategy, they must carry out a more detailed assessment of air quality and, if necessary, declare an air quality management area (AQMA) and prepare an action plan to deliver air quality improvements in line with the local air quality management (LAQM) process.
Below is a table showing that all London boroughs have declared AQMAs for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and/or particulate matter (PM10) pollutants that breach air quality objectives. For all other relevant pollutants listed in the strategy, London boroughs have met the required air quality objectives. Local authorities including London boroughs are not required to declare AQMAs for pollutants outside the seven listed in the strategy as applicable to them.
