(Tiverton and Honiton)
(Con): I am sure my right hon. Friend will agree that
good air quality will improve the lives of everyone in the
country, and the lives of their children and grandchildren. We
are launching a Joint Committee on the subject, because
cross-Government work between the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Health and the
Department for Transport is important. Will the Prime Minister
appoint a member of the Cabinet to co-ordinate that work to
ensure that our children and grandchildren benefit from better
air quality?
The Prime Minister: This is an important issue.
We are committed to being the first generation to leave the
environment in a better state than we inherited. We are taking
action on pollution, and I am pleased that emissions of toxic
nitrogen oxides fell by almost 27% between 2010 and 2016, but
there is of course more for us to do, which is why we have a £3.5
billion plan to tackle poor air quality and provide cleaner
transport. Later this year, we will publish a strategy that will
set out further steps.
I assure my hon. Friend that both my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State for Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, whose Department covers energy and air
quality issues, and the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, who
attends Cabinet, are very well versed in putting together the
arguments for better air quality.
