Source · Select Committees · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 67
We recognise the commitment of the ministers in Defra and DfT, and their officials, to...
Recommendation
We recognise the commitment of the ministers in Defra and DfT, and their officials, to tackling poor air quality. However, it is not clear that this is matched elsewhere in Government, nor is the urgency of the issue being communicated strongly enough to the public. Local campaign groups will always have a vital role in raising public awareness of these issues, but they should not have to fill a void left by Government. Often those local authorities who have been leading the way on air quality have been frustrated by a lack of effective, joined-up, engagement from central Government. Where local councils need to show greater leadership in using the tools they already have; they would be assisted by more joined-up support from Government with all departments, not just Defra and DfT involved. The Ministers’ answers do not give us confidence that this is happening. The Government should therefore expand 44 Air Quality and coronavirus: a glimpse of a different future or business as usual the Defra/DfT Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) to include the DHSC, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, HM Treasury, and the Cabinet Office to achieve better coordination and increase its priority within Whitehall. The JAQU’s remit should include building support for action on air quality collaborating with local government, the NHS, business, academic and clinical researchers and civil society.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government discusses inter-departmental work between DfT and BEIS officials regarding cleaner vehicle targets for the central government fleet but does not address the recommendation to expand the Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) to include other government departments or broaden its remit.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
67
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
Government established the Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) with a specific remit on reducing NO2—demonstrating our strong and clear commitment to delivering compliance with NO2 limits in the shortest possible time. JAQU is a joint unit led by DfT and Defra. Road transport is the primary source of emissions leading to NO2 exceedances, and JAQU’s focus is on steps that can be taken to address this ‘in the shortest possible time’ in line with our legal obligations. To ensure the necessary focus it is appropriate that the unit is formed of the two departments that lead on the key policies relevant to delivering NO2 compliance. NO2 is a cross-cutting issue and it is right that a clear ‘owner’ is identified to maintain the necessary focus—expanding further would risk diluting this. JAQU works with other government departments such as DHSC, BEIS, MHCLG, HMT and CO and engages with them when necessary on specific policy areas of mutual interest. JAQU regularly engages with HMT who sit on JAQU’s programme board. We consider this approach pragmatic, sensible and beneficial. JAQU works closely with local government—each individual local area has a named account manager within JAQU leading on regular engagement and support. Additionally, Defra and DfT ministers will carry out a strategic engagement programme with parliamentarians and local leaders in areas implementing Clean Air Zones to ensure there is awareness of the intervention, and an understanding of the benefits it will bring as well as the challenges it may give rise to. JAQU will be disseminating learning from the programme in due course. Academics are engaged through our expert panels, who review local clean air plans. JAQU regularly engages with businesses and industry representative on key issues such as CAZ readiness to better understand potential challenges and ensure deliverability. JAQU also regularly liaises with charities such as the British Lung Foundation and the British Heart Foundation and are discussing how we can work in tandem to help amplify health messages on air quality. On air quality more broadly, the Clean Air Strategy supports delivery of Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan Defra with the agreement of Cabinet Office has established a cross government Director-General 25 Year Environment Plan Board. The Board’s remit will focus directly on delivery of the ten 25 YEP goals, including the clean air goal. All of government is playing its part with clear division of responsibility and significant partnership between departments, arms-length bodies, local authorities and relevant sectors. Additionally, we support the Business for Clean Air initiative which set a strong example for businesses to recognise the role they have to play in improving air quality.
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