0:00:00 > 0:00:01his view that we want to live in a country where women always have a
0:00:01 > 0:00:08place to go where they need it. Urgent question, Neil Parish. Thank
0:00:08 > 0:00:17you. The question is to ask the Secretary of State for environment,
0:00:17 > 0:00:21food and rural affairs what steps his department will be taking to
0:00:21 > 0:00:28improve air quality after the High Court ruling?In July last year, we
0:00:28 > 0:00:35publish the UK plan. Yesterday, the High Court handed down judgment on
0:00:35 > 0:00:39the challenge to that plan. The judge dismissed two out of three
0:00:39 > 0:00:47complaints. He found there was no error in the government approach to
0:00:47 > 0:00:51tackle concentration levels. The National air quality and monitoring
0:00:51 > 0:01:00underpin the plan fulfil requirements. Birmingham,
0:01:00 > 0:01:05Nottingham, Derby, Southampton and Leeds were identified. The judge
0:01:05 > 0:01:18found that measures taken were sensible unlawful. We previously
0:01:18 > 0:01:22considered it was appropriate to take a pragmatic approach. I have
0:01:22 > 0:01:26written to councils in November. It was followed up by officials asking
0:01:26 > 0:01:29councils to provide initial information on the action undertaken
0:01:29 > 0:01:35by 28 February. In view of the court judgment, were happy to take a more
0:01:35 > 0:01:38formal approach with them. I have written to local authorities, asking
0:01:38 > 0:01:43them to attend a meeting on 28 February to discuss the information
0:01:43 > 0:01:50in their plans and whether there are additional actions they can take. In
0:01:50 > 0:01:59March, we will issue legally binding directives. We will publish a
0:01:59 > 0:02:07supplement of the 2017 plan by October, drawing on the outcomes of
0:02:07 > 0:02:11authorities' feasibility studies and plans. This government is committed
0:02:11 > 0:02:16absolutely to improving air quality and we have pledged to be the first
0:02:16 > 0:02:19generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited
0:02:19 > 0:02:28it. Later this year, we will publish a comprehensive strategy setting out
0:02:28 > 0:02:31strategies for tackling pollution more broadly.I believe you are
0:02:31 > 0:02:34working hard to improve air quality and this is not just about
0:02:34 > 0:02:41legislation, it's about practical actions to improve air quality. Are
0:02:41 > 0:02:47you as minister getting enough cooperation from other departments,
0:02:47 > 0:02:55including money from Treasury, to address this issue? Pollution costs
0:02:55 > 0:03:00£16 billion per year and affects People's lives. Does the Minister
0:03:00 > 0:03:07agree that preventative action be more cost-effective? Is the High
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Court found the timetable was sensible and rational, but not
0:03:11 > 0:03:14enough leadership is being provided regarding local authorities with
0:03:14 > 0:03:20high air pollution levels. Does the Minister agree with me that a new
0:03:20 > 0:03:25clean air act would provide proper leadership, whilst allowing local
0:03:25 > 0:03:29authorities will autonomy to address pollution levels they face at a
0:03:29 > 0:03:34targeted local level. Past I welcome that the government can be held to
0:03:34 > 0:03:37account through the courts and in to Parliament, does the Minister agree
0:03:37 > 0:03:45with me that the judgment is to focus on compliance? We need a more
0:03:45 > 0:03:50detailed, wide-ranging and practical air quality plan. Clean air should
0:03:50 > 0:03:56be right, not a privilege. I believe we need to hear much more from
0:03:56 > 0:04:07government now, and speed up the whole of our air.It is important to
0:04:07 > 0:04:14remember what we have achieved. To remind the House, air pollution has
0:04:14 > 0:04:24improved since 2010. Sulphur dioxide emissions are down 60%. Volatile
0:04:24 > 0:04:33organic compound emissions are down by 9%. With investing to improve air
0:04:33 > 0:04:40quality. We're investing £1 billion in low emission vehicles. We have
0:04:40 > 0:04:45set aside nearly half £1 billion to help local authorities implement and
0:04:45 > 0:04:52develop local air quality plans. We continue to try and reduce emissions
0:04:52 > 0:04:56in other ways. I will remind my honourable friend that we intend to
0:04:56 > 0:05:06end the sale of all new conventional petrol cars and vans by 2040. He
0:05:06 > 0:05:12knows we will be bringing forward a conference of clear the strategy, in
0:05:12 > 0:05:22particular I am absolutely focused on domestic burning. We looking
0:05:22 > 0:05:34forward to more responses regarding wet wood and smoky coal. I agree
0:05:34 > 0:05:39with him on particulate matter preventative is useful stop councils
0:05:39 > 0:05:43and government already have a lot of powers, it is about being prepared
0:05:43 > 0:05:48to make at times very difficult decisions. That's why are urged the
0:05:48 > 0:05:53leaders of the councils, including the 122 yesterday, to really correct
0:05:53 > 0:05:57this issue on behalf of the people they represent and we represent. It
0:05:57 > 0:06:09matters that we take direct local action to ensure the future health
0:06:09 > 0:06:23of our nation.I am keen we make timely progress.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28We need succinct questions and replies.I've heard the response
0:06:28 > 0:06:31from the Minister but the rally she is yesterday the government plans
0:06:31 > 0:06:35were ruled unlawful for the third time in three years. Here we find
0:06:35 > 0:06:40ourselves once again having to take the government to court in order for
0:06:40 > 0:06:44them to take any action on this serious issue of public health. When
0:06:44 > 0:06:49or air pollution is responsible for around 40,000 premature deaths each
0:06:49 > 0:06:57year with cardiovascular disease accounting for 80% of all such
0:06:57 > 0:07:03premature deaths. Research by the British Heart Foundation found that
0:07:03 > 0:07:09there are over 20 billion in economic costs every year. Legal
0:07:09 > 0:07:15limits were set out in an EU directive from 2008. It poses the
0:07:15 > 0:07:20question whether this Conservative government can be trusted with our
0:07:20 > 0:07:27environment. We are witnessing ducking and diving. As the DEFRA
0:07:27 > 0:07:31select committee has previously stated, the situation has escalated
0:07:31 > 0:07:39into a public health emergency. The government attitude does not seem to
0:07:39 > 0:07:43reflect the severity and urgency of the situation. Yesterday, a press
0:07:43 > 0:07:48statement appeared to try to spin the court ruling is some sort of win
0:07:48 > 0:07:51for the government and played on responsibility for what is an
0:07:51 > 0:07:57incredibly serious failure.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Difficult all the government that provides the environment but do not
0:08:02 > 0:08:05demonstrate action when it comes. Given the matter has been taken out
0:08:05 > 0:08:10of the government's hands in an unprecedented step, does the
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Minister recognise the chronic failure of her department on this
0:08:12 > 0:08:17issue? Will the Minister confirm whether government plans to appeal
0:08:17 > 0:08:22the latest ruling by the court and I understand the leaders of local
0:08:22 > 0:08:27authorities affected have been invited to a workshop. Can the
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Minister underlined what the purpose of it will be and what support they
0:08:31 > 0:08:34will be for cash-strapped local authorities in delivering the
0:08:34 > 0:08:41actions we now need to see?As I said to this House before and say
0:08:41 > 0:08:46again today, I'd take this issue seriously. I'm not surprised at the
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Lady fails to mention it was the Welsh Labour government in the
0:08:50 > 0:08:56judicial review, the government admitted the air plan to do not
0:08:56 > 0:09:01satisfy legal requirements. Frankly, the issue is not confined to the
0:09:01 > 0:09:06Minister at the dispatch box today. Present problems in the UK are
0:09:06 > 0:09:10frankly a result of what happened with the EU's failed emissions
0:09:10 > 0:09:15testing regime. The irresponsible actions of certain car manufacturers
0:09:15 > 0:09:22and the rapid increase of diesel car manufacturers since 2001, 21 other
0:09:22 > 0:09:27EU member states are also breaching air quality limits. I try not to
0:09:27 > 0:09:30take a partisan approach on this but I am fed up of the opposition simply
0:09:30 > 0:09:35not accepting their part of the responsibility. The last Labour
0:09:35 > 0:09:43government incentivised diesel cars, and I'm not saying that previous
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Labour ministers didn't do things in good faith. However as we have found
0:09:47 > 0:09:52out through a Freedom of information request, Labour ignored advice
0:09:52 > 0:09:58diesel fumes were toxic. But they pushed on on the basis of a lower
0:09:58 > 0:10:04CO2 emissions. In response to the other points, we do not intend to
0:10:04 > 0:10:07appeal because the judgment stands on a narrow issue where there are
0:10:07 > 0:10:12areas with shorter term exceeding these. We also asked them to do
0:10:12 > 0:10:17that, we are now happy to now issue legally binding directions that they
0:10:17 > 0:10:21need is to take action on and we will work with them, which is why
0:10:21 > 0:10:25next week after asking them to provide initial information and
0:10:25 > 0:10:29plans and why we ask them to come to London next week so we can go
0:10:29 > 0:10:33through that in detail and talk through the kinds of resources they
0:10:33 > 0:10:35will need to ensure better air quality for the citizens we all
0:10:35 > 0:10:44represent.Mr Speaker, good might friend go back to colleagues across
0:10:44 > 0:10:48governments to impress upon them this is not only an issue of
0:10:48 > 0:10:51fundamental social justice for poorer citizens but about putting
0:10:51 > 0:10:56the UK in a strong position in terms of our economy because clean-air is
0:10:56 > 0:10:59a business advantage and we don't want to fall behind them
0:10:59 > 0:11:04Netherlands, Norway and Scotland who are looking to ban diesel petrol
0:11:04 > 0:11:10cars. Let's make sure that England is in the forefront, socially just
0:11:10 > 0:11:15and globally competitive on this issue.My friend will be aware that
0:11:15 > 0:11:20government is working together to improve the air quality we have. He
0:11:20 > 0:11:25will recognise their pollution has improved significantly since 2010,
0:11:25 > 0:11:30why we are working with local authorities to provide solutions.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Mentioning Scotland, the Scottish Government are working on aspects of
0:11:32 > 0:11:38introducing a lower emission zone. The situation in Glasgow there is
0:11:38 > 0:11:42serious and I'm sure the Scottish Government with the support of SNP
0:11:42 > 0:11:50MPs will make sure to have effective solutions.Three High Court cases
0:11:50 > 0:11:53lost, how critical does this situation needs to get for the
0:11:53 > 0:11:58government to act? I appreciate the Minister's words, all local
0:11:58 > 0:12:03authorities now have action plans and we have set more stringent air
0:12:03 > 0:12:06quality targets than the rest of the UK and are the first country in
0:12:06 > 0:12:13Europe to legislate for this. Perhaps I can help her out and meet
0:12:13 > 0:12:18her because she knows the work I have been doing with the aviation
0:12:18 > 0:12:21noise authority and making sure it's independent. I wonder whether she
0:12:21 > 0:12:27will consider pollution is taken into consideration and part of the
0:12:27 > 0:12:36remit, I have set up a authority in our constituency to make sure
0:12:36 > 0:12:40airlines follow guidelines. Will she ensure the aviation authority is
0:12:40 > 0:12:49truly independent and monitoring of pollution is also within its re-met?
0:12:49 > 0:12:53She now has the opportunity to breathe.We all have the opportunity
0:12:53 > 0:12:58to breathe clean air here thanks to the excellent work of the House.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Talking about the aviation of the ready, I'm not the transport
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Minister, but no doubt we will continue to want to reduce emissions
0:13:05 > 0:13:10from aviation and that's why we are working with other countries who
0:13:10 > 0:13:13have already instigated some elements on that. Regarding
0:13:13 > 0:13:19Scotland, she'll be aware I think of the Glasgow area were at the moment,
0:13:19 > 0:13:24compliance is with the legal limits is not predicted until 2026. The
0:13:24 > 0:13:27money we invest in England have consequences for the Barnett
0:13:27 > 0:13:33Formula, that will help Scotland achieve her targets. I will ask her
0:13:33 > 0:13:37to perhaps contact the transport ministers to discuss the other
0:13:37 > 0:13:43matters she was deliberating on.Can I well, my friends proactively work
0:13:43 > 0:13:49on air quality, including in Dudley? And urge her to work closely with
0:13:49 > 0:13:56the local authorities to ensure that our air is clean and safe.I thank
0:13:56 > 0:14:01him for that, Dudley is one of the areas named. I've already been in
0:14:01 > 0:14:06conversation with Andy Street, the mayor for the West Midlands, very
0:14:06 > 0:14:10ambitious on plans to make these improvements and I look forward to
0:14:10 > 0:14:15meeting the leader for Dudley Council next week.If the UK leaves
0:14:15 > 0:14:20the EU, the commission and ECJ lose their role in monitoring and
0:14:20 > 0:14:24enforcing these are pollution standards. In November, the
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Environment Secretary told my committee he would consult on a new
0:14:28 > 0:14:32body to feel about governance gap early in the New Year. When will we
0:14:32 > 0:14:37see that consultation? Will the body be in place before exit state and
0:14:37 > 0:14:40will it have higher environmental standards which is what the
0:14:40 > 0:14:44secretary says he wants, lower standards which is what the Brexit
0:14:44 > 0:14:50Brigade once, awful regularly -- awful regular treat alignment with
0:14:50 > 0:14:58the EU?The House already passed this. We've already put in place
0:14:58 > 0:15:05legislation why is the targets for 2020 and 2030 on the pollutants.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07This government has already acted labour legislation and I'm pleased
0:15:07 > 0:15:11it has been endorsed. The consultation will be forthcoming
0:15:11 > 0:15:16soon, I am conscious that people who are eager to see this in the
0:15:16 > 0:15:22meantime will not be relying on the B EU to help with air quality. She
0:15:22 > 0:15:28will be aware of many measures including the new bypass in her
0:15:28 > 0:15:30constituency which officials believe will be the solution to improving
0:15:30 > 0:15:38air quality for the people of Wakefield. The ASICs corridor in my
0:15:38 > 0:15:41constituency is amongst one of the most congested and polluted roads in
0:15:41 > 0:15:47the country -- the A six.What conversation has the Minister had to
0:15:47 > 0:15:53alleviate congestion and improve air-quality?The department has been
0:15:53 > 0:15:56active and the government has one of the largest transport investment
0:15:56 > 0:16:01programmes for many decades. I'm not particularly aware of the road to
0:16:01 > 0:16:05which he refers but I'm confident the Department for Transport will
0:16:05 > 0:16:10be. One of the things we have done with the clean air fund is to make
0:16:10 > 0:16:13sure air-quality is a key criteria in assessing our fancies in the
0:16:13 > 0:16:22future.In Greater Manchester like in other areas, the real issue in
0:16:22 > 0:16:28terms of nitrogen oxides is heavy goods vehicles and old buses. We
0:16:28 > 0:16:33have to begin to think about a bus scrappage scheme, how will the
0:16:33 > 0:16:40Minister respond?The good news is we'd already invested £89 million in
0:16:40 > 0:16:45helping authorities to convert their buses, another 40 million was added.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50When I went to visit the councillors involved in Manchester some time
0:16:50 > 0:16:54ago, they will use the powers, they've indicated they are likely to
0:16:54 > 0:17:01use them under the act to make sure they can do them on scheduling.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Requiring the buses to be Euro six compliant, which is why we have been
0:17:05 > 0:17:10funding councils around the country to make that transition.By how much
0:17:10 > 0:17:15will air pollution be cut with the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel
0:17:15 > 0:17:24vehicles by 2040?The expectation of the targets we have legislated for
0:17:24 > 0:17:31is that the impacts of air pollution will be halved by 2030. One of the
0:17:31 > 0:17:34reasons for indicating we will end the sale of conventional petrol
0:17:34 > 0:17:39diesel cars by that date is to give a strong message to manufacturers.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43We have seen a response already by the fact a number of manufacturers
0:17:43 > 0:17:47are saying they. The production of such cars by the end of this decade.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51Good news not only for the people of the UK but across Europe and the
0:17:51 > 0:17:59wider world.Mr Speaker, for the last seven years, the UK has been in
0:17:59 > 0:18:04breach of EU limits on toxic pollutants are links to respiratory
0:18:04 > 0:18:06and cardiovascular conditions, as well as stunted lung growth in young
0:18:06 > 0:18:11children. It's no use telling the parents of a seven-year-old that
0:18:11 > 0:18:17things will improve by 2030, so can we see greater urgency, more
0:18:17 > 0:18:21resources and action now, and holding up their hands and admitting
0:18:21 > 0:18:26when they've got it wrong?She will be talking to Lesley Griffiths in
0:18:26 > 0:18:29other Welsh Labour government because of the Welsh government,
0:18:29 > 0:18:36it's a vault issue. They contributed part of the 2017 air-quality plan
0:18:36 > 0:18:39which they recognised a few months later wasn't good enough and are
0:18:39 > 0:18:44going to do more -- it's a vault issue. That is why at national
0:18:44 > 0:18:49level, we are taking measures, in terms of fleets turnover and
0:18:49 > 0:18:53incentives about moving to the cleanest diesel possible for those
0:18:53 > 0:18:58who still wants to use those cars in the interim. Also measures like
0:18:58 > 0:19:05company car taxation increases. We are taking matters but it is not the
0:19:05 > 0:19:07usual practice that the UK Government will order the Welsh
0:19:07 > 0:19:13government to do something that is devolved. I'm sure she will work
0:19:13 > 0:19:16with her colleagues in Cardiff to make sure her citizens are better
0:19:16 > 0:19:20represented when it comes to making the case for air-quality with the
0:19:20 > 0:19:26Welsh government.Older vehicles are the most polluting and tend to be
0:19:26 > 0:19:31owned by SMEs or people on low incomes. Well my friend look at the
0:19:31 > 0:19:35potential for a vehicle scrappage scheme, not just buses but also cars
0:19:35 > 0:19:39and lorries, so we had actually get the worst polluting vehicles off the
0:19:39 > 0:19:47road quicker?In regards to the air-quality plan, we issued a
0:19:47 > 0:19:50consultation on mitigation measures and potential scrappage scheme is
0:19:50 > 0:19:54part of that. We are considering responses to that and will report
0:19:54 > 0:19:58back to the House shortly. Yesterday, I sat here listening to
0:19:58 > 0:20:04the Prime Minister 's response to my question. I was very surprised at
0:20:04 > 0:20:07the gap between the briefing the Prime Minister has been given from
0:20:07 > 0:20:17death row, albeit at short notice -- from DEFRA. And what I was reading
0:20:17 > 0:20:20from the newsfeeds. Will the Minister apologised to me and to the
0:20:20 > 0:20:25House for the briefing to the prime ministers that implies the judgment
0:20:25 > 0:20:30was more winners than losers when it is quite clear that the government
0:20:30 > 0:20:34has been found to be acting unlawfully and so badly, that the
0:20:34 > 0:20:41court is taking over DEFRA's role in implementing the legislation?I'm
0:20:41 > 0:20:44afraid she is simply incorrect, the judge dismissed challenges about our
0:20:44 > 0:20:49approach to air-quality. He said the approach we took, when writing to
0:20:49 > 0:20:54councils will ask November when asking for issue is how we can help
0:20:54 > 0:20:59to improve air quality in those local authorities, the judge said
0:20:59 > 0:21:01urging an encouraging wasn't sufficient and we should issue
0:21:01 > 0:21:05legally binding directions. That is what the Prime Minister reflected to
0:21:05 > 0:21:09the House yesterday and what we'll be doing. I encourage her to work
0:21:09 > 0:21:14with the Mayor of London, already with substantial funding and is
0:21:14 > 0:21:20using it in order to start deploying cleaner buses and other aspects of
0:21:20 > 0:21:24the shift within London. Frankly he needs to accelerate his programme
0:21:24 > 0:21:30and I encourage her to work with him in doing that, building on the plans
0:21:30 > 0:21:35by my friend, the Right Honourable member for Uxbridge.Can I welcome
0:21:35 > 0:21:38the energy and resources which the government is applying to these
0:21:38 > 0:21:41issue, particularly the clean bus fund which will see a fleet of
0:21:41 > 0:21:47electric vehicles serving Harrogate and Knaresborough. Can I ask
0:21:47 > 0:21:50specifically that all local authorities are as committed in
0:21:50 > 0:21:58solving this issue as she is? Not my experience so far.My friend was a
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Treasury Minister when working on the air-quality plan and he is as
0:22:01 > 0:22:05committed to making these improvements. I fully recognise some
0:22:05 > 0:22:10of these issues are politically difficult. That is why I've been
0:22:10 > 0:22:14meeting councillors from those authorities to say time cannot wait
0:22:14 > 0:22:18in order to have effective local solutions. My friend made sure that
0:22:18 > 0:22:23we have finances from government in order to tackle this issue. Those
0:22:23 > 0:22:31finances will be deployed.A Liberal Democrat competition! Layla Moran.
0:22:31 > 0:22:38Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm grateful for the ministers offered to meet
0:22:38 > 0:22:45with me to discuss her plan for Oxford.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Coogee confirm there is extra money? I know they have been trying
0:22:48 > 0:22:57already. -- could see confirm.I have written to all MPs yesterday
0:22:57 > 0:23:03affected by the legal ruling, to make what we were doing already
0:23:03 > 0:23:08legally binding on councils to cooperate. I'm looking forward to
0:23:08 > 0:23:13meeting the leader next week. They're looking at certain proposals
0:23:13 > 0:23:15which include widening pedestrianisation in the city
0:23:15 > 0:23:20centre, in order to tackle challenges. I want to know what kind
0:23:20 > 0:23:25of resources they may need. I think we have the powers already. It could
0:23:25 > 0:23:30be that we just need to work through the details of the plan.Would my
0:23:30 > 0:23:35right honourable friend give us more detail about the government is doing
0:23:35 > 0:23:38to support renewable technology in order to secure the future of clean
0:23:38 > 0:23:46energy in the UK?In addition to the £3.5 billion we're investing to
0:23:46 > 0:23:55tackle air-quality on a modal shift in transport, were massively
0:23:55 > 0:23:59increasing incentives for councils to deploy the kind of infrastructure
0:23:59 > 0:24:07needed to support growth in the use of electric vehicles. There is about
0:24:07 > 0:24:09£1 billion allocated in grants for people who want to buy such
0:24:09 > 0:24:14vehicles. Were legislating through Parliament at the moment on the
0:24:14 > 0:24:19requirement that in future we will have fuel stations that will also
0:24:19 > 0:24:22provide electric infrastructure so that people can charge their cars,
0:24:22 > 0:24:34not just fill them with petrol and diesel.As chair of my party's
0:24:34 > 0:24:38backbench DEFRA committee, this is not good enough. This is a national
0:24:38 > 0:24:46health emergency. Recent estimates show that a million people could die
0:24:46 > 0:24:50by 2040. She must act now with manufacturers, local authorities and
0:24:50 > 0:25:01everyone else.I welcome the support from the Member for Huddersfield to
0:25:01 > 0:25:03get local authorities working on this. We have been in
0:25:03 > 0:25:12correspondence, we have recently funded 350 buses in the west
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Yorkshire combined authority. Clearly there is an opportunity for
0:25:14 > 0:25:21new busses to be deployed in the worst traffic hotspots. I look
0:25:21 > 0:25:29forward to meeting the leaders of local authorities next week.Me I
0:25:29 > 0:25:35thank the Minister for meeting with me a couple of weeks ago, to discuss
0:25:35 > 0:25:38specific health issues. I agree local leadership is needed. My
0:25:38 > 0:25:45question today is she has mentioned the new legislation. I think it is
0:25:45 > 0:25:49not going far enough and so I ask again, while the Minister consider
0:25:49 > 0:25:59introducing legislation for supermarkets and public car parks to
0:25:59 > 0:26:05provide electric charging points?I had a constructive meeting with the
0:26:05 > 0:26:13honourable lady recently. I visited the town of Bath last year. I take
0:26:13 > 0:26:19on board her point and I will discuss it with the Minister of
0:26:19 > 0:26:25transport.Oxford was excluded from the list because only 3% of
0:26:25 > 0:26:29monitoring sites were included. Does the government now accept that
0:26:29 > 0:26:38decision was wrong? As the first British city to commit to a zero
0:26:38 > 0:26:42emission zone, will ye really need the powers of resources she
0:26:42 > 0:26:49mentioned.The powers were granted years ago. Building of what she
0:26:49 > 0:26:53said, the judge yesterday upheld the fact that our modelling fulfilled
0:26:53 > 0:26:59our legal requirements. Local air monitoring does not comply with
0:26:59 > 0:27:04legislation under which we are bound to do that. But I'm pleased that
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Oxford are considering wider pedestrianisation in their city
0:27:08 > 0:27:10centre and look forward to discussing that in more detail next
0:27:10 > 0:27:14week. Have had the powers already, they can get on with this and I
0:27:14 > 0:27:20encourage them to do so as quickly as possible.Are some grateful to
0:27:20 > 0:27:26the Minister further funding she is given to cash-strapped local
0:27:26 > 0:27:28authorities like Bristol for consultation, I would like to move
0:27:28 > 0:27:31further and think of the children at school and one of the worst
0:27:31 > 0:27:37polluting areas in the centre of Bristol. Will see consider now
0:27:37 > 0:27:41urgently a scrappage scheme for cars and other vehicles such as taxis and
0:27:41 > 0:27:46buses?I have met the honourable lady on this issue of air-quality
0:27:46 > 0:27:52before. I have had direct discussions with Bristol City
0:27:52 > 0:27:57Council. Funding has gone in to help the take-up of electric vehicles and
0:27:57 > 0:28:07busses. I would suggest that Bristol was making good progress, they are
0:28:07 > 0:28:12one of the councils we mandated last year to come forward with action.
0:28:12 > 0:28:18They are on track with process. I look forward to receiving final
0:28:18 > 0:28:26considerations from them later this year.After eight years of court
0:28:26 > 0:28:28cases, I find the Minister's minimalistic approach quite
0:28:28 > 0:28:35staggering. Why are the government investing in a new generation of
0:28:35 > 0:28:44dirty diesel trains?As my honourable friend, the real
0:28:44 > 0:28:49minister, said, we are also going to end the use of diesel only trains by
0:28:49 > 0:28:552040. That's given a clear steer to procure a sand operators, on the
0:28:55 > 0:29:03basis that they tend to invest in 15 years cycles. I'm conscious our
0:29:03 > 0:29:06electrification programme was considerably higher. I seem to
0:29:06 > 0:29:11recall that in the Labour government between 1997 and 2010, the achieved
0:29:11 > 0:29:1913 miles. For them to be lecturing us today about these issues... We
0:29:19 > 0:29:26have been investing to fix the problems they left behind.Three
0:29:26 > 0:29:33years after the story broke, how is the government holding Volkswagen to
0:29:33 > 0:29:39account for its emissions scandal? We are holding Volkswagen to
0:29:39 > 0:29:43account. I would suggest to the honourable gentleman that one of the
0:29:43 > 0:29:47challenges of how the EU operates in this regard is it as a matter for
0:29:47 > 0:29:52the German government to be the regulator of Volkswagen and through
0:29:52 > 0:29:58the European Commission is how we hold Volkswagen to account directly.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01I'm pleased they have come forward with their wider group to do some of
0:30:01 > 0:30:06the retrofitting of vehicles in terms of software updates to correct
0:30:06 > 0:30:14what we did. Frankly, the behaviour by Volkswagen and their chief
0:30:14 > 0:30:18executives was a disgrace. The money they used to fund the effects of
0:30:18 > 0:30:22diesel fumes on primates and humans is