Health: Diesel Engine Pollution

Lord Brabazon of Tara Excerpts

Tuesday 6th January 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

It is helpful that the noble Lord has asked that question. It gives me the opportunity to clarify that nothing in the consultation could lead to the closure of monitoring stations. It is essentially about streamlining and simplifying the reporting system to reduce unnecessary burdens and speed up delivery of air quality action plan measures to tackle pollutants such as NO₂ and particulate materials. We are not proposing a reduction of monitoring by local authorities, but decisions on local air quality monitoring are for them, so ultimately it is up to them to decide what level of monitoring they wish to undertake.

[Lord Brabazon of Tara (Con)]

Does my noble friend recall that until very recently people were encouraged to buy diesel cars because they produced less CO₂ and had very attractive rates of vehicle excise duty? What does my noble friend say to those people now?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, my noble friend makes an important point, of course. The point is that the EU procedures for testing diesel engines did not deliver the health outcomes that were sought. That is why the Commission is looking at this again.