Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department takes on local authorities that consistently do not produce annual air quality reports.

Defra expects all local authorities to meet their local air quality management obligations, and has powers to direct such local authorities that persistently fail in this regard. Local authorities that do not submit their annual status reports by the required deadline are notified of their statutory obligations under the local air quality management framework.

Defra provides guidance to support local authorities in fulfilling these responsibilities, as well as a dedicated helpdesk that provides 24 hour technical support.