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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will take steps to give powers to London Authorities to tackle domestic wood burning in the capital, in response to the findings of the London Assembly Environment Committee’s recent Clean Air for All Londoners report.

The Mayor of London is responsible for air quality in the capital and already has a number of powers including:

- Oversight of London borough air quality action plans and to issue guidance to which London boroughs must have regard when carrying out their air quality duties under the Environment Act 1995.

- To issue directions to require London boroughs to take action to address local air pollution as set out in section 85 of the Environment Act 1995.

Local authorities, including in London, already have the power to declare Smoke Control Areas, in which smoke from a chimney may not be emitted, unless an authorised fuel is burned, or an exempt appliance is used (under the Clean Air Act 1993).