Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much (a) PM2.5, (b) ammonia, (c) nitrogen oxides, (d) sulphur dioxide, (e) benzene, (f) formaldhyde, (g) acrolein and (h) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is emitted annually by sources supported financially by the (i) domestic and (ii) non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.

Government recognises the scale of the challenge on national air quality. That’s why DEFRA will be publishing a Clean Air Strategy in 2018. The Government’s long-term strategy is to see households move away from polluting fuels towards cleaner technologies.

Technologies supported by the Renewable Heat Incentive must meet strict air quality rules. Biomass boilers are likely to replace oil boilers, reducing pollutants overall as a result. Work is ongoing to assess the air quality impact of the RHI scheme, and this will feed into future policymaking.