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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to mitigate the potential impact of housebuilding on air quality.

National planning policy sets out the appropriate consideration of air quality both in individual planning decisions and when developing Local Plans. In addition, Defra are developing new guidance on how the Environment Act 2021 air quality targets should be integrated into planning decisions. We have issued interim guidance to be considered until the full guidance is published.