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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether concentrations of nitrogen dioxide are allowed to exceed the annual mean limit value once achieved throughout a zone or agglomeration.

Under the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010), there is a requirement to meet annual mean limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) of 40μg/m³. This is an ongoing requirement and does not expire once the limit value has been met in a single reporting year.