Environment Bill — Clause 2 — Environmental Targets: Particulate Matter — 20 Oct 2021 at 16:15

The majority of MPs voted not to require a target for particulate matter under 2.5 micrometres in diameter in the air to be set at a level of less ten micrograms per cubic meter, to be in-line with World Health Organisation guidelines and to be met by 2030 at the latest.

MPs were considering the Environment Bill.^[1][2]

The motion supported by a majority of MPs in this vote was:

• That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 3.

Lords amendment 3^[4] stated:

• Page 2, line 21, leave out subsection (2) and insert—
• “(2) The PM2.5 air quality target must—
• (a) be less than or equal to 10μg/m3,
• (b) so far as practicable, follow World Health Organization guidelines, and
• (c) have an attainment deadline on or before 1 January 2030

Had it not been rejected this amendment would have impacted Clause 2 of the Bill^[3] which provided for a power to set a target for the concentration of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter not exceeding 2.5 micrometres in ambient air, but did not set any parameters for the level at which the target would be set, or the timescale for achieving it.

Subsection 2 of the Clause in the Bill^[3] stated:

• The PM2.5 air quality target may, but need not, be a long-term target.

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Environment Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Explanatory notes to the Environment Bill, 30 January 2020, Parliament.uk
• [3] The Environment Bill as introduced to the House of Lords on 26 May 2021, Parliament.uk
• [4] Lords amendments to the Environment Bill, 14 October 2021, Parliament.uk

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