Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of divergence between UK and (a) Directive (EU) 2024/2881 and (b) other EU air quality protections on (a) trade and investment and (b) rebalancing
Answer
Government keeps its air quality framework under review, including targets and standards, and will review the Air Quality Strategy by 2028. The stated focus is on delivering effective policies across the main emission sources to improve air quality and protect public health. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs monitors and assesses any UK-EU divergence on environmental protections.25% vibes
Verdict: RED (18/100)
The reply does not give a substantive answer to either part of the question. Its only relevant statement says DEFRA monitors and assesses any divergence between UK and EU environmental protections, which does not address the trade or investment effects asked about or the rebalancing impact. The question was therefore only weakly touched, and the person who asked would likely need to submit a more specific follow-up to get the information they wanted.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the department's assessment or view of the potential impact on trade and investment of divergence between UK air quality law and (a) Directive (EU) 2024/2881 and (b) other EU air quality protections? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never mentions trade or investment impacts. Its only relevant statement says DEFRA monitors and assesses any UK-EU divergence on environmental protections, which gestures at the general assessment of divergence but gives no view on its trade or investment effects. |
| What is the department's assessment or view of the potential impact on rebalancing of divergence between UK air quality law and (a) Directive (EU) 2024/2881 and (b) other EU air quality protections? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply does not mention rebalancing at all. The DEFRA monitoring-and-assessment referral is the only statement touching divergence, and it offers no substantive view on the rebalancing impact the item asks about. |