[cleanairuk_news] UK Government mid-term review & air quality

[Network for Clean Air]

UK Government mid-term review & air quality

On 7 January 2013, the UK's coalition Government published a review, half
way through its term in office. Its 46 page document called 'The
Coalition: together in the national interest' covers a wide range of
national Government policy including the economy, health, international
relations, and civil liberties for example. As you might expect, the
Government document is not critical of Government policy in any way, and
it omits information which might detract from this view.

There is an environment section of one and a half pages in the review. In
relation to air pollution and air quality it notes only: 'We will continue
to fund a range of projects designed to reduce levels of air pollution in
our towns and cities' (page 40).
 There is a 'NHS and Social Care' section which is more about health
services rather than the nation's health, and it says nothing
specifically about health conditions and air quality.

There are other sections in the document which might have implications for
air quality/ air pollution levels.  In the 'Business, Enterprise and
Growth' section, it discusses transport and in particular says 'We have
invested in infrastructure by: ... improving the road network, through a
series of significant expansions'; ' supporting the largest programme of
investment in the railways since Victorian
 times' (page 9) especially through increased capacity, further rail
electrification and High Speed 2 (HS2). The section also notes the
Government's planning reforms; and starting a review of airport capacity
by The Airports Commission. There is also a section on Climate Change &
Energy giving the Governments view on its importance in policy terms, and
their interventions including the Energy Bill; promoting gas fired
electricity generation and shale gas recovery; low carbon energy -
renewable energy and nuclear; energy efficiency; and the Government's
position in international climate negotiations, etc.

The full document is available here: 
http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/coalition-mid-term-review/