Tim Farron MP: written questions
254 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Infant Foods: SafetyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115347More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the recent recall of Aptamil and SMA on NHS infant-formula supply; and what discussions his Department has had with UK manufacturers on that r
Answer: Following the recent recalls of specific batches of infant formula due to the possible presence of the cereulide toxin, the Food Standards Agency has led the incident response, engaging directly with the manufacturers concerned and coordinating public not...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDams and Reservoirs: SafetyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112108More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to assess the safety of dams and reservoirs given potential climate impacts, including monitoring and standards; and whether her Department has e
Answer: Reservoir safety in England is regulated under the Reservoirs Act 1975 for which the Environment Agency (EA) is the Enforcement Authority. Reservoir owners and operators are required to employ specialist civil engineers to build, supervise, inspect, and m...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Air PollutionDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110743More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure a just transition and economic fairness for communities when reducing air pollution from the energy sector.
Answer: The government’s approach to the transition is built on the principle of fairness – for households by ensuring energy security and protecting billpayers, and for workers by ensuring decarbonisation is a route to reindustrialisation.The transition will unl...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Health HazardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) direct and (b) indirect impact of current levels of (i) ambient and (ii) indoor air pollution on the (A) current and (B) future health o
Answer: Ambient and indoor air pollution have long- and short-term health impacts on children and young people, for example respiratory effects including reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has ...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Health HazardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of poor air quality in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air on different age groups of people in England.
Answer: Poor air quality is a major public health risk in the United Kingdom. An estimated 29,000 to 43,000 deaths were attributable to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution in the UK in 2019 among adults aged 30 years old and over.Indoor residential exposu...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Health HazardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on air pollution impacting people's health in relation to (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air in England.
Answer: The Department and the UK Health Security Agency have published a range of information and evidence on health impacts of air pollution, to support action to reduce exposure to harmful emissions.The Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2022: Air Pollution...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Health Education and Pollution ControlDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) bring awareness to and (b) help address the potential adverse impact of poor ambient air quality.
Answer: The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan sets out actions to reduce people’s exposure to harmful emissions, improve public understanding of air pollution, and strengthen how air quality information is communicated. The Department continues to work with partne...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Pollution ControlDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on delivering national targets for ambient air including by sharing data.
Answer: Department of Health and Social Care ministers engage regularly with ministerial colleagues on air quality. The 10-Year Health Plan for England details action the Government will take to reduce the health harms of air pollution. This includes the Departme...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment she has made of his Department's (a) targets, (b) requirements and (c) performance standards for ambient air pollution and the World Health Organisation's A
Answer: The World Health Organisation’s Air Quality Guidelines inform our approach to improving public health. We remain committed to continuous improvement and the WHO guidelines will continue to inform our evidence when considering next steps.
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Health HazardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out the types of health impacts of poor (a) ambient and (b) indoor air quality by (i) geography and (ii) socioeconomic groups.
Answer: Ambient and indoor air pollution are harmful to health in the United Kingdom. Long-term exposure to air pollution, over years or lifetimes, reduces life expectancy, mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, dementia and lung cancer. Short-ter...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110735More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to strengthen communities' powers to improve accountability and local action on air pollution.
Answer: The Government supports communities and local authorities to take effective action on air pollution through the Local Air Quality Management framework, which requires local authorities to assess air quality and implement measures to address local issues. ...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110734More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues to determine the extent that her Department's policies on ambient air quality are interacting with policies on climate change mitig
Answer: Defra’s ambient air quality policy is delivered within the wider framework of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which sets out commitments to improve air quality, restore nature and support climate objectives. The plan highlights that actions to tackle ...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110733More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether local authorities in England have the resources and powers to enforce existing legislation and regulation to improve local air quality.
Answer: Local authorities are centrally funded to fulfil statutory duties under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, which requires action where pollution is highest. The Government supports them through the Air Quality Hub, providing guidance and tools to...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110732More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department's ambient air quality policy is interacting with climate change mitigation, nature recovery and land use planning.
Answer: Defra’s ambient air quality policy is delivered within the wider framework of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which sets out commitments to improve air quality, restore nature and support climate objectives. The plan highlights that actions to tackle ...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the UK's performance in comparison with international counterparts in setting standards for air quality in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air.
Answer: We maintain a continued dialogue on ambient air quality with international partners and technical expert groups to inform our air quality policy, including through the ongoing revision of the 2012 amended Gothenburg Protocol and its obligations. The UK ha...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110358More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparisons and best practices can be learned from other countries to help improve air quality in England in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air.
Answer: The Government recognises that air pollution is a local, regional, and global issue, and that there is considerable expertise, knowledge, and skills that countries, experts, and organisations can share to help reduce pollution across the world. We remain ...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Departmental CoordinationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110357More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which Government departments other than his Department are able to have the biggest impact on improving levels of ambient air pollution; and how their policies seek to achieve this.
Answer: Air pollution comes from many different sources and has wide-ranging impacts. Issues such as air quality, climate action, public health and nature recovery are closely linked, creating opportunities for policies that deliver benefits across all these area...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Departmental CoordinationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support change on ambient air quality across Government.
Answer: We are determined to improve air quality and protect the public from the harm of pollution. That is why we are taking steps to reform areas like simpler industrial permitting to reduce emissions, and tightening standards for new wood burning appliances to...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: MonitoringDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of data capture and analysis for air quality within England.
Answer: Assessment of data capture is a routine activity to ensure air quality monitoring meets legislative requirements (data capture of at least 85% of the measurement period (i.e. at least 85% of days in a year) is required for compliance reporting. Networks o...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: MonitoringDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding and devolved powers to ensure the comprehensive monitoring of air quality in England.
Answer: Defra is responsible for the national monitoring of air quality (which includes England) through 16 different networks monitoring various pollutants. Departmental budgets, including budgets for air quality monitoring, are determined through departmental s...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110353More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she had made of the adequacy of alignment between national government targets and obligations and local government actions to improve ambient air quality in England.
Answer: National targets and local actions are aligned through statutory duties that require local authorities to assess air quality, designate Air Quality Management Areas, and produce Air Quality Action Plans tied to national air quality objectives. Local autho...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of how well examples of local best practice that exist to enforce existing legislation and regulation to improve local air quality are being rol
Answer: National targets and local actions are aligned through statutory duties that require local authorities to assess air quality, designate Air Quality Management Areas, and produce Air Quality Action Plans tied to national air quality objectives. Local autho...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of whether examples of best practice exist in England to achieve compliance with legislation and regulation to improve local air quality in each
Answer: Defra supports local authorities in implementing their statutory air quality duties by providing both resources and practical tools. A key example is the Air Quality Hub, which enables local authorities to collaborate, share best practice, and access guid...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of potential barriers and/or challenges to achieving national targets, requirements and performance standards for ambient air quality, indoor ai
Answer: Defra regularly assesses potential barriers and/or challenges to achieving national targets, requirements and performance standards in relation to ambient air quality and emissions. Performance against targets are reported annually in the emissions invent...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110349More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of national targets, requirements and performance standards for air quality and national emission ceilings in protecting public health, cli
Answer: Defra regularly assesses the adequacy of national air quality targets and emission ceilings through statutory annual reporting and formal reviews of the Environmental Improvement Plan.
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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