Official Report 699KB pdf
Air Quality Standards (PE2123)
The next item of business is consideration of petition PE2123. The petition, which has been lodged by Asthma and Lung UK Scotland, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend the Air Quality Standards (Scotland) Regulations 2010 by setting new limit values for nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter in order to align with the World Health Organization’s 2021 air quality guidelines.
The committee first considered the petition in April, when it agreed to write to the Scottish Government to get an update on its review of its strategy, “Cleaner Air for Scotland 2: Towards a Better Place for Everyone”. The Scottish Government responded on 22 April, and its letter is provided in annex B of the relevant paper, which also sets out some options for going further.
Do members have any views?
This is an important issue for people’s quality of life and health. The committee has now had a response from the Scottish Government. Given the petition’s importance, could we write to the stakeholders who were involved in the inquiry that the committee did on this matter a couple of years ago to get an update and see whether they have any more thoughts? That might allow us to think about how we take the matter forward and whether we have enough information.
I would welcome that approach. Since the committee last took evidence on this issue, which was in May 2023, we have seen quite a few changes. Low-emission zones have been rolled out in Scotland; there is increasing evidence with regard to particulates from wood-burning stoves; and new scientific evidence is coming along about the impact of air pollution on child development. Therefore, I would say yes to the suggestion that has been made. Now would be a good time to reflect on the evidence, take stock and write to the stakeholders who were part of the initial inquiry.
Thank you. I think that the committee agrees that we should write to those who were involved in the 2023 report on air quality. I would like to consider carefully the list of people to whom we should write, just to ensure that we include those stakeholders, and the clerks will circulate the list to committee members for their agreement after the meeting. Depending on what we get back, we can decide on the next action then—I think that that is the simple solution. Thank you, Sarah, for making that suggestion, and thank you, Mark, for agreeing.
Does the committee agree to the suggested action?
Members indicated agreement.
We will now move into private session.
12:18 Meeting continued in private until 12:33.