Environment Act 1995

80 National air quality strategy

(1) The Secretary of State shall as soon as possible prepare and publish a statement (in this Part referred to as “the strategy”) containing policies with respect to the assessment or management of the quality of air.

(2) The strategy may also contain policies for implementing—

(a) obligations of the United Kingdom under the Community Treaties, or

(b) international agreements to which the United Kingdom is for the time being a party,

so far as relating to the quality of air.

(3) The strategy shall consist of or include—

(a) a statement which relates to the whole of Great Britain; or

(b) two or more statements which between them relate to every part of Great Britain.

(4) The Secretary of State—

(a) shall keep under review his policies with respect to the quality of air; and

(b) may from time to time modify the strategy.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of what may be included in the strategy, the strategy must include statements with respect to—

(a) standards relating to the quality of air;

(b) objectives for the restriction of the levels at which particular substances are present in the air; and

(c) measures which are to be taken by local authorities and other persons for the purpose of achieving those objectives.

(6) In preparing the strategy or any modification of it, the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) the appropriate new Agency;

(b) such bodies or persons appearing to him to be representative of the interests of local government as he may consider appropriate;

(c) such bodies or persons appearing to him to be representative of the interests of industry as he may consider appropriate; and

(d) such other bodies or persons as he may consider appropriate.

(7) Before publishing the strategy or any modification of it, the Secretary of State—

(a) shall publish a draft of the proposed strategy or modification, together with notice of a date before which, and an address at which, representations may be made to him concerning the draft so published; and

(b) shall take into account any such representations which are duly made and not withdrawn.