A Bill to establish the right to breathe clean air; to require the Secretary of State to achieve and maintain clean air in England and Wales; to involve Public Health England in setting and reviewing pollutants and their limits; to enhance the powers, duties and functions of the Environment Agency, the Committee on Climate Change, local authorities (including port authorities), the Civil Aviation Authority, Highways England, Historic England and Natural England in relation to air pollution; to establish the Citizens’ Commission for Clean Air with powers to institute or intervene in legal proceedings; to require the Secretary of State and the relevant national authorities to apply environmental principles in carrying out their duties under this Act and the clean air enactments; and for connected purposes
House of Lords
8 November 2019
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
The bill would establish a legal right to clean air and require the Government and public bodies in England and Wales to achieve and maintain clean air. It involves Public Health England in setting and reviewing air pollutant limits, extends the powers of several bodies to tackle pollution, and creates a Citizens’ Commission for Clean Air with the power to start or join legal cases. It also requires authorities to apply environmental principles in carrying out their duties under this Act and existing clean air laws.
The bill is currently at the second reading stage in the House of Lords and would typically move on to committee stage for detailed examination after this.
Generated 21 February 2026
22 Oct 2019
First reading took place on 22 October. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.
Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.
The 2017-19 Parliament dissolved at the end of the 2019 Session and this Bill will make no further progress.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
