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
5 May 2021
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
This House of Lords bill would create a legal right to clean air and require the government to achieve and maintain clean air in England and Wales. It would involve Public Health England in setting and reviewing pollutants and their limits, widen the powers of key national and local bodies to tackle air pollution, and establish a Citizens’ Commission for Clean Air to help enforce the rules, while mandating authorities to apply environmental principles in carrying out their duties.
The bill is at the 2nd reading in the House of Lords. It originated in the Lords and had its 1st reading in January 2020.
Generated 21 February 2026
13 Jan 2020
First reading took place on 13 January. 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 2019-2021 session of Parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
