Horn Lane Pollution Raised at Westminster

Ealing Central and Acton MP highlights local problems

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Acton's new MP has raised the ongoing issue of pollution at Horn Lane in Parliament and been told there is money available to help tackle it.

Rupa Huq, who took the Ealing, Central and Acton seat from Conservative Angie Bray at the last election, spoke in a Westminster Hall debate. Mayoral candidate, Diane Abbott MP, who secured the debate described pollution as ''The unseen, silent killer stalking London's streets.''

Dr Huq can be seen (at 9.40 and 10.45) in video footage from Parliament TV.

Dr Huq said: '' I echo other Members in congratulating my hon. Friend on securing this important debate on a vital subject. She mentioned Oxford Street, but there are also suburban equivalents. Horn Lane in Acton, off the A40, is one of the most polluted hotspots in London. Asthma UK, a neutral charity, has called the Government's approach “designed to mask the true scale of England's air... ''

She asked the minister if there was more funding to deal with the issue: ''Is not part of the problem that local authorities are punished by EU fines if they do not meet the targets, but do not have the power to do anything? Our manifesto promised to put £30 billion of devolved spending behind the issue. That is not happening now. Does the Minister have any plans for anything like it?''

In the 90-minute debate in Westminster Hall, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rory Stewart, responded on behalf of the Government.

He said Ealing Council could have done more to tackle the problem : '' For example Government grants were available for road sweeping equipment - I personally would have like the council to apply for that money and there could have been more imagination and flexibility on using bus lanes for road sweeping equipment.''

He said he would take the matter up in more depth with her - and Dr Huq later tweeted saying that Ealing Council Leader, Julian Bell, will apply for the funding.

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12th June 2015

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