Government Accused of Misleading Public Over Scrapped Air Quality Regulations

Ministers have been accused of "misleading the public" after documents obtained by Ends Report and the Guardian revealed they ignored their officials' advice when scrapping key air quality regulations. The regulations being revoked are regulations 9 and 10 of the National Emission Ceiling (NEC) regulations, which set legally binding emission reduction commitments for five key air pollutants. This decision has faced strong criticism from environmental watchdogs and politicians, who have urged the government to reconsider its actions and prevent the regulations from being scrapped. The government has defended its decision by stating that it aims to reduce administrative burden and remove duplication. However, documents reveal that officials advised the government to carry out a public consultation before revoking the regulations and highlighted the gaps that would be created by removing these regulations. Despite the government's reassurances about using expert advice, it is now clear that ministers failed to seek the advice of external experts and also refused to heed the advice of their own officials. This has raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the government's approach to environmental protection.

The article describes how the government has faced criticism for scrapping key air quality regulations, as officials' advice to carry out a public consultation and the warnings about the gaps created by removing the regulations were disregarded. The uproar over the decision revolves around concerns about transparency and accountability in the government's environmental protection efforts.