UK government agrees to publish air pollution strategy in next week

No 10 strategy to cut premature deaths could include scrappage scheme for highly polluting diesel vehicles and clean air zones

A draft plan to tackle air pollution will finally be published within the next week, after No 10 said it would not challenge a court ruling forcing the government to release information before the election.

Theresa May's official spokesman said the government would not appeal against the high court judgment, which rejected attempts by ministers to keep the policy under wraps until after the poll. This means the government will have to publish its draft air-quality plan before 9 May, but No 10 said it wanted to wait until after the purdah period for the local elections was over on Thursday.