Revealed: British ministers tried to block EU moves to clean up air quality

Department of the Environment department advised MEPs to vote against tighter control of 'real-world' car emissions

The British government sought to block new EU legislation that would force member states to carry out surprise checks on the emissions of cars, raising fresh questions over ministers' attitude to air pollution and their conduct in the Volkswagen scandal.

A document obtained by the Observer reveals that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been advising British MEPs to vote against legislation that would oblige countries to carry out "routine and non-routine" inspections on vehicles' "real-world" emissions.