Government delays its air quality plan days before publication

A request by the Government to delay a report on air pollution until after the General Election has been described as "far from acceptable".The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was ordered by the courts to publish enhanced measures by Monday after its plans for meeting the EU's air quality requirements were deemed inadequate.The move has provoked anger from campaigners, with environmental lawyers accusing the Government of leaving its deferral to the "very last minute".