Kensington and Chelsea Council has demanded an apology from secretary of state Hilary Benn over criticism of its record for dealing with dangerous fumes.

A survey released on the web site for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said that the council done nothing to regulate fumes which are by-products in petrol stations, dry cleaners and paint sprayers within the Royal Borough.

This has angered council officials - who claim that they have carried out inspections in a bid to prevent hazardous chemicals and fumes from escaping into the environment.

Cllr Daniel Moylan (pictured) sent a strongly worded letter to food and rural affairs secretary of state Hilary Benn, whose father, veteran Labour politician Tony Benn is a Royal Borough resident from Ladbroke Grove

He said: "I think you will agree than an apology is due, along with a formal retraction of the survey results, so that amended tables can be published.'

A spokesman for DEFRA said: "We have received Cllr Moylan's letter and we will respond to him in due course."