(Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op)
What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health
and Social Care on the relationship between air quality and the
rate of (a) death and (b) infection from covid-19. [902749]
(Nottingham South)
(Lab)
What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for
Health and Social Care on the link between air quality and the
exacerbation of covid-19 symptoms. [902765]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs () [V]
DEFRA has had extensive discussions with the Department of Health
and Social Care on the relationship between air quality and
health, recently considering the specific relationship between
covid-19 deaths and air quality. DEFRA is actively working with
Public Health England and the Office for National Statistics to
assess further the relationship for the UK, and DEFRA’s chief
scientific adviser is working with relevant experts in health,
disease and air quality to assess the relationship between air
quality and the risk of infection, based on the emerging
scientific research into covid-19.
[V]
Research from Harvard University suggests that a change of 1
microgram per cubic metre of PM2.5 leads to a 15% reduction in
covid deaths, and Queen Mary University of London has shown that
short-term pollution gives rise to more infection. Will the
Minister and the Secretary of State meet me and the academics
from Harvard and Queen Mary on 29 May at the all-party
parliamentary group on air pollution to discuss this, with a view
to introducing World Health Organisation air quality standards
into the Environment Bill?
I know that the hon. Gentleman works very hard in this area. The
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Public Health
England and the ONS are working together to assess whether there
is evidence of association between exposure to particulates—the
PM2.5 that he refers to—and covid-19 mortality in the UK. The
clean air strategy sets out the comprehensive action required
across all parts of Government to improve air quality for
everyone, and it includes measures to reduce key sources that
contribute to fine particulate matter. Because of the lockdown, I
think joining the APPG would be difficult, but I would be very
interested to have some feedback from that meeting.
[V]
Tens of thousands of lives cut short every year—that was the UK’s
air quality health emergency long before we had even heard of
coronavirus. As my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea West
() said, we now know that
there is a strong correlation between long-term exposure to air
pollution and covid-19 deaths, so clean air zones are needed more
than ever. However, Nottingham’s taxi drivers tell me they are
worried about their ability to invest in new clean electric
vehicles as a result of lost income, and other businesses face
similar pressures. As we come out of lockdown, how will the
Government support local councils and small businesses to go even
faster to protect the public from toxic air?
As the hon. Lady will know, we have supported Nottingham City
Council to tackle its nitrogen dioxide exceedance through a £1
million investment to support the uptake of e-taxis and £1.7
million to retrofit 171 buses, which means that there is not a
need for a clean air zone. Nottingham is also one of the Go Ultra
Low cities. My officials will be working closely with and will be
very interested to speak to Nottingham City Council to see how
the impacts of coronavirus are affecting its plans. They are
doing that with all local authorities across the country, just to
keep a weather eye on how coronavirus will impact our new clean
air zones and our drive to reduce air pollution, which of course
is all important.
