Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department plans to provide to schools in areas of high air pollution hotspots to help them protect children's health.

Through the Air Quality Grant we help local authorities tackle air quality in their areas in order to reduce the impact on peoples’ health and create cleaner and healthier environments. This fund has awarded more than £52 million to a variety of projects since it started in 1997, including schools engagement work by local authorities.

During air pollution episodes, Defra issues advice via the UK Air website which includes links to health advice issued by Public Health England (PHE).

My officials are currently working with PHE and the Association of Directors of Public Health to develop a series of outreach events aimed at Directors of Public Health and designed to help them deliver and communicate local action.