Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2019 to Question 206215 on air pollution, if he will take steps to commission further research into the effects on health of ultrafine particles.

The Department is investing over £1 billion a year in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR will consider funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the effect of ultrafine particles. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

The Department will also consider areas for research into air pollution and more specifically ultrafine particles from research recommendations and priorities identified by the Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants and by Public Health England.