Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of air pollution on the health of people living in (a) deprived areas compared with (b) other areas.

Although air pollution can be harmful to everyone, some people are more affected because they live in a polluted area, are exposed to higher levels of air pollution or are more susceptible to air pollution exposure. The most vulnerable face all of these disadvantages. Groups that are more affected by air pollution include older people, children, individuals with existing cardiovascular or respiratory disease, pregnant women, communities in areas of higher pollution, such as close to busy roads low-income communities.

Public Health England has developed a five-year cleaner air programme of work, which aims to reduce people’s exposure to air pollution particularly for the most vulnerable groups.