Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made on trends of indoor air pollution.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Air Quality Expert Group state that there is a challenge of establishing overall trends in indoor air pollution due to limited monitoring and heterogeneity of indoor environments.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is actively addressing this evidence gap through its involvement in two research hubs, headed by UK Research and Innovation and the Medical Research Council, the Child and Adolescent Health Impacts of Learning Indoor Environments under Net Zero Hub, also known as the CHILI, Hub, and the Indoor HABItability during the Transition to Net Zero Housing Hub, also known as the INHABIT, Hub. In addition, the UKHSA contributes to the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Health Protection Research Unit on Climate Change and Health Security Theme on Healthy Indoor Environments. Collectively these projects aim to strengthen the evidence base on the impact of climate change policies on indoor exposure to air pollution and will include monitoring of indoor environments.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many attributable deaths there were from fine particulate matter, PM2.5, were there in (a) East Midlands, (b) East of England, (c) Greater London, (d) North East, (e) North West, (f) South East, (g) South West, (h) West Midlands, (i) Yorkshire and the Humber, and (j) England in each year since 2018 using COMEAP's latest methodology.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The number of deaths attributable to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is not annually calculated for each region. The current estimate of attributable deaths in the United Kingdom for 2019 was 29,000 to 43,000 deaths for adults aged 30 years old and over.
The fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution is annually calculated for each region and represents the percentage of annual deaths from all causes in those aged 30 years old and over, attributed to PM2.5. This indicator is calculated using the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants’ updated concentration-response-function, and figures for the years 2018 to 2023 are available at the following link:
Estimates for 2024 will be available later in 2026.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which public health factors created the 10 largest direct cost impacts on the NHS in 2024; and how much the NHS spent in 2024 on tackling the health impacts of the following public health factors: (a) air pollution, (b) alcoholism, (c) obesity, (d) excessive salt consumption and (e) smoking.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Global Burden of Disease data considers the top ten public health factors in the United Kingdom in 2023 in order of importance to be: tobacco, high body mass index, dietary risks, high fasting plasma glucose, high blood pressure, high alcohol use, high cholesterol, occupational risks, kidney dysfunction, and drug use. Further information on the Global Burden of Disease data is available at the following link:
https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare/
The following table shows the various estimates of the cost to the National Health Service of the five factors specified:
Risk factor | Estimated NHS cost | Source of Estimate |
Air Pollution | £1.6 billion for fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide combined between 2017 and 2025. | Public Health England Agency, 2018 |
Alcohol | £4.9 billion annually | Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2021/22 |
Obesity | £9.3 billion annually | Frontier Economics & NESTA, 2025 |
Hypertension (excessive salt consumption is linked to an increased risk of hypertension) | £2.1 billion annually | Optimity Matrix (commissioned by Public Health England), 2014 |
Smoking | £1.8 billion annually | Action on Smoking and Health, 2025 |
Comparisons of costs should not be made between these estimates because of the different methodologies used in their construction.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 10 May 2023 to Question 183643 on Public Health, what methodologies were used to estimate the costs to the NHS for each of the five risk factors specified.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The applicable methodologies for the National Health Service cost attributed to each of the risk factors outlined are explained in the following reports.
The estimated air pollution related costs to the NHS can be found in the Public Health England report ‘Estimation of costs to the NHS and social care due to the health impacts of air pollution: summary report’ , from 2018, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-pollution-a-tool-to-estimate-healthcare-costs
An estimate of the NHS and healthcare costs of alcohol from 2021/22, produced by the Institute of Alcohol Studies, can be found at the following link:
https://www.ias.org.uk/factsheet/economy/
Estimated obesity related costs to the NHS can be found in the Frontier Economics report for NESTA, published in July 2025, ‘The Economic and Productivity Costs of Obesity and Overweight in the UK’, which is available at the following link:
Estimated Hypertension related costs to the NHS can be found in the Optimity Matrix Cost-effectiveness review of blood pressure interventions, ‘A Report to the Blood Pressure System Leadership Board’, published November 2014, available at the following link:
The most recent estimated smoking related costs to the NHS can be found in the press release, ‘New figures show cost of smoking to society in England dwarfs tobacco tax revenue’. This is available at the following link:
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Government guidance there is on technical standards to be applied in dwellings and other buildings to improve indoor air quality.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government sets standards for indoor air quality mainly through Parts F (Ventilation) and L (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations which apply primarily to new buildings with detailed guidance provided in Approved Documents. Approved Document F sets minimum ventilation requirements to provide fresh air and reduce risks from pollutants, moisture, condensation and mould. These standards were strengthened in 2021 and took effect in June 2022.
Indoor air quality in existing properties is addressed separately, including through Awaab’s Law which requires social landlords to investigate and remedy damp and mould hazards within set timescales. Government policy is also informed by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) which provides independent advice on air quality and health.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of health inequalities associated with a) asthma and b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is aware of the disproportionate impact that asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) have on deprived communities. The Government is acting on smoking, air pollution, and poor housing that will particularly benefit such communities.
Smoking is the number one preventable cause of COPD. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be the biggest public health intervention since the 2007 indoor smoking ban and will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom.
Poor air quality can exacerbate COPD and asthma. To address this, DHSC is working across Government with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to tackle air pollution, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to fix housing and reduce damp and mould. Infections can also exacerbate COPD and asthma, so the National Health Service is running winter vaccine campaigns against respiratory infections including COVID-19, flu, and pneumococcal disease.
To enable faster diagnosis of asthma and COPD and earlier access to treatment, access to spirometry tests in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) is growing and will continue to do so as more sites come online. The first five months of 2025/26 saw an increase in CDC spirometry testing of approximately 2000 tests per month more than in the previous year.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 98739 on Biodiversity and Pollution: Sutton Park, what steps her Department has taken since the decline in the condition of the park was first detected.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England (NE) and the Forestry Commission are working with Birmingham City Council (BCC) to review on-site management to address the decline in habitat condition. This includes: improved grazing; addressing scrub and bracken encroachment; management of invasive species; increased woodland thinning; and visitor management. NE also provided a detailed response to BCC’s 2025 consultation on its Sutton Park National Nature Reserve management plan, which identifies the key objectives and actions for managing the Park. NE is also discussing with BCC future funding support through agri-environment schemes and other sources.
NE is working with BCC and other neighbouring Local Planning Authorities to influence strategic development and transport plans to ensure housing needs are met while protecting the habitats of the Site of Special Scientific Interest from recreational pressure and air pollution.
NE and the Environment Agency continue to work with Severn Trent Water to address pollution risks from sewage infrastructure as part of the Water Industry Natural Environment Programme.
The recently published West Midlands Combined Authority Local Nature Recovery Strategy recognises the importance of Sutton Park, both for nature and for people. Actions identified in the Strategy, both within the Park and the wider area, will also support habitat recovery in the Park.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with ‘Heating, ventilation and air conditioning’ (HVAC) professionals and facilities managers to understand how they reduce air pollution in dwellings and non-domestic buildings while minimising energy use and heat loss.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and the UK Health Security Agency engage with a range of stakeholders on ways to reduce the health impacts of both indoor and outdoor air pollution.
This includes engagement by officials with relevant bodies in the United Kingdom and internationally, such as the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre, which operates under the International Energy Agency, on issues related to indoor air quality, including ventilation.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the number of premature deaths in (i) England and (ii) the UK attributable to (a) smoking, (b) air pollution, (c) alcoholism and (d) obesity in the last 12 months.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 5th of January is attached.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the difference is in legal duties and obligations between limit values under the Air Quality Standards Regulations and air quality targets for PM2.5 concentrations set in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Air Quality Standards Regulations (AQSR) 2010 establish legally binding standards across the UK, for numerous air pollutants, including PM2.5. The AQSR limit value for PM2.5 concentrations is 20 micrograms per cubic meter in England and responsibility for meeting the target lies with the Secretary of State.
Targets established through the Environment Act 2021 (The Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2023) set legally binding targets of annual mean concentration of 10 micrograms per cubic meter or lower by 2040, and a 35% reduction in population exposure by 2040 (compared to 2018 levels). These apply to England only and responsibility for meeting the targets lies with the Secretary of State. The Environmental Improvement Plan also sets out non-legally binding interim targets.
Some AQSR standards are mirrored in the Local Air Quality Management framework. This is not the case for the Environment Act 2021 targets, although local authorities are required through the Air Quality Strategy to contribute to targets being met.