Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to measure the air quality of (a) hospitals and (b) hospital car parks.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The policy around outdoor air quality measurement is led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This data is publicly available and used by National Health Service trusts, and NHS England. NHS England has set out a range of measures to reduce trusts’ impact on outdoor air quality, as part of its commitment to achieve Net Zero for direct NHS emissions by 2040. Specific actions are set out in its Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy, Net Zero Estates Delivery Plan, and Clinical Waste Strategy, which are available respectively at the following links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/net-zero-travel-and-transport-strategy/
https://www.jpaget.nhs.uk/media/588250/Estates-Net-Zero-Carbon-Delivery-Plan.pdf
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-clinical-waste-strategy/
The NHS’s guidance on indoor air quality is set out in the NHS technical memorandum 03-01: Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-ventilation-for-healthcare-buildings/
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will (a) issue guidance and (b) provide resources to local authorities to help tackle household air pollution.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Government is taking significant and wide-ranging action to drive improvements to air quality, as set out in our Environmental Improvement Plan, including by providing over £883 million to help local authorities develop and implement local nitrogen dioxide reduction plans, and to support those impacted by these plans.
The Government has published guidance for private and social landlords on understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould, following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from a severe respiratory condition due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home, and is additionally investing £10 million into the Healthy Homes pilots, working with selected local authorities to test measures to improve enforcement on damp and mould in private rented sector housing, while boosting the capability and capacity of enforcement teams in the greatest areas of housing and health need. Further information on the guidance for private and social landlords is available at the following link:
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department holds information on the use of outdoor advertising infrastructure for digital data capture.
Answered by Julia Lopez
Any organisation capturing digital data that contains personal data is required to comply with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 which impose obligations on data controllers to process data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Most of this information should be found in an organisation’s privacy notice which explains the collection and use of personal information.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential (a) viability and (b) merits of creating a national indoor air quality observatory to monitor (i) levels and (ii) the potential health effects of indoor air pollution.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Department continues to work collaboratively across the Government to address the impact of air pollution. We are taking significant and wide-ranging action to drive improvements to air quality, as set out in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Environmental Improvement Plan. The United Kingdom Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) Cleaner Air Programme also aims to help reduce people’s exposure to air pollution, tackle disparities in exposure, and improve outcomes for all, including through increasing the evidence base and improving awareness and understanding of the health impacts of air pollution. The UKHSA has published a study quantifying the health burden in the population of England from key respiratory conditions associated with residential exposures to damp, mould, and formaldehyde.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of household air pollution on (a) health outcomes and (b) NHS capacity and resources.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The UK Health Security Agency published a study quantifying the health burden in the population of England from key respiratory illness or conditions associated with residential exposures to damp, mould, and formaldehyde. In 2019, the presence of damp, mould, or both was associated with approximately 5,000 cases of asthma, and approximately 8,500 lower respiratory infections among children and adults. Residential formaldehyde exposure was associated with approximately 4,000 cases of childhood asthma among children.
Exposure to indoor air pollutants can trigger or exacerbate asthma, other respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, and may even have carcinogenic effects. Damp and mould have been associated with respiratory health outcomes, such as exacerbation of asthma, respiratory infections, and allergies. The National Health Service has not made an assessment of the potential impact of household air pollution on NHS capacity and resources.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including provisions within the High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill on outdoor advertising.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Advertising has a valuable role to play in a free market society. Local councils already have the choice, through powers in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to refuse applications on amenity or public safety grounds.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to restrict outdoor advertising.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Advertising has a valuable role to play in a free market society. Local councils already have the choice, through powers in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to refuse applications on amenity or public safety grounds.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the research by Adfree cities which found that outdoor advertising is disproportionately placed in areas of existing deprivation, published in March 2024.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Advertising has a valuable role to play in a free market society. Local councils already have the choice, through powers in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to refuse applications on amenity or public safety grounds.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will take steps to reduce the energy use of outdoor digital billboards.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Digital billboards and other signage displays are covered under the 2021 Ecodesign Regulations for electronic displays. These regulations set minimum energy performance standards to increase the energy efficiency of products. Additionally, the regulations include provisions for the recycling of these displays at the end of their life, and for the careful use of critical materials. These regulations are subject to post-implementation reviews.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle the potential impact of outdoor advertising on children’s (a) diet and (b) obesity levels.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
The Government is committed to tackling childhood obesity. We are implementing landmark advertising restrictions from October 2025, which will protect children from the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television before the 9:00pm watershed, and paid-for advertising online. Evidence shows that these restrictions will have a direct impact on childhood obesity by targeting the media that children experience most.