Oral Answers to Questions

Beccy Cooper Excerpts

Wednesday 17th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman raises a serious issue. He might have forgotten that this House legislated for emergency measures to save steel across our country. We will continue to do more—and, of course, this is on the agenda for the Prime Minister at the G7.

[Dr Beccy Cooper (Worthing West) (Lab)]

Q7. It is great to see the NHS moving forward, with a reduction in waiting lists and improving relations with our junior doctors, my colleagues. However, in order to keep our NHS working well in the long term, we must get serious about prevention. Every year, more than 30,000 deaths in our country are attributed to poor air quality. Ella Kissi-Debrah’s mum knows this all too well; her little girl was just nine years old when she died as a direct result of air pollution. Seventy years on from the Clean Air Act 1956, will the Deputy Prime Minister support a much-needed update to this essential law, to protect the future of our NHS and to keep our children healthy?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. She makes a powerful point, as someone who has worked in public health for many years. I have met Ella’s family, including her mother Rosamund. Her death was a tragedy, and this is an issue close to my heart. Through our environmental improvement plan, we are taking action to cut pollutants, including through new targets to cut exposure to harmful particles by a third, and by reforming industrial permitting to reduce emissions. A Minister will be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this further.