Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at what level his Department values the reduction of the risk of death per fatal casualty prevented; and if he will give an example of a policy intervention where this evaluation was made.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the reply given on Monday, 07 July 2014: Official Report, Column 73W.
An example of a policy intervention where the reduction of risk of death is valued is in the consultation stage Impact Assessment on whether to issue a Ministerial Direction for the preparation of Reservoir Flood Plans, issued on 17 December 2009. This document has been placed in the House Library.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures of the value of life and health were included in the evidence submitted as part of the Environment Agency's work with the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The focus of the work of the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health has been methodological rather than upon specific measures of value.
The value of life and health measures submitted by the Department through discussions at the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review referred to Defra's guidance on valuing risk to life from Flooding and the “lost life years” estimate associated with reductions in air pollution.
A copy of the published Defra guidance has been placed in the House Library.
The Environment Agency evidence to the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review was submitted in March 2008. It did not include any measures of the value of life and health. It did refer to Defra guidance on valuing risk to life, which was under preparation at the time of the review and published in May 2008.
A copy of the Environment Agency submission to the Review has been placed in the House Library.
Documents provided:
Environment Agency, March 2008, response to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health Survey.
Defra, May 2008. Supplementary Note to Operating Authorities, Assessing and Valuing the Risk to Life from Flooding for use in Appraisal of Risk Management Measures.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures of the value of life and health were included in the evidence submitted as part of his Department's work with the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The focus of the work of the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health has been methodological rather than upon specific measures of value.
The value of life and health measures submitted by the Department through discussions at the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review referred to Defra's guidance on valuing risk to life from Flooding and the “lost life years” estimate associated with reductions in air pollution.
A copy of the published Defra guidance has been placed in the House Library.
The Environment Agency evidence to the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review was submitted in March 2008. It did not include any measures of the value of life and health. It did refer to Defra guidance on valuing risk to life, which was under preparation at the time of the review and published in May 2008.
A copy of the Environment Agency submission to the Review has been placed in the House Library.
Documents provided:
Environment Agency, March 2008, response to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health Survey.
Defra, May 2008. Supplementary Note to Operating Authorities, Assessing and Valuing the Risk to Life from Flooding for use in Appraisal of Risk Management Measures.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monetary thresholds were applied to the cost-per-quality adjusted life year quoted in the evidence submitted as part of the Environment Agency's work with the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the reply given on 1 July 2014, Official Report, Column 533-534w.
The focus of the work of the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health has been methodological rather than upon specific measures of value. It has focused upon the appropriate units for the measurement of impacts on life and health risks in different circumstances, and the methodology to be applied to valuation of those units in different contexts. Nevertheless, as a spur to the methodological investigation, an initial survey of monetary valuations of various units of impact by different departments and agencies including case studies was undertaken. This was conducted by the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds and compiled into a “Survey of the Value of Life/ Health used in Government Departments”, which has been placed in the Library. In addition, HSE and DfT have already placed in the Library their members' responses to the ITS survey.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what explicit monetary value his Department assigns to the value of preventing a fatality calculation during the process of policy appraisal and evaluation.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Department uses the methodology most appropriate to the policy question – for example, whether the policy reduces the risk of a sudden loss of life or whether the policy increases life expectancy.
Air quality affects people's health and their life expectancy, this is reflected in policy appraisal with a ‘lost life years' methodology employing a value of £29,000 per year of lost life (in 2004 prices). This figure was informed by a 2004 Defra report entitled Valuation of Health Benefits Associated with Reduction in Air Pollution available here http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/healthbenefits/airpollution_reduction.pdf). The 2004 study did not directly give the £29,000 figure but was instrumental in its adoption.
Alternatively, appraisal of policy that prevents sudden loss of life, such as those relating to flood risk, is supported by published Defra guidance on risk to life of flooding which we provide a copy of. This guidance refers to the Green Book which includes a value of preventing fatality of about £1.145million (in 2000 prices). This estimate is not appropriate in all situations but represents a readily available value of changes in risks of fatalities
The methodology used by the Department is likely to evolve over time as new evidence is developed.
Documents provided:
Defra, May 2008. Supplementary Note to Operating Authorities, Assessing and Valuing the Risk to Life from Flooding for use in Appraisal of Risk Management Measures.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monetary thresholds were applied to the cost-per-quality adjusted life year quoted in the evidence submitted as part of the Department's work with the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the reply given on 1 July 2014, Official Report, Column 533-534w.
The focus of the work of the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health has been methodological rather than upon specific measures of value. It has focused upon the appropriate units for the measurement of impacts on life and health risks in different circumstances, and the methodology to be applied to valuation of those units in different contexts. Nevertheless, as a spur to the methodological investigation, an initial survey of monetary valuations of various units of impact by different departments and agencies including case studies was undertaken. This was conducted by the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds and compiled into a “Survey of the Value of Life/ Health used in Government Departments”, which has been placed in the Library. In addition, HSE and DfT have already placed in the Library their members' responses to the ITS survey.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the explicit monetary value per quality-adjusted life was in the context of the Health benefits from air pollution reduction, as quoted as part of his Department's submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Environment Agency did not provide an explicit monetary value for a quality adjusted life in the context of flood risk management as part of the 2008 review. It did provide a discussion of risk to life valuation in connection to flood risk in Boscastle, as referenced on page 10 of the 2008 Review.
The explicit monetary value per quality-adjusted life from air pollution reduction, as quoted as part of the Department's submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008 was valued using a “lost life years” methodology at £29,000 (in 2004 prices) for each additional year of life. This figure was informed by a 2004 Defra report entitled Valuation of Health Benefits Associated with Reduction in Air Pollution available here http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/healthbenefits/airpollution_reduction.pdf). The 2004 study did not directly give the £29,000 figure but was instrumental in its adoption.
The lead economist working in health and wellbeing in the Department was a member of this group in 2008. His interview responses were formed from his experience within the Department. Records of the interviews conducted by the University of Leeds (other than what is incorporated into the report itself) were not kept by the Department.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the explicit monetary value per quality-adjusted life was in the context of the Flood Risk Management, as quoted as part of the Environment Agency's submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Environment Agency did not provide an explicit monetary value for a quality adjusted life in the context of flood risk management as part of the 2008 review. It did provide a discussion of risk to life valuation in connection to flood risk in Boscastle, as referenced on page 10 of the 2008 Review.
The explicit monetary value per quality-adjusted life from air pollution reduction, as quoted as part of the Department's submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008 was valued using a “lost life years” methodology at £29,000 (in 2004 prices) for each additional year of life. This figure was informed by a 2004 Defra report entitled Valuation of Health Benefits Associated with Reduction in Air Pollution available here http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/healthbenefits/airpollution_reduction.pdf). The 2004 study did not directly give the £29,000 figure but was instrumental in its adoption.
The lead economist working in health and wellbeing in the Department was a member of this group in 2008. His interview responses were formed from his experience within the Department. Records of the interviews conducted by the University of Leeds (other than what is incorporated into the report itself) were not kept by the Department.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review and all evidence submitted to the series of interviews with his Department's staff conducted by researchers from the University of Leeds in 2008.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Environment Agency did not provide an explicit monetary value for a quality adjusted life in the context of flood risk management as part of the 2008 review. It did provide a discussion of risk to life valuation in connection to flood risk in Boscastle, as referenced on page 10 of the 2008 Review.
The explicit monetary value per quality-adjusted life from air pollution reduction, as quoted as part of the Department's submission to the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008 was valued using a “lost life years” methodology at £29,000 (in 2004 prices) for each additional year of life. This figure was informed by a 2004 Defra report entitled Valuation of Health Benefits Associated with Reduction in Air Pollution available here http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/healthbenefits/airpollution_reduction.pdf). The 2004 study did not directly give the £29,000 figure but was instrumental in its adoption.
The lead economist working in health and wellbeing in the Department was a member of this group in 2008. His interview responses were formed from his experience within the Department. Records of the interviews conducted by the University of Leeds (other than what is incorporated into the report itself) were not kept by the Department.
Asked by: Stephen O'Brien (Conservative - Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what circumstances he uses a calculation of the (a) value of preventing a fatality, (b) willingness to pay and (c) cost-per-quality adjusted life year approach to quantify the value of a policy intervention; what other tools he uses to quantify the benefit of a policy intervention; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
The Green Book and associated supplementary guidance is publicly available on the Treasury web site. It sets out a range of approaches and methods that may be appropriate in a number of different appraisal circumstances.