Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to raise public awareness of the potential health risks of open (a) coal and (b) wood fires for cooking and heating in the home.

The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness of air pollution and the associated health impacts. The Department of Health and Social Care is supporting the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on their comprehensive Clean Air Strategy, which will include consideration of interventions to reduce emissions so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced. In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is undertaking a review of how we communicate air quality information to ensure members of the public, and vulnerable groups in particular, have what they need to protect themselves. The Government will also continue to raise awareness about the impact of domestic solid fuel burning.