Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to conduct reviews of ventilation in public buildings, prioritising healthcare settings and schools.

The Government recognises the importance of good ventilation and air quality in supporting healthy indoor environments.

The Building Regulations are kept under review. Approved Document F (Ventilation) was updated in December 2021 to improve ventilation standards and simplify guidance for new and existing buildings. These changes included guidance to help mitigate the risk of airborne infection, and recommendations on indoor air quality monitoring in certain new buildings. These standards came into force in June 2022.

In healthcare settings, ventilation standards are primarily set through the NHS Health Technical Memoranda (HTMs), which provide guidance on the design, installation, operation, testing and maintenance of ventilation systems in healthcare settings.

Good ventilation and air quality are also important within education settings. The Department for Education (DfE) publishes guidance on ventilation and indoor air quality in education and childcare settings and has updated design standards, for new and refurbished school buildings delivered by the department in England, including standards related to air quality and ventilation.