Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) work with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and (b) establish a cross-departmental committee on health and buildings.

The Department welcomes the All Party Parliamentary Group’s report, and we know that a high-quality, safe, and suitable home can help people stay independent and healthy for longer, and reduce health and social care costs. The Department works across Government, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on many of the issues highlighted in the report.

Both Departments are signatories to the ‘Health through the Home’ Memorandum of Understanding with Public Health England (PHE). A refreshed version, which emphasises the importance of housing in supporting people’s health, was published by PHE in March 2018. It can be found at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-health-and-care-through-the-home-mou

PHE also recognises the importance of indoor environmental quality (indoor air quality, noise, overheating and ventilation) on human health and wellbeing, and the need for a holistic approach. Further information is available in PHE’s resources on homes and health, available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/housing-for-health