Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps Public Health England is taking to raise awareness of the danger posed by carbon monoxide; and if he will make a statement.

Public Health England (PHE) raises public awareness of the impacts of carbon monoxide (CO) pollution by supporting activities that aim to change behaviour, such as the annual Clean Air Day. PHE is also working with health partners for example, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to improve the evidence on the health impacts of poor indoor air quality which will enhance advice to the public.

PHE promotes awareness about CO through the use of blog posts, press releases and social media updates. PHE produces a number of materials, which are issued over the winter period, and provide information on, and warnings of the dangers of CO poisoning to help prevent potential injury or death. This includes the Cold Weather Plan, updated in October 2018. This is shared and promoted through all channels including all local authorities and National Health Service organisations and can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cold-weather-plan-cwp-for-england

PHE published advice and guidance on social media to remind campers about the dangers of using barbeques inside tents and other enclosed spaces. An example of this can be viewed at the following link:

https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2015/12/15/carbon-monoxide-the-silent-killer/