Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page five of Public Health England's position statement on the impact on health of emissions to air from municipal waste incinerators, what steps Public Health England is taking to increase its understanding of the measurement of number concentrations of particles in health terms.

Public Health England (PHE) undertakes various air quality research projects, working with academic partners, to review the evidence for the health effects of air pollutants, regarding the health effects of particulate matter (PM0.1 and PM1)_. PHE is a partner in two health protection research units funded by the National Institute for Health Research, whose remit includes air pollution research. These projects can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.hpru-ech.nihr.ac.uk/

PHE also draws on scientific studies and reviews published in the peer reviewed literature and by authoritative bodies.