Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has been instructed to concentrate on ambient air pollution and not to carry out any work on indoor air pollution.

The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) discussed the indoor air pollution content of its work programme and acknowledged that COMEAP’s work has been out of necessity, dominated by ambient air pollutants to support and inform the national air quality plans. This work has taken priority, even though COMEAP’s remit includes both ambient and indoor air pollution.

Given the current work priorities for COMEAP, it is unlikely that it will be engaging in work on indoor air pollutants over the coming year.

The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on indoor air pollution. NICE is currently working with Public Health England to develop the scope for this guidance.