Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they had made of proposals by Spanish bus and coach builder Irizar to modify air-conditioning systems to reduce passengers' inhalation of air-born droplets or micro-particles by ionising the air entering each system, and to use increased levels of oxygen in such systems to combat viruses via oxidisation; and in particular, whether such methods could be used on trains or trams to tackle pollen, fungal spores, bacteria and other microbes, as well as COVID-19 and other viruses.

We have not made any assessment of the proposals made by Spanish bus and coach builder Irizar to modify air-conditioning systems. However, we are aware that the industry is looking at various options around modifying air conditioning to give greater protection.