§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what appraisal he has made of the incidence and cost of ill-health currently attributable to poor ventilation and condensation in the housing stock. [66884]
§ Ms Jowell[holding answer 21 January 1999]: We recognise the very important links between poor housing and ill health. That is why Ministerial colleagues within the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions have released substantial additional resources for housing, regeneration and energy efficiency measures. Additional Government action to tackle poverty, unemployment and unhealthy lifestyles will also play a key role.
Significant risks to health arise from cold and damp conditions. Those likely to be most affected are often the most vulnerable in society: the old, the very young, the disabled and those living on low incomes. The main health outcomes are respiratory diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis and cardiovascular diseases, as well as accidents and mental health.
The Department and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions are jointly funding a £1 million research programme over 3 years. This programme, "The effects on health of exposure to air pollutants and damp in the home", is focusing on indoor air pollution and its effects on health. The effects on sensitive individuals in the population, interactions 111W between indoor air pollutants and the health effects of damp, including respiratory disease and asthma, as well as ventilation and the relationship between indoor and outdoor pollutants, are main focuses of the studies.
Health Action Zones are targetting special effort in areas of deprivation to develop new approaches to improving health and services and a number of these are working to improve housing and energy efficiency in poor homes. From April this year, all health authorities will begin developing local health improvement programmes in partnership with local National Health Service bodies and local authorities to achieve improvements in health. Housing will be a key area where these bodies can work together to improve the health of local communities.