§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her reply on 2 June,Official Report, column 465, what information is held by her Department on the incidence of asthma among children; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleFigures on the incidence of asthma amongst children are not held centrally, but it is estimated that upwards of 700,000 children and adolescents under the age of 16 in the United Kingdom are affected by the condition.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the possible links between child asthma and vehicle pollution due to exhaust emissions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleAsthma is an ill-understood disease. The role of air pollutants in affecting the interplay between genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to vehicle emissions is unclear. Research is being carried out into factors contributing to the rise of asthma, but no clear conclusions have emerged.
The Advisory Group on the Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes looked at the evidence linking ozone levels with asthma and concluded that the data were not persuasive. The group will soon examine other possible associations with asthma and other respiratory diseases.