§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the impact on the number of deaths caused by air pollution of the introduction and use of unleaded fuel. [24039]
§ Ms JowellThe Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) has recently published a major report quantifying the health effects of air pollution. The Committee concluded that current levels of air pollution probably play an important role in precipitating the deaths of at least 12,000–24,000 people each year, though stressed that air pollution is likely to be one of a number of factors affecting the clinical condition of seriously ill people.
COMEAP was able to estimate the health effects for sulphur dioxide, particles and ozone only where a reliable assessment using available scientific evidence could be made and this did not include lead.
There is no evidence to suggest that exposure to airborne lead is a source of death in the United Kingdom. Lead has more subtle toxicological effects, for example on the development of intellectual function in children. The reduction in blood lead concentrations that has occurred during the period when sales of leaded petrol have declined has been encouraging and would suggest that the toxic effects may have also been reduced, though this is difficult to demonstrate. It is also likely that the level of lead in dust and particulate matter will have declined as a result.
One of the measures that the Government are supporting is a ban on the general marketing of leaded petrol in Europe which was agreed at the Environment Council meeting in June 1997 and which will take effect from 1 January 2001.