§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department gives on the frequency of air-changes in residential accommodation that is compatible with good health; [132083]
(2) what guidance his Department gives to asthma sufferers on the importance of air circulation in the domestic environment; [132084]
(3) what recent research he has commissioned on the link between asthma and air quality in the domestic and work environment; [132368]
(4) what steps he is taking to evaluate the role of air quality in home and business environments on health. [132085]
§ Yvette CooperThe Health and Safety Executive has commissioned research into the relationship between certain substances and occupational asthma. It has also commissioned research to develop monitoring methods and improve workplace controls.
The Health and Safety Commission sets occupational exposure limits for some 500 substances. Virtually all hazardous substances that can cause ill health in the workplace are subject to control under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.
The Department also provides information for the public on air pollution and health in the form of an information pack. This pack contains a wide range of information, including leaflets and factsheets from organisations such as the National Asthma Campaign and the Lung and Asthma Information Agency that contains specific health advice for people with asthma. The pack also provides information on how to obtain Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions leaflets on such issues as dust mites in the home, carbon monoxide poisoning in the home and damp and mould control for the home.
The Department's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has recently published advice on the health effects of air pollutants and this includes advice on precautions to take with pollutants indoors, including maintaining domestic appliances and ventilation. The importance of ventilation to improve air quality in the home is well understood and is enforced through the building regulations.
In 1997, the Department, together with the DETR jointly commissioned a research programme "The Effects On Health Of Exposure To Air Pollutants And Damp In The Home". This £1.3 million programme focused on air pollution in the home and its effects on health. Specific projects concentrated on exposure to indoor air pollutants in children and their mothers with asthma and exposure to particulate air pollution and respiratory illness. The projects are due for completion later this year when the results and conclusions will be assessed.