§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what public information has been made available in the last three years, and where, by his Department on the relationship between asthma and environmental conditions; how much has been spent on providing such information; and what other agencies have been involved. [126103]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 19 June 2000]: In January 1998, the Department published an information pack, "Air Pollution and Health". It contains leaflets, contacts and statements on the relationship between asthma and air pollution from agencies such as the National Asthma Campaign, the Lung and Asthma Information Agency as well as the Department's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants. Copies have been placed in the Library. The total design and printing costs of the pack were £23,500.
The Department offers health advice to other Government Departments from time to time on health aspects of their policies, in particular to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) on health and environmental issues. A relevant example here is the production of a DETR leaflet "Air Pollution—what it means for your health", published in July 1998. This was designed as a guide to the Air Pollution Information Service which DETR Ministers relaunched in October 1997. The service is available by freephone, Ceefax, Teletext and via the internet. The leaflets and an accompanying poster were distributed in general practitioners' surgeries, asthma and heart clinics, Citizen's Advice Bureaux and libraries. Copies are also now included as part of the Department's "Air Pollution and Health" pack.
The design and printing costs of the leaflets and posters were £25,142.