UK not doing enough to tackle second biggest public health challenge

Ministers have been accused of not doing enough to tackle air quality in the UK, with senior officials from the Labour party attacking the government for failing to deal with the UK’s second biggest public health challenge.

Labour MP for East Lothian, Fiona O’Donnell, said: “This is the second biggest public health challenge that the country faces, but all we have are excuses."

She added: “We are talking about premature deaths, so I think that government members should quieten down. With an estimated 29,000 premature deaths a year in the UK from air pollution, why does the only action taken by Defra try to weaken EU laws that seek to protect the public?”

But the government have hit back over these claims, with Richard Benyon, parliamentary under-secretary of state at Defra, defended the government’s strategy. He cited further movements that have been made as part of the Gothenburg agreement, as well as the constant battle been undertook in London to reduce health risks.

Air quality has become a central theme in the battle for Mayor in London, with Boris Johnson, current London mayor, coming under attack from the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington John McDonnell.

Posted by Claire Manning