House of Commons · General Debate
17 January 2024 · 1 other contributor
Opened by Caroline Lucas Green Brighton Pavilion
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Caroline Lucas raised concerns about clean air (human rights) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Moves a Bill to establish the right to breathe clean air, requiring the Secretary of State to achieve and maintain clean air in England. The Bill involves the UK Health Security Agency in setting pollution limits, enhances powers for various agencies, establishes the Citizens’ Commission for Clean Air with legal intervention rights, and applies environmental principles to all duties under this Act.
Emphasises that air pollution is a public health emergency linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, and mental health issues. It disproportionately affects low-income and BAME communities, especially children; estimates suggest 43,000 avoidable deaths annually and £20 billion in public costs due to air pollution. The Environment Act 2021 is insufficient, as seen by the PM’s claim of world-leading efforts despite high asthma rates among UK children and the need for more stringent targets on PM2.5 levels.