The effects of artificial light on human health
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will hold the fifth evidence session of its inquiry into the effects of artificial light and noise on human health.
The Committee will hear from two panels of witnesses from relevant professional institutes: first from Stephen Turner, past President of the Institute of Acoustics; Peter Rogers, Chair of the Institute of Acoustics’ Parliamentary and Public Liaison Group; and Paul McCullough and Somayya Yaqub, both members of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health; second from Andrew Bissell, President of the Society of Light and Lighting; Guy Harding, Technical Manager at the Institution of Lighting Professionals; Allan Howard, past President of the Institution of Lighting Professionals; and Stuart Morton, Professional Head of Highways and Aviation electrical Design at Jacobs.
The session will focus on the public policy implications of the science the committee has taken evidence on to date. Members will explore the adequacy of the policy frameworks for regulating light and noise pollution, the extent to which those policies are implemented satisfactorily and whether the policies reflect the latest scientific understanding of light and noise pollution.
Meeting details
Possible question areas
- Are noise and light pollution being given appropriate weight by decision makers and do they have access to the latest scientific evidence when making their decisions?
- Given the number of governmental bodies involved in the regulation of light and noise pollution, is it clear where responsibility lies in all cases?
- Are there any practical interventions, either employed in some places in the UK or elsewhere in the world, which can reduce or mitigate the impacts of light and noise pollution from existing sources, which we should explore using more?
- What are the most pressing issues the Government should address with regard to light and noise pollution?