Committees

Air Pollution in England

Inquiry

Air pollution is a serious threat to both public health and the natural environment. It has been linked to heart disease, strokes, cancer, asthma and impacts on lung development in children. Tens of thousands of lives are being shortened in the UK by air pollution, according to the Chair of the Environment Agency.  

Through the inquiry, MPs will also consider whether local authorities in England have the resources they need to monitor air quality and enforce existing rules. MPs may consider examples of best practice abroad, and what lessons these might have for policy in England. The new inquiry is the result of the Committee’s ‘The Environment in Focus’ exercise, which saw MPs hear pitches for their next inquiry from a range of academic experts and advocates. The winning pitch was given by Jemima Hartshorn, founder of campaign group Mums for Lungs and Dr Nat Easton, who researches air quality at the University of Southampton.  

Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find out how to submit written evidence through the Committee's online evidence submission portal.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 5:00pm on 3 March 2026.

Upcoming events

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No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Monday 14 September 2026
2:00pm Public
Air Pollution in England - Oral evidence 14 September 2026
2:00pm
  • Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP (Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety at Department of Health and Social Care)
  • Professor Sir Chris Whitty KCB (Chief Medical Officer at Department of Health and Social Care)
  • Simon Reeve (Deputy Director for Public Health System and Workforce at Department of Health and Social Care)
3:00pm
  • Simon Lightwood MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Buses and Local Transport) at Department for Transport)
  • Jennifer Raynor (Deputy Director for Environment and Adaptation Strategy at Department for Transport)
  • Emma Hardy MP (Minister of State at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Bill Parish (Deputy Director for Noise, Agricultural and Industrial Pollution at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
Wednesday 20 May 2026
2:00pm Private
2:30pm Public
Air Pollution in England - Oral evidence 20 May 2026
2:30pm
  • Dr Gary Fuller (Associate Professor in Air Quality Measurement at Imperial College London)
  • Kieran Laxen (Vice-Chair at Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM))
  • Dr Claire Holman (Director at Kalaco group, and President at The Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM))
3:30pm
  • Dr Suzanne Bartington (Chair at UK100's Clean Air Network)
  • Tom Parkes (Air Quality Programme Manager at London Borough of Camden)
  • Councillor Jackie Porter (Representative at Local Councils Network, and Cabinet Member for Place & Local Plan at Winchester City Council)
The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Wednesday 22 April 2026
2:30pm Public
Air Pollution in England - Oral evidence 22 April 2026
2:30pm
  • Professor Sir Stephen Holgate CBE (Professor of Immunopharmacology at The University of Southampton)
  • Professor Roy Harrison (Queen Elizabeth II Centenary Professor of Environmental Health at University of Birmingham)
  • Professor Anna Hansell (Professor of Environmental Epidemiology at University of Leicester)
3:30pm
  • Professor Mark Sutton (Environmental Physicist at UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)
  • Ms Jenny Hawley (Policy and Advocacy Manager at Plantlife)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 18 March 2026
2:30pm Public
Air Pollution in England - Oral evidence 18 March 2026
2:30pm
  • Professor Martin Clift (Professor of Particle Toxicology and Advanced Human In Vitro Systems at Swansea University Medical School)
  • Sarah Legge CEnv, MIES, MIAQM (Vice Chair at Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC))
3:30pm
  • Larissa Lockwood (Director of Policy and Campaigns at Global Action Plan)
  • Matt Towner (Director of Programmes at Impact on Urban Health)
  • Ruth Chambers OBE (Senior Fellow at Green Alliance)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.

  • Email: eacom@parliament.uk
  • Address: Environmental Audit Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA