News

David Cameron pressed on 40,000 preventable deaths

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

At Prime Minister's Questions today, David Cameron was pressed on why he and London Mayor Boris Johnson have been lobbying the EU to weaken plans to reduce air pollution and improve air quality. The question came from Labour MP Geraint Davies. 

Mr Davies said:

'The air in our cities is both toxic and illegal, with diesel fumes contributing to 800 deaths a week. That's 40,000 killings a year. So why is the Prime Minister, instead of removing the most heavily polluting diesel vehicles from our streets, lobbying the EU in Brussels with the Mayor of London to weaken plans to improve our air quality and save lives?'

We're launching a briefing about the lack of effective local government regulation of pollution, food safety and workplace health and safety standards in the UK on 26th April at the Centre. You can also read our briefing from 2009, Crime is in the air: air pollution and regulation in the UK, by Reece Walters.