Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 29 January 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 2 February 2009. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Monday, 9 February 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Heathrow Airport: Respiratory Diseases

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of 18 years have been admitted to hospital with (a) acute asthma, (b) acute emphysema, (c) acute bronchitis and (d) other acute respiratory disorders within (i) one mile, (ii) three miles, (iii) five miles and (iv) 10 miles of Heathrow Airport in each year since 1997.

Answer: The Department does not hold centrally information on hospital admissions in the format requested, and such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.The Department is currently part-funding the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College to study health effects in the vicinity of Heathrow airport associated with air pollution and noise using data on mortality, cancer incidence and hospital admissions. A report is due for publication in 2010.

Secondary information