UK audit committee probes air pollution
The UK’s Environmental Audit Committee opened a probe into air pollution’s health impacts, spotlighting how audit-style oversight bodies are expanding into environmental and public-health scrutiny. That crossover is a reminder that audit committees may need to broaden their remit as regulators target cross-sector risks. (x.com)
The committee picked air pollution through its “Environment in Focus” pitch process, which attracted almost 200 suggestions and was narrowed to five finalists before MPs chose the air-pollution pitch on 19 December 2025. (committees.parliament.uk) The successful pitch was presented by Jemima Hartshorn, founder of campaign group Mums for Lungs, alongside Dr Nat Easton, an air-quality researcher and specialist policy officer at the University of Southampton. (committees.parliament.uk) The committee’s briefing cites research estimating long-term exposure to air pollution causes up to 43,000 early deaths each year in the UK and imposes an estimated £50 billion in healthcare costs. (committees.parliament.uk) The inquiry was formally launched on 20 January 2026. (mumsforlungs.org) The written-evidence window closed on 3 March 2026. (committees.parliament.uk) A public oral-evidence session convened on 18 March 2026 with witnesses including Professor Martin Clift (Swansea University), Sarah Legge (EPIC), Larissa Lockwood (Global Action Plan), Matt Towner (Impact on Urban Health) and Ruth Chambers OBE (Green Alliance). (committees.parliament.uk) Chair Toby Perkins MP said the pitches were “passionate, well-evidenced and thoughtful,” and the committee also agreed to consider inquiries into data centres and ancient woodlands and peatlands in 2026. (committees.parliament.uk)
