Member

The noble Earl, Lord Caithness, also asked about air quality. I do not have all the data that he requested to hand so I will have to write to him, but it is worth noting, as he said, that large-scale burning of vegetation, including of heather, releases vast amounts of smoke into the air, often impacting on local cities, towns and villages. These huge plumes can travel long distances, impacting air quality and containing harmful pollutants, such as particulate matter, both PM2.5 and PM10. As your Lordships know, PM2.5 is considered the most serious pollutant for human health, because the tiny particles can penetrate deeply into the human body, bloodstream and major organs. This is why we take this very seriously.