Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah: One Year On From Landmark Settlement But Government Still Not Making Progress
It is one year today since our clients, the mother and surviving siblings of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, met with Emma Hardy MP, Air Quality Minister, as part of the settlement of a civil claim brought on behalf of Ella’s Estate against Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Department for Transport (DoT), and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). The claim was brought for breaches of Ella’s rights under the Human Rights Act, including her right to life. The civil claim followed an inquest into her death which determined that Ella died as a result of excessive air pollution.
As part of the settlement, the Government released a statement asserting that they were committed to delivering a comprehensive and ambitious Clean Air Strategy in order to reduce emissions and our exposure to air pollution. They promised to work with Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE, to improve air quality and this was also reiterated in person by both Emma Hardy MP and Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for DHSC.
As well as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, air pollution is associated with certain cancers, diabetes, dementia, mental health illnesses and reduced foetal growth. Air pollution remains one of the most significant environmental risks to public health in the UK. Next month, the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill, also known as Ella’s Law, will be debated in parliament when it gets its second reading in the House of Commons. The bill would put in place new air pollution targets to meet the World Health Organization guidelines by 2030, in line with targets already put in place by the EU. Full support from the Government for the bill, which was introduced by an MP for the Green Party, is yet to be seen.
Last year’s settlement marked the end of legal proceedings to obtain justice for Ella who was hospitalised 30 times with life threatening symptoms. However, Rosamund remains committed to campaigning to ensure that no child suffers as Ella did. She has been disappointed by the lack of engagement from this government and meaningful progress in achieving what they promised her last year. She has today written to Emma Hardy MP pressing for urgent action to be taken.
Click here to read the open letter from Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE to Emma Hardy MP.