Environment minister admits mortality figure from sooty particles from transport and industry for first time to committee of MPs

Air pollution may be leading to the premature deaths of 35,000 people in Britain a year, nearly 50% more than has been previously admitted by government, a committee of MPs has heard.

The figure was used for the first time by environment minister Jim Fitzpatrick when giving evidence to the Commons environment audit committee. The MPs were also told that air pollution - minute sooty particles emitted by motor transport, ships and fuel burning in houses and industry - may now be costing £7bn to £20bn a year.

Government estimates of premature deaths from long-term exposure to air pollution have previously ranged up to 24,000 people a year, a figure calculated from 1998 data. But evidence given to the MPs by Professor Frank Kelly of University College London and repeated by Fitzpatrick today suggest the real figure is 35,000.

It represented "one of the biggest public health failings by a government in modern history," said Simon Birkett, director of the Campaign for Clean Air in London. "Why has it taken direct questioning by the environmental audit committee to get a minister to refer, for the very first time, to the possibility of 35,000 premature deaths in the UK in a year due to air pollution?"

But Fitzpatrick said that it was more accurate to say that the impact of air pollution was a reduction of seven to eight months on everyone's life. "If we were able to eliminate poor air quality tomorrow, we would not have a reduction of 12,000 to 35,000 deaths a year.."

"We are intent on improving air quality. There is no safe level for air pollution, We have to reduce the exposure of the whole population," he said.

Britain, along with other EU countries, faces unlimited fines by Europe if it continues to breach legal limits in central London, which has some of the worst traffic pollution in Europe.