Mayor delivers apology on behalf of GLA for death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah

Created on

02 February 2024

Mayor delivers apology on behalf of GLA for death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today delivered an apology to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah on behalf of the Greater London Authority (GLA) for it not acting sooner to tackle air pollution, which ultimately led to the death of her daughter Ella in 2013.

Nine year-old Ella's life was tragically cut short as a result of a severe asthma attack which, in a landmark inquest, theCoroner concluded was "contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution'. Ella lived very close to the South Circular, one of the busiest roads in London, and the Coroner found that the principal source of Ella's exposure was traffic emissions - and that her mother, Rosamund, was not given information about the health risks of air pollution and its potential to exacerbate asthma.

As part of the settlement of a claim* brought by Ella's family and estate, theMayordelivered the apology today at City Hall at an event attended byRosamund, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy Shirley Rodrigues and CamillaKingdon, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).The apology was as follows:

"As the Mayor of London, I'd like to take this opportunity - on behalf of the Greater London Authority and our city - to offer a full and unqualified apology for not acting sooner to tackle air pollution, which ultimately led to the tragic death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah.  

In recent years, we've ensured that London is a world-leader in reducing air pollution.  

But it's clear that London's leaders and institutions could have done more - and sooner - to address the dangers of toxic air.

And so, to Ella's motherRosamund, her family and to all those who knew and loved Ella, I simply say:

Sorry.  

You deserved so much better.  

But - like you - I'm determined to keep Ella's memory and legacy alive by ensuring that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past by failing today's generation of young Londoners.  

Because no child should suffer as Ella did.  

And no family should have to endure the pain and heartbreak that you have.  

That's why - not only will I continue doing everything in my power to clean up London's air, but I'll also continue putting pressure on the Government to do more across the country to prevent further needless suffering and death, including by adopting 'Ella's law'.  

This would make breathing clean air what it should be - a right that must be upheld.

Notes to editors

. *In December 2020, a claim was brought in the High Court by Ella's family and estate against the Mayor, Transport for London (TfL), Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), Department for Transport (DfT) and Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)(together, the defendants). The claim arose from Ella's death on 15 February 2013, from causes that were found to have included exposure to air pollution.

. The claim sought damages for alleged breaches, by the defendants, of EU law relating to air quality and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) - and which the claim said contributed to or caused Ella's death.

. A settlement of the claim has been agreed which includes the delivery of a public acknowledgement by the Mayor.

. The claims against Defra, DfT and DHSC are continuing.