Air quality levels should play a part in the planning process for new schools, ministers have been told.

Conservative MP and former education minister Tim Loughton said it was “crazy” that schools could be planned in areas of high air pollution.

Mr Loughton made the comments after veteran Labour MP for Huddersfield, Barry Sheerman, speaking during education questions in the Commons, warned “children’s brains are being affected now” by air pollution.

Mr Loughton, who raised the case of a new school planned in his East Worthing and Shoreham constituency, said: “Does he think that it’s crazy to put a new school right next to such a busy road and should it not be a planning consideration where we locate schools in the future?”

Education minister Nick Gibb said the government took the safety of pupils “extremely seriously” and pointed to recently published technical guidance on air quality in school.