HC Deb 20 May 1997 vol 294 cc500-1
12. Mr. Rhodri Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to publish new "The Health of the Nation" targets. [415]

Ms Jowell

We intend to implement our manifesto commitment to set new goals for improving the health of the nation which recognise the range of factors that affect health, including the impact of poverty, poor housing, unemployment and a polluted environment.

Mr. Morgan

I welcome the new Minister to her post and thank her for her reply. I also welcome the announcement about the ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, but how will that relate to the new "The Health of the Nation" targets, given that the previous targets have gone the wrong way as regards teenage smoking and obesity? What will the Government do about life style-related "The Health of the Nation" targets such as obesity and teenage smoking? Will they drop the idea of such targets or find more practical ways of implementing them than were ever achieved by the previous Government in 18 years?

Ms Jowell

We are very concerned about the failure to achieve progress in important areas, especially in the existing "The Health of the Nation" targets, and particularly in relation to obesity and teenage smoking, the failure of which perpetuates inequality. Meeting our manifesto commitment to attack inequality at its roots needs more than just targets: it needs co-operation across Government to tackle the many factors involved which, as I have said, include poverty, poor housing, unemployment and a polluted environment. Reducing unemployment will make a major contribution to improving the health of people throughout this country.

Sir Peter Emery

First, I must declare that I am chairman of the National Asthma Campaign. The hon. Lady will know that the target in relation to asthma in the national health structure was included for Scotland but not for England. The previous Government gave every undertaking to see whether it could be introduced in the new target. Will the hon. Lady give an assurance to the 3 million asthmatics in this country that the Government will continue to do as much as the previous Government did to assist asthma sufferers?

Ms Jowell

With great respect, it would be hard to do less. We want more than just a target to reduce asthma. We want effective action to reduce asthma which, as the right hon. Gentleman will know, is one of the major reasons why about one in 10 children miss so much of their education. I shall shortly be meeting the National Asthma Campaign to discuss specifically how we can bring forward proposals to improve the support and treatment of the increasing number of children who suffer from asthma.