§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment her Department is making as to any link between poor housing and ill health; [15390]
(2) what assessment her Department has made as to regional and local inequalities in health; and what action is being taken to tackle inequalities; [15386]
(3) what assessment her Department is making as to any link between low incomes, poor diet and ill health; [15392]
(4) what assessment is being made by her Department as to any link between income inequality, relative deprivation and ill health; [15393]
(5) what assessment her Department is making as to any link between unemployment, stress and ill health; [13389]
(6) what assessment is being made by her Department as to any link between low income and ill health. [15391]
352W
§ Mr. SackvilleThe White Paper,"The Health of the Nation", Cm 1986, acknowledged that good housing is important to good health and that in England, as in all other westernised countries, there are variations in health status between different socio-economic groups within the population. A sub-group of the Chief Medical Officer's health of the nation working group is currently looking at how the Department and the national health service can make best use of existing information in tackling ethnic, geographical, socio-economic and gender variations in health status in the current health of the nation key areas. The sub-group will also be advising on areas in which new epidemiological and research information is needed.