§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the incidence of stroke and the priority which his Department attaches to addressing this condition. [17094]
§ Mr. HoramThe Government are clearly committed to reducing the incidence of stroke and stroke mortality. "The Health of the Nation" strategy includes specific targets to reduce deaths from stroke by 40 per cent. by the year 2000. Since the strategy was launched in 1992, death rates have fallen by 14.3 per cent. in the 65 to 74s and by 8.5 per cent. in the under-65s. Data on the precise incidence of stroke is not collected centrally.
Efforts to achieve the targets are supported by a number of high profile campaigns, for example, promoting physical activity, sensible drinking and encouraging people to stop smoking. The National Health Service Executive has also produced recommendations on the provision of rehabilitation services for stroke patients which have been distributed to all local health authorities. Copies of this document, "Effective Health Care—Stroke Rehabilitation", March 1992, have been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received concerning measures to improve the prevention, treatment and care of stroke; and if he will make a statement. [17092]
§ Mr. HoramWe received a copy of "Stroke: National Tragedy, National Priority—An Agenda for action in stroke prevention, treatment and care" produced by the Stroke Association when I spoke at the launch of the document on 13 February. We are sure that local health authorities will find the document useful when discussing72W the commissioning of health services for their areas for people who have had a stroke.
Physical inactivity is a major cause of ill health, including stroke. In particular, physically inactive people have up to three times the risk of stroke than active people. The Government are addressing this concern through a major three-year physical activity campaign called "Active for Life". The campaign, which is administered by the Health Education Authority at a total cost of £9 million, informs people of the significance of maintaining 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on at least five times a week as a means of reducing the risk of stroke.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns), gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 17 February 1997, Official Report, column 381 about the treatment and care of people who have had a stroke.
§ Mr. WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is Department is(a) currently funding and (b) evaluating into the effect on the incidence of stroke of salt levels in bread and other common foodstuffs; and if he will make a statement. [17093]
§ Mr. HoramThe Department of Health has not commissioned and is not evaluating research into the effect on the incidence of stroke of salt levels in bread and other common foodstuffs.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the Chief Medical Officer to discuss with the faculty of public health medicine the possibility of convening a seminar to assess the evidence of linkage between sodium, blood pressure and stroke and to identify feasible research to clarify inconsistencies in the existing evidence.