§ 16. Ms Dari TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department is doing to reduce health inequalities between different social groups, with special reference to the incidence of cancer. [59136]
§ Ms BlearsWe have put in place major cross-Government programmes of work to address the risk factors for cancer and tackle health inequalities. The Cancer Plan made a commitment to reduce the prevalence of smoking among manual groups to 26 per cent. by 2010. We are taking this forward with a comprehensive programme to tackle smoking, including NHS smoking cessation services and a public information campaign. We are also running a Five-a-Day Programme to increase access to, and consumption of fruit and vegetables. The New Opportunities Fund is providing funding to set up 66 five-a-day community programmes led by primary care trusts based in deprived areas. We have also recently announced a new £2.5 million programme of community physical activity pilots that will be set up in Neighbourhood Renewal areas. This work underpins the two national health inequalities targets in the areas of life expectancy and infant mortality, announced by the Secretary of State last year.