HC Deb 13 May 2004 vol 421 cc578-9W
Mr. Kaufman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Manchester, Gorton of the Health Development Agency; [167377]

Jim Dobbin

if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Heywood and Middleton of the Health Development Agency; [168494]

Mr. Benton

if he will make a statement on the benefits for residents of Bootle of the Health Development Agency; [170537]

Tony Cunningham

if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Workington constituency of the Health Development Agency; [170715]

Mr. Neil Turner

if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Wigan of the Health Development Agency; [169351]

Mr. Hendrick

if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Preston of the Health Development Agency; [168105]

Mr. Pike

what assessment he has made of the effects on residents of Burnley of the Health Development Agency; [167955]

Mr. Meacher

if he will make a statement on the benefits for residents of Oldham, West and Royton of the Health Development Agency; [170894]

Mr. Burrow

if he will make a statement on the benefits for residents of South Ribble of the Health Development Agency. [171670]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The work of the Health Development Agency (HDA) is focused on service delivery that supports the whole of the region's public health development.

The HDA manages the national healthy school standard, which is part of the Government's national strategy to reduce health inequalities for children.

The North West HDA organised the largest ever regional public health conference in March 2004 to address the problem of obesity. Over 300 regional public health professionals, including representatives from health services responsible for Gorton, will have learned of the latest obesity data for the region and will collaboratively plan a regional obesity action plan. The workshop will draw together best practice from across the region and in addition to the HDA guidance on obesity, this will provide the basis for local and regional work to tackle obesity in the coming years.

The North West HDA is currently working with the North West public health observatory and the regional cancer registries to review the main causes of cancer related deaths across the region.

The HDA, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University and the North West Public Health Observatory, is currently completing a regional report Alcohol: A Situational Analysis for the North West.