§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what conclusions he has reached about the feasibility of creating a health index; and what decision he has taken about its implementation.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI do not believe that the construction of a single index measure of the nation's health is feasible. The state of the nation's health is best gauged by looking at a large range of different measures. In July my predecessor announced the setting up of a new small multi-disciplinary unit in the Department in line with the recommendation in the Chief Medical Officer's report on public health in England. The major function of this new unit will be to monitor and analyse information about the health of the population.