§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's new initiatives to prevent further increases in the number of people suffering from heart disease in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe consultation document "Health Education in Scotland: A National Policy Statement", which I launched on 9 October, identified coronary heart disease as a national priority for health education and set out our target of reducing mortality from heart disease for people under age 65 by 25 per cent. by the year 2000.
A twin strategy involving both an individual and a population approach is proposed. The individual strategy envisages family doctors identifying people who are at risk, thus enabling appropriate counselling or necessary treatment to be provided. The population strategy consists of promoting, at national and local levels, the positive life style approach and in particular the aspects of healthy eating, non-smoking and exercise. National campaigns will be undertaken by the Health Education Board, which will replace the Scottish Health Education Group on 1 April 1991, and will be complemented by action at local level by health boards and voluntary organisations.
Premature deaths from coronary heart disease in Scotland declined by 17 per cent. between 1980 and 1988 and the enhanced health education effort now proposed will facilitate further progress towards the target I have set.