§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action, supported with what new resources, he has taken to implement the recommendations of the variations sub-group of the chief medical officer's "The Health of the Nation" working group report on variations in health published on 23 October 1995. [3533]
§ Mr. HoramPriorities and planning guidance issued to the national health service since the publication of the variations report asks health authorities to address variations in health, directly and through collaborating with others. The NHS executive has developed a framework to monitor health authorities' progress on improving their populations' health, as part of its general performance management. The Department has also commissioned a consultation exercise to inform the content of a £2.4 million research initiative on health variations, which will be launched shortly.
§ Mr. SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been commissioned by his Department to assess the relationship between poverty and ill health since 1979; and which of these studies have been published. [3532]
§ Mr. HoramIn October 1995, the Department of Health published a report on variations in health which reviews the available evidence on socio—economic and other variations in the five areas covered by the Government's health of the nation strategy. We are shortly to launch a £2.4 million research strategy on variations in health, including variations relating to socio-economic status.