§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in Scotland. [80006]
§ Mr. GalbraithCoronary Heart Disease (CHD) continues to be one of the clinical priorities of the NHS in Scotland, as is show by the establishment last autumn of the CHD Task Force, which is looking into all aspects of the disease. I announced on 5 February a £7m CHD initiative to tackle all aspects of the disease, from primary prevention to cardiac rehabilitation.
The White Paper 'Towards a Healthier Scotland', published on 17 February, focused on a number of major health topics, including CHD, and announced our new target of reducing the age standardised mortality rate from the disease in people under 75 by 50 per cent. between 1995 and 2010, from 143 to 72 deaths per 100,000 population.
One of the main vehicles for achieving this target is the demonstration project "The Heart of Scotland", outlined in the White Paper. The project will concentrate on primary prevention, and seek to disseminate best practice throughout Scotland, with the objective of driving down the rate of CHD.
Other important White Paper initiatives, relevant to reducing the incidence of CHD, include action to implement the measures in the White Paper 'Tobacco Kills'; accelerate the ongoing work to improve diet; reduce alcohol misuse; and encourage greater physical activity.
In addition, the Health Education Board for Scotland will step up its national media campaign which addresses the lifestyle factors which contribute to coronary heart disease.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish parliament.
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