§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to prevent strokes. The Under-Secretary of State for Health. [100866]
§ Yvette CooperWe are committed to a substantial and wide-ranging programme to prevent stroke within the "Our Healthier Nation" strategy. We have set a target for reducing the death rate from stroke, heart disease and other circulatory diseases by at least 40 per cent. by 2010. To help to meet this challenging target we are implementing a series of measures to tackle the major risk factors for stroke including smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension and poor diet.
On smoking, for example, our tobacco control White Paper, "Smoking Kills", set out our plans for implementing a ban on tobacco advertising, a tobacco education campaign and smoking cessation services. This is worth £100 million over three years. Our plans to tackle physical inactivity under the "Active for Life" strategy include a £1.5 million programme in this year alone to promote active lifestyles. This follows up our £9 million campaign that set the foundations for our physical activity strategy.
Alcohol misuse and high salt diets are two risk factors for high blood pressure, which increase the risk of stroke. In the case of the former, we are developing a strategy to tackle alcohol misuse in England as confirmed in "Our Healthier Nation", and we will publish it early in the New Year. As for the latter, we expect the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) to publish the findings of its survey of salt usage in manufactured foods early in 2000. Once the report is available we propose to explore with the FDF the scope for reducing the levels of salt in processed foods.
We are also promoting effective prevention within the community in collaboration with the Stroke Association under the Health Action Zone Innovation Fund programme. The 'Preventing Strokes and Saving Lives' innovation fund project in Hull and East Riding Health Action Zone is aimed at those prone to transient ischaemic attacks or mini-strokes to limit the risk of further strokes through providing a programme of lifestyle change, guidance and advice. The service will take a multidisciplinary and patient led approach working at primary care level and involving patients' families.