§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS in 2002–03 of treating illnesses that were a result of substandard housing. [121106]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe causes of illness associated with substandard housing can be complex and multi-factoral and it is not possible to disentangle the possible contributory role of housing conditions from other potential contributing factors such as poverty, working conditions and behavioural aspects. Therefore it would not be feasible to produce accurate figures representing the costs to the national health service of illness resulting from substandard housing.
Nevertheless, links have been established between cold, damp housing and increased ill health and the physiological effects of cold are well documented. The Government's Fuel Poverty Strategy and specific initiatives such as the 'Warm Front' and the review of the housing fitness standard all contribute to tackling substandard housing.
Research is in hand, supported by the Department of Health, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to study the impact of fuel poverty interventions on health.