§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing inequalities in life expectancy in each(a) local authority and (b) primary care trust area. [180276]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonWe are committed to achieving our public service agreement target on health inequalities
By 2010 reduce inequalities in health outcome by 10 per cent. as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth".The life expectancy aspect of the target is underpinned by a more detailed target:
Starting with local authorities, by 2010 to reduce the gap in life expectancy by at least 10 per cent. between the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators and the population as a whole".Information on the progress made in reducing inequalities in life expectancy within each local authority and primary care trust is therefore not collected centrally.
We are also looking to reduce substantially the health inequalities gap from heart disease, stroke and related diseases and cancer by at least 40 per cent. and six per cent. respectively between the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators and the population as a whole. As part of this effort, we have set a target for reducing smoking prevalence among routine manual groups to 26 per cent. or less by 2010.