Written question asked by Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 3 April 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 April 2003. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Monday, 14 April 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in developing a sustainable development strategy for health. - Inc ref to http://www.doh.gov.uk/sustainabledevelopment.

Answer: Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in developing a sustainable development strategy for health. [107821] Ms Blears: The Department of Health strategy on sustainable development and the environment is in line with the Government's overall sustainable development strategy, in which health, or "expected healthy years of life", is one of the 15 key headline indicators. Departmental officials are currently collaborating with the Sustainable Development Commission to update and improve the Department's strategy. The Department's sustainable development strategy, which has specific targets for reducing inequalities in health, should be viewed within the context of overall health strategies. These include measures to address the social, economic, and environmental factors relating to health such as housing, education, and nutrition. Progress can be tracked on the Department of Health web page at http://www.doh.gov.uk/sustainabledevelopment.

Secondary information