To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to measure, monitor, and publish national statistics on the life expectancy gap for people with a learning disability following the conclusion of the national LeDeR annual report; and through what formal mechanism future evidence-based national recommendations will be made to address...

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to measure, monitor, and publish national statistics on the life expectancy gap for people with a learning disability following the conclusion of the national LeDeR annual report; and through what formal mechanism future evidence-based national recommendations will be made to address...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of regional differences in life expectancy across England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of regional differences in life expectancy across England.

New clause 12, discussed with new clauses 56 and 84, debated and withdrawn. New clause 14, discussed with new clauses 79 and 80, debated and withdrawn. New clause 15, discussed with new clause 76, debated and withdrawn. New clause 16, discussed with new clauses 17, 18 and 89, debated and withdrawn. New clause 18 negatived on division (1 to 7). New clause 25, discussed with new clauses 62, 63 and 64, debated and withdrawn. New clause 28 debated and withdrawn. Written evidence reported to the House.

New clause 12, discussed with new clauses 56 and 84, debated and withdrawn. New clause 14, discussed with new clauses 79 and 80, debated and withdrawn. New clause 15, discussed with new clause 76, debated and withdrawn. New clause 16, discussed with new clauses 17, 18 and 89, debated and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted an assessment on the impact of work-related stress on the life expectancy of health professionals (a) pre-COVID and (b) post-COVID.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted an assessment on the impact of work-related stress on the life expectancy of health professionals (a) pre-COVID and (b) post-COVID.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between Bristol Central and the rest of the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between Bristol Central and the rest of the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for public health policy of the Health Foundation’s findings on the decline in healthy life expectancy in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for public health policy of the Health Foundation’s findings on the decline in healthy life expectancy in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between the country’s most and least deprived communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between the country’s most and least deprived communities.

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and I declare an interest as founder and trustee of the charity Health Equality Foundation.

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and I declare an interest as founder and trustee of the charity Health Equality Foundation.

My Lords, the fall in healthy life expectancy over the last decade is unacceptable and underlines the scale and complexity of the challenges we face. Through the 10-year health plan, we are taking action to tackle the drivers of ill health and inequality, including reviewing the Carr-Hill funding formula, to better match resources to need, and creating a smoke-free UK.

My Lords, the fall in healthy life expectancy over the last decade is unacceptable and underlines the scale and complexity of the challenges we face. Through the 10-year health plan, we are taking action to tackle the drivers of ill health and inequality, including reviewing the Carr-Hill funding formula, to better match resources to need, and creating a smoke-free UK.

I thank my noble friend the Minister for that response. The Health Foundation’s report, Healthy Life Expectancy Trends in the UK: A Watershed Moment, published in April this year, makes it clear that healthy life expectancy is a key measure of our population’s health. The gap between the most deprived and the most affluent areas has grown, with those in the wealthiest areas now living up to 20 years longer. Social determinants of health affect healthy life expectancy—

I thank my noble friend the Minister for that response. The Health Foundation’s report, Healthy Life Expectancy Trends in the UK: A Watershed Moment, published in April this year, makes it clear that healthy life expectancy is a key measure of our population’s health. The gap between the most deprived and the most affluent areas has grown, with those in the wealthiest areas now living up to 20 years longer. Social determinants of health affect healthy life expectancy—

Question!

Question!

I am coming to that. What plans do the Government have to address the social determinants of health across all government departments, because a single department cannot handle this? How can we close this gap?

I am coming to that. What plans do the Government have to address the social determinants of health across all government departments, because a single department cannot handle this? How can we close this gap?

My noble friend’s assessment of the situation is right. That is why we are working across government on the wider determinants of health, including matters such as the Warm Homes Plan and the homelessness strategy. Alongside that, the 10-year health plan focuses on prevention and narrowing inequalities. The aim is to improve all conditions that will support longer, healthier lives across the whole country.

My noble friend’s assessment of the situation is right. That is why we are working across government on the wider determinants of health, including matters such as the Warm Homes Plan and the homelessness strategy. Alongside that, the 10-year health plan focuses on prevention and narrowing inequalities. The aim is to improve all conditions that will support longer, healthier lives across the whole country.

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that one of the key determinants of healthy life expectancy is diet. In the 10-year health plan, the Government have a welcome section on improving the

dietary health of the nation. It was therefore disturbing to note in the Telegraph a few days ago a report that said the Government are going to pull back on these commitments. Can the Minister please confirm to the House that the Government have no intention of pulling back on the commitments to improve dietary health?

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that one of the key determinants of healthy life expectancy is diet. In the 10-year health plan, the Government have a welcome section on improving the

dietary health of the nation. It was therefore disturbing to note in the Telegraph a few days ago a report that said the Government are going to pull back on these commitments. Can the Minister please confirm to the House that the Government have no intention of pulling back on the commitments to improve dietary health?

It is an important area of government activity and I certainly do not recognise the comments that were in the Telegraph. I can confirm to noble Lords that we have a whole package of measures to tackle obesity, including restricting junk food advertising on TV and online aimed at children and giving local councils stronger powers to block new fast food outlets. That is still the case.

It is an important area of government activity and I certainly do not recognise the comments that were in the Telegraph. I can confirm to noble Lords that we have a whole package of measures to tackle obesity, including restricting junk food advertising on TV and online aimed at children and giving local councils stronger powers to block new fast food outlets. That is still the case.

My Lords, is the Minister aware that there are scientists who are propagating nonsense that nothing can be done about the obesity epidemic because it is all genetic? These people are saying that the individual cannot be relied upon to take action and that it must be the Government who do it. It is complete nonsense, because the individual can take responsibility—and, indeed, millions are taking injections to do that very thing.

My Lords, is the Minister aware that there are scientists who are propagating nonsense that nothing can be done about the obesity epidemic because it is all genetic? These people are saying that the individual cannot be relied upon to take action and that it must be the Government who do it. It is complete nonsense, because the individual can take responsibility—and, indeed, millions are taking injections to do that very thing.

I recognise the noble Lord’s point. We are certainly seeking to give individuals the ability to grasp the opportunity to live well for longer and to support them in their choices. For example, in addition to the points I made to the noble Lord, Lord Krebs, we are working on restricting volume price promotions such as “buy three for the price of two” offers on less healthy food and drink.

I recognise the noble Lord’s point. We are certainly seeking to give individuals the ability to grasp the opportunity to live well for longer and to support them in their choices. For example, in addition to the points I made to the noble Lord, Lord Krebs, we are working on restricting volume price promotions such as “buy three for the price of two” offers on less healthy food and drink.

My Lords, given that the UK is an outlier compared to similar countries, what work are the Government doing to introduce proactive, preventive health measures, such as routine health MOTs for people, to try to reverse this trend?

My Lords, given that the UK is an outlier compared to similar countries, what work are the Government doing to introduce proactive, preventive health measures, such as routine health MOTs for people, to try to reverse this trend?

I welcome the noble Baroness to her Front Bench on the important matter of health and social care. I am most grateful for her question. We have to be ambitious, which is what the 10-year health plan is doing, in transforming how we tackle the biggest causes of ill health. We are going to take a whole-society approach and a whole-person approach, rather than dealing just with conditions. To the points made earlier, we will be working with individuals—as in the public—and in partnership with business and civil society.

I welcome the noble Baroness to her Front Bench on the important matter of health and social care. I am most grateful for her question. We have to be ambitious, which is what the 10-year health plan is doing, in transforming how we tackle the biggest causes of ill health. We are going to take a whole-society approach and a whole-person approach, rather than dealing just with conditions. To the points made earlier, we will be working with individuals—as in the public—and in partnership with business and civil society.