Question
Q7. Regional health inequalities are now so severe that a study this month found that death rates among 25 to 49-year-olds in the north of England are 42% higher than those in the south. The Prime Minister has promised us growth in every postcode. Can that be met by good health, too?
Answer
I could not agree more strongly with my right hon. Friend—sorry, my hon. Friend. I promoted him for a second—it is just a matter of time, I am sure. I was the Health Secretary who received the groundbreaking report from Professor Sir Michael Marmot, “Fair Society, Healthy Lives”, in February 2010, and in my view that remains the blueprint for how this country can close those health inequality gaps. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend and talk more about how we do that in his constituency and beyond.
Verdict: AMBER (32/100)
The reply responds only to the health part of the question. It points to the Marmot report as a guide for reducing health inequalities and offers a meeting, but it does not say whether economic growth can be delivered in every postcode. It also gives no regional or northern-specific measures, and its commitments are general, so the person who asked would likely need to follow up for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Government's commitment to growth in every postcode can be delivered together with good health across all regions, including the north of England. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply engages only with the health half of the question, citing the Marmot report as the blueprint for closing health inequality gaps and offering a meeting, but says nothing about whether growth in every postcode can be delivered alongside this, and gives no regional or northern-specific measures. The Marmot reference is concrete, but the commitments remain general. |