Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of north-south health inequalities.

There are differences in health outcomes relating to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, geographical area and other social factors. Public Health England regularly publishes data on health outcomes, and the wider determinants of health, for the regions of England in the Public Health Outcomes Framework at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework

The Government is working to improve the quality of people’s lives across the whole country. The Prevention Green Paper sets out proposals to secure five extra years of health, independent life by 2035 and reducing the gap between the rich and poor. The NHS Long Term Plan also commits to narrowing health inequalities over the next five and 10 years. We want everyone to have the same opportunity to have a long and healthy life wherever they live and whatever their circumstances.