Answers sought over falling life expectancy
EAST Runcorn MP Mike Amesbury has pressed for answers over falling life expectancy.
The Labour MP’s volley of written questions followed data released last month showing life expectancy for males born in Halton was at its lowest since the start of the 2010s.
Mr Amesbury asked what assessments had been made of the wealth gap in determining how long UK residents live, the reasons for the dive, and the policy implications of falling life expectancy in the UK since 2011, and also what plans the Government had to tackle the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor
In December, Office For National Statistics data revealed that boys born in Halton in 2016-18 could expect to live on average for around 77.1 years, down from a peak of 77.5 from 2013-2016, and the lowest level since it was 77 years in 2010-2012.
For Halton women, the figure continued to rise.
In addition, the London School Of Economics (LSE) published a study in November that found UK life expectancy had ‘stalled’ with the improvement falling to close to zero.
It reported that under50s in European countries such as France and the
Netherlands were living longer but their UK counterparts are falling behind, with unavoidable deaths from accidental drug and alcohol poisoning and suicide leading the causes of death for UK adults aged 20-49.
The LSE study this suggested the UK was ‘following worrying trends seen in the US’.
In reply to Mr Amesbury, Jo Churchill, health and social care minister, said: “The Government wants everyone to have the same opportunity to have a long and healthy life, whoever they are, wherever they live and whatever their social circumstances.
“We are committed to giving everyone five extra years of healthy, independent life by 2035 and reducing the gap between the rich and poor.
“Life expectancy at birth is the highest it has ever been in England.
“However, the rate of improvement in life expectancy has slowed down and we are not complacent.
“This Government has committed to back the
National Health Service by £33.9bn a year by 202324.
“The NHS Long Term Plan commits all major national programmes and every local area across England is required to set out specific measurable goals and mechanisms by which they will contribute to narrowing health inequalities over the next five and ten years.
“Preventing health problems is the best way to improve life expectancy and reduce inequalities.
“The commitments outlined in the Prevention
Green Paper signal a new approach for the health and care system.”