[2nd Allocated Day]

I speak in support of amendment 1169, which seeks to strengthen the Secretary of State's duty to reduce health inequalities. As presented in clause 3, the Secretary of State's duty is insufficient to tackle the health inequalities in our society. The clause lacks strength, invites the Secretary of State to disregard its meaning and changes little in the way in which health inequalities will be tackled in the future. By supporting amendment 1169 we can ensure that the Secretary of State can be regularly and properly held to account for his duty to tackle health inequalities across England. Tackling health inequalities is vital because this is, in many cases, a matter of life and death. The World Health Organisation's Commission on Social Determinants of Health has said:"““Social justice…affects the way people live, their consequent chance of illness, and their risk of premature death. We watch in ""wonder as life expectancy and good health continue to increase in parts of the world and in alarm as they fail to improve in others.””" In our own country, Bevan's dream for the NHS was for a service in which:"““No longer will wealth be an advantage nor poverty a disadvantage.””" Yet, despite the great strides that have been made there is much more to do, and the link between poverty and poor health remains.