Healthy Life Expectancy: England

Debate between Baroness Merron and Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway

Monday 18th May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

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.

[Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway (Lab)]

My Lords, ever since the Marmot report, we have known that poor-quality employment is a key driver of lower healthy life expectancy. The Employment Rights Act is a big step forward, but does my noble friend the Minister agree that we need action on asbestos removal from workplaces and public places, more boots on the ground in the shape of health and safety inspectors, and a boost to occupational health services in the UK?