Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chi Onwurah and Anne Milton

Tuesday 10th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Anne Milton)]

I remind my hon. Friend that smoking kills over 80,000 people a year in the UK. We have published our tobacco control plan, are implementing the display ban and hope to consult soon on the future of plain packaging. The important thing to remember about improving public health is that it is not a party political issue. I cannot comment on the specifics of the case he mentions, but this is a matter that interests everyone across the House.

[Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)]

T2. The people of Newcastle are more likely to die early from cancer, health disease and stroke. On average, a child born in Newcastle today is expected to die five years before a child born in the Secretary of State’s constituency, so why is he changing the health funding formula so that in Newcastle we will lose 2.5% of our funding, whereas his constituency will see a rise of 2.1%?