ONS: UK Life Expectancy

Lord Bishop of Durham Excerpts
Thursday 17th December 2020

(3 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Bishop of Durham Portrait The Lord Bishop of Durham [V]
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Given the ONS recent findings that the lowest regional life expectancy for both male and female children at birth in 2017-19 was observed in my area of the north-east of England, when will Her Majesty’s Government commit to a full- blown strategy to eliminate the obstacles disproportionately facing children in poverty here in the north-east?

Lord Bethell Portrait Lord Bethell (Con)
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The right reverend Prelate is right to emphasise some of the disappointing figures around children, and the north-east is one area where the challenge is greatest. But I remind him that we have strategies for healthy behaviours in school, we are committing a huge amount of funding for more physical activity in schools, and we think that this will have a major impact on both the fitness and healthy outcomes of children. That kind of project will make a big impact.