Greater London Authority Bill

moved Amendment No. 31: 31: Clause 21, page 19, line 36, leave out from ““health”” to end of line 38 The noble Baroness said: My Lords, a breathtaking number of amendments seek to change ““health inequalities strategy”” to ““public health””. I wanted briefly to return to this matter, because, although we discussed it in Committee, it is so nice to get on to the Floor of the House. Clause 22 relates to the health inequalities strategy. As I said in Committee, every single local borough has a responsibility to produce a health inequalities strategy. This is rather a small part, therefore, of what the Mayor should be looking into. For this reason, I have tried to link the health inequalities strategy more closely with public health. The Mayor has a role in public health, and the Minister may be able to assure me how it will be realised. ““Public health”” covers far more than ““health inequalities””. ““Health inequalities”” is about people’s style of life; it is about where they live; it is about transport; it is about education; it is about all the things that affect them very personally and locally. However, ““public health”” accounts for the larger scale—epidemics, bird flu, all the worrying infections and the response to them. I want to be sure that public health is within what is covered by the health inequalities strategy, which, as I said, is a minimal part of what the Mayor will be required to do. With the regional health adviser being the health adviser, I imagine that that will be so, because I appreciate that she has a link with strategic health authorities and, via them, I presume, with acute trusts and all the people who would be involved in a disaster or a crisis. That is the bigger picture; ““health inequalities””, while no less important, is a smaller part. The amendments would make sure that the public health aspect is not overlooked in any way and have it stated on the record. I beg to move.