Mohammad Asghar, National Assembly Member for South Wales East, has expressed concern about the life expectancy gap between Wales and England and the disparities in life expectancy between different parts of Wales.
Speaking in the Senedd on Wednesday, he said: “The rising gap in life expectancy between Wales and England – combined with the consequences of the increasing levels of public health problems that we face – paint a deeply concerning picture”.
He highlighted a number of problems in South Wales East, adding: “Merthyr Tydfil has the lowest life expectancy in Wales for males and Blaenau Gwent has the lowest for females.
“Indicators suggest that a number of public health problems are particularly prominent across South Wales East.
“Recent figures for the area covered by the Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board show that little over one third of adults eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, only 28 per cent meet physical exercise guidelines, 45 per cent drink a quantity of alcohol above guideline levels and a quarter of adults smoke.
“The Assembly Government should be very concerned that life expectancy is lower here than in England … (and) should be doing all that it can to reverse these worrying developments”.
After plenary, Mr Asghar said: “Welsh Conservative plans for a Deputy Minister for Public Health would play an invaluable role in improving the health of the nation. We are also committed to ring-fencing the health budget in line with inflation for the next four years; unlike the Welsh Assembly Government“.
