HEALTH Secretary Frank Dobson today used a Brighton conference platform to joke about the town's "naughty" reputation.

Speaking at a national Public Health Forum at the Brighton Centre, he said he was worried his visit in the company of women-only aides could be turned into a scandal.

Referring to Press criticism of Home Secretary Jack Straw's family trip to France, just days after the release of the report into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, he said: "I'm always a bit worried about coming to Brighton, with its naughty reputation.

"If the Press can vilify Jack Straw for going to France with his wife, what are they going to say about my coming to Brighton with three women, none of whom is my wife?"

After laughter had died down in the packed auditorium, Mr Dobson went on to speak about how the Government is tackling health inequalities between rich and poor.

He said: "You know as well as I do that poverty is one of the predominant causes of ill health. Poor people are ill more often than others, and die sooner."

Mr Dobson listed a string of policies the Government is pursuing to improve the health of the most deprived members of society.

The first ever Public Health Minister, Tessa Jowell, had been appointed to focus on the problem, and a new Public Health Laboratory Service is being set up.

Britain is leading calls within the European Union for tobacco advertising and sponsorship to be banned.

And new Health Action Zones including one covering Brighton and Hove, will ensure better access to health care for the poor.

Mr Dobson said: "I decided which areas should become action zones. It was a political decision to target help to the areas which most need it."

He added: "The new 10p starting rate for income tax introduced in the Budget last week, and the 22p basic rate which is coming in next year, will help people who are working and on low wages.

"Being old and cold is a cause of poor health, and we have now increased the winter fuel allowance for pensioners to its highest level ever.

"Low wages are also a health hazard, and from April 1 there will be a national minimum wage. We can argue over whether it's enough or not, but it will mean that more money will go into the pockets and handbags of the less well off."

The Government is also investing £4 billion in improving social housing, and declaring war on air pollution by boosting public transport.

Mr Dobson's speech was preceded by an introduction from Brighton and Hove Council leader Lord Bassam, who spoke of local schemes being introduced to combat health inequality.

Among those highlighted were recent joint initiatives between health and social services to care for vulnerable people in the community.

Donald Reid is chief executive of the Association for Public Health, which later this week will merge with The Public Health Alliance to form a strengthened fighting force intent on spreading the benefits of healthier living.

He said: "What we are about is finding out how to do better for groups of deprived and isolated people."

Three main areas will be the focus of attention during the forum.

First up is the newly-published Acheson Report, which points to gross inequalities in standards of public health between rich and poor areas.

Also on the agenda are the new Health Action Zones, set up to address such issues in badly affected areas, among them Brighton and Hove, and the healthy living centres ministers promise will soon be on every major high street.

Mr Reid said: "One of the people involved in this year's parallel sessions will be Richard Wilkinson, who is based at Sussex University's Trafford Centre of Medical Research.

"He believes that it's not just being poor that makes you unhealthy - it's being poor while you are surrounded by rich people."

East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority is taking seriously the findings of its own recent research into public health inequalities, which make for shocking reading.

In a county traditionally seen by central Government as being of relatively low priority need, there is a consistently above average number of old, and hence vulnerable, people.

Ahigh reliance on service industries has led to an unstable job market, and a level of unemployment which has been higher than the UK rate since 1991.

More worrying still, the number of homeless people has doubled since 1981 alone, leaving thousands at the mercy of the elements and without easy access to health care.

The seventh Public Health Forum continues tomorrow with speeches by, among others, new Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson.

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