Boris Johnson has been accused of lacking the ambition needed to improve the health of Londoners.
On Monday Mr Johnson published his formal response to the London Health Commission’s report which set out detailed proposals for how City Hall could boost healthcare in the capital.
Chaired by surgeon and Labour Peer Lord Darzi, the commission called for a smoking ban in public spaces, a ban on junk food shops near schools and the introduction of ‘traffic light’ labelling on menus at restaurant chains.
The report also called for boroughs to set minimum prices for alcohol and for them and City Hall to include ‘sin taxes’ on fatty and sugary foods in any call for greater devolution of taxes.
Mr Johnson has rejected calls to introduce smoking bans and ‘sin taxes’ which he said would “fall most heavily on those who are least able to pay them.”
However on Monday he announced a £250,000 fund to boost health in the workplace and committed himself to chairing the London Health Board which City Hall says will be “refocused” onto delivering the report’s goals.
Mr Johnson said: “The aspirations in this report are the right ones for London and will, I believe, set us firmly on the path to becoming the healthiest capital city in the world.
“Putting Londoners at the centre of care they receive is key, as is the importance of public health which is why I’m expanding my Healthy Workplace Charter to help even more of London’s workforce stay healthy and productive.”
Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly, said the Mayor’s response “reveals a total lack of ambition to improve the health of Londoners.”
She added: “I am especially disappointed that the Mayor has not responded to the challenge to protect children from tobacco smoke.
“If you look at the exposure of smoking facing children the top priority must to be ban smoking at every bus stop. This is an action that the Mayor could take tomorrow in his role as chair of Transport for London.”
Responding to reports that Manchester is to gain local control over its entire £6bn NHS budget, Ms Pidgeon added: “It is clear the Mayor needs to strongly put London’s case to Government for further devolution of some NHS and public health budgets in order to tackle the many health needs in the capital.
“If Manchester can secure such funds then so should London.”
