STATISTICAL RELEASE
Date: 31 January 2008
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Regional sustainable development indicators for the English regions
Regional versions of the UK Government's indicators of sustainable development are published today to help provide a perspective of sustainable development in each region.
To support the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, 'Securing the Future' (published in March 2005), there is a suite of 68 national sustainable development indicators. For 46 of these indicators it has been possible to produce regional versions for the Government Office Regions.
The indicators highlight issues within the priority areas of Sustainable Consumption and Production, Natural Resources, and Sustainable Communities. Other indicators provide useful contextual information.
The regional indicators are available on the UK Government sustainable development website:
www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/progress/regional/index.htm and pull together already published statistics to enable comparisons to be made between regions and with progress nationally.
For the first time regional figures for environmental equality and for wellbeing are published.
Environmental equality may be assessed by the extent to which areas experience the least favourable environmental conditions (e.g. flooding, air quality, access to greenspace). The national indicator shows that a larger proportion of the most deprived areas experience multiple environment conditions considered to be amongst the least favourable in England, compared with the least deprived areas.
Regional analysis shows that in the North East there is little variation in the extent to which areas experience the least favourable environmental conditions. Only 1-2 per cent of those living in the most deprived areas experienced 3 or more environmental conditions considered to be amongst the least favourable in England and this was no more likely than those living in the least deprived areas. In London, 69 per cent of people living in the most deprived areas experienced 3 or more least favourable conditions, compared with just 1 per cent of those living in the least deprived areas of London.
For wellbeing, one of the national measures is based on survey responses to a life satisfaction question, for which respondents were asked to rate the overall life satisfaction on a scale between 0 and 10 (where 0 represented ‘very dissatisfied’ and 10 represent ‘very satisfied’). The overall average response (for England) was 7.3 in 2007.
Regional versions of this measure show the highest regional rating for the South West, with the average response being 7.5 out of 10. The averages for the South East and North West were both 7.4 out of 10, also above the national average. The lowest average rating was for London with the average response being 6.9 out of 10. The remaining five regions had averages which were close to the national average.
Overall findings within the Regional Sustainable Development Indicators
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Every region has shown improvement in a number of areas during the last decade.
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With a few exceptions, every region is moving in the same direction as the national trends.
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There is no single region that is in the best or worst position for all of the indicators.
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For every region there are areas where they are in a better position and areas where they are in a worse position, relative to other regions.
North East
In the North East the proportion of pensioners in low income households was amongst the lowest of the regions. A greater proportion of school trips were made by walking and cycling than in other regions. The region had the lowest number of rough sleepers and homeless households. The proportions of people fearing crime had seen the largest reductions of the regions. The proportions of rivers of good quality were amongst the highest of the regions.
The proportion of 16-19 year olds not in employment, education or training was the joint highest of the regions, although for all adults of working age the North East had seen the largest percentage point increase in those in employment. Mortality rates for cancer and suicides rates were amongst the highest of the regions, as was the percentage of the population who were smokers and the percentage of children classified as obese. Life expectancy was amongst the lowest of the regions. The percentage of waste recycled in the North East was the lowest of the regions, but had seen the largest percentage point increase.
North West
Woodland bird populations in the North West had increased by more than in other regions. The proportion of children in low income households decreased by the largest proportion in the North West and the proportion of households experiencing fuel poverty also saw the largest decrease.
The North West had the highest level of household waste produced per person. Productivity (gross value added per workforce job) in the North West was amongst the lowest of the regions. The mortality rate for cancer in the North West was amongst the highest of the regions. The proportion of households perceiving difficulties in getting to a post office without a car was amongst the highest of the regions.
Yorkshire and the Humber
Woodland bird populations in Yorkshire and the Humber saw the largest increase of the regions. Childhood obesity levels were the lowest of all regions and the proportion of trips to school made by walking and cycling was the joint highest of the regions. Reductions in the proportions of people fearing crime were amongst the largest of the regions.
In Yorkshire and the Humber productivity (gross value added per job) was amongst the lowest of the regions. Experience of burglary was the second highest per head of the regions.
East Midlands
The East Midlands had seen the highest regional improvement in both biological and chemical water quality and woodland bird populations had increased.
The East Midlands had the lowest density of newly built dwellings and had amongst the highest proportions of people perceiving difficulty in getting to a doctor or hospital. The proportion of pensioners in low income households was the highest of the regions. The proportion of 19 years old attaining level 2 qualifications was the lowest of the regions.
West Midlands
The West Midlands recycled the highest proportion of total waste arising from construction and demolition, industrial and commercial and municipal waste. The proportion of adults who smoked was amongst the lowest of the regions. The region had seen the largest increase in the proportion of 19 year olds attaining level 2 qualifications.
The West Midlands had the highest rate of infant mortality of the regions and the proportion of trips to school made by car was the highest of the regions.
East of England
The percentage of household waste in the East of England which was recycled was the highest of the regions. Burglary and vehicle crimes were amongst the lowest of the regions, as was the fear of crime. The proportion of males of working age in employment was higher in East of England than in other regions. Infant mortality in the region was amongst the lowest and female life expectancy amongst the highest. Rates of suicide were lowest in the East of England.
The East of England had seen the largest increase in the proportion of local sites assessed to have unsatisfactory or poor local environment quality.
London
The amount of household waste produced per person in London was the lowest of all the regions, although the proportion recycled was also the lowest. The reuse of previously developed land for new housing was the highest of the regions as was the density of new housing. London had the highest level of productivity (gross value added per job).
Rates of burglary, vehicle theft and robbery and fear of crime were the highest of the regions. London had the lowest rates of employment, the highest proportions of workless households, and the highest proportion of 16-19 year olds not in employment, education or training. The number of homeless people and homeless households was the highest of the regions and the proportion of people satisfied in the local area was the lowest of the regions.
South East
Employment levels in the South East were higher than other regions and the proportion of 16-19 year olds not in employment, education or training was the lowest of the regions. Life expectancy was amongst the highest and the rate of infant mortality was amongst the lowest of the regions.
The total amount of waste arising from construction and demolition, industrial and commercial and municipal waste was the highest of the regions. The region had seen the largest decline in woodland and farmland bird populations. The proportion of trips to school made by walking and cycling was amongst the lowest of the regions.
South West
The South West had amongst the highest proportions of rivers of good quality. Rates of robbery, burglary and vehicle theft and fear of crime were amongst the lowest of the regions. The proportion of 19 years old attaining level 2 qualifications was the highest of the regions. Mortality rates from circulatory disease and cancer were the lowest of the regions and overall life expectancy was amongst the highest.
The lowest percentage of journeys was made by public transport in the South West, and the region saw the lowest reuse of previously developed land for new housing
Summary
A table showing regional “traffic light assessments” for all indicators where there is enough trend data to make an assessment can be found here:
http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/progress/regional/factsheets.htm
Notes to editors
- To support the establishment of the new UK Government sustainable development strategy, Securing the Future, a revised set of indicators of sustainable development have been established.
- There are 68 national indicators supporting the four priority areas of sustainable consumption and production, climate change and energy, protection of our natural sources and enhancing the environment, and creating sustainable communities for a fairer world.
- Regional Sustainable Development Indicators have been produced for 46 of the 68 indicators, for which data are available.
- All the national and regional indicators are reported on the UK Government sustainable development website http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk, which includes charts, assessments of progress, commentary and access to the data used.
- The current edition of “Sustainable development indicators in your pocket” was published in July 2007 and provides the assessment against 1990 and 1999 baselines for the national indicators. Free copies are available from Defra Publications, Admail 6000, London, SW1A 2XX tel: 08459 556000, e-mail: defra@cambertown.com, quote product codes PB12683 (A6 size) or PB12683A (A4 size).
- Regional Sustainable Development Indicators are only available on the website and superseded Regional quality of life counts (RQOLC) which was formerly published annually as a printed reported and provided regional versions of the former 15 "headline indicators" of sustainable development.
- For Carbon dioxide emissions in 2005 the North East emitted the least CO2 in total compared with other regions; the South East emitted the most CO2 and twice the amount emitted in the North East. However taking population into account, the North East had the highest emissions per head of all the regions; London had the lowest emissions per head. Estimates at the regional level have only recently become available and it is not yet possible to assess progress over time – only comparisons between regions for the current year can be made.
- National estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for 2006 are also published by Defra on 31 January 2008.
- This is a National Statistics compendium publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice.
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Page published: 31 January 2008