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UK public health expert criticises No 10 race report ‘shortcomings’

Sir Michael Marmot says racial disparities report underplays impact of structural racism in health outcomes
An inquiry into racial disparities used outdated references and notably underplayed the impact of structural racism in health outcomes, the UK’s leading authority on public health has said, in a new blow to the credibility of the much-criticised report.
Sir Michael Marmot, who led a pioneering work into health inequalities in 2010, which was updated a decade later, said that while there was “much that is good” in the report’s chapter on public health, he was concerned about “shortcomings” in its approach.
Writing for the Guardian, Marmot said the report by the Downing Street-appointed Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (Cred) had cited his 2010 study but did not consider the 2020 update or a subsequent study he led on structural factors behind varying Covid outcomes.
Marmot also criticised the report’s contention that health inequalities should be considered an outcome of factors such as deprivation and poor housing rather than ethnicity. Such social conditions “are themselves the result of longstanding inequalities and structural racism”, he noted.
The report’s focus on disparities due to social class was only part of the story, Marmot argued. “There are health differences between races that are not fully explained by class, and so therefore racism must play some role. To put it simply, these two issues may overlap but they are not the same thing.”
The commission’s report was published last week and attracted criticism for seeming to downplay structural and institutional causes for ethnic disparities, focusing instead on areas such as family background and individual responsibility.
Its chapter on public health has faced particular condemnation, with other academics saying it was of poor quality and seemed to “cherrypick” data so as to reach pre-determined conclusions.
But the intervention of Marmot, a professor of epidemiology at University College London and a globally respected figure in the public health field, will be particularly worrying for ministers.
In his article, Marmot praises aspects of the report, such as its argument that the acronym BAME – for black, Asian and minority ethnic – is too broad to be useful. But he added: “I can, though, illustrate Cred’s shortcomings in its approach to racism by its shortcomings in the way it handles my reports on health inequalities.”
While the commissioners correctly cited his 2010 report into health inequalities, which said there was a lack of data connected to ethnicity and differing health outcomes, Marmot wrote, they ignored later work that dealt with the subject, including Build Back Fairer, an examination of UK deaths from Covid, published last year.
“Had the Cred commissioners consulted our 2020 report reflecting the first months of the Covid pandemic, they would have found a more pertinent insight,” Marmot wrote.
“The links between ill health, including Covid-19, and deprivation are all too familiar. Less so have been the findings of shockingly high Covid-19 mortality rates among British people who self-identify as black, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian.
“Much, but not all, of this excess can be attributed to living in deprived areas, crowded housing and being more exposed to the virus at work and at home – these conditions are themselves the result of longstanding inequalities and structural racism.”
As well as considering causes of ill health, such as poor housing or exposure to coronavirus through public-facing jobs, Marmot wrote, the report should also have considered what he called “the causes of the causes”.
He wrote: “Structural racism can be one cause of the social determinants of health – the causes of the ‘causes of the causes’. For example, we quote in Build Back Fairer the finding that, for 17 occupations, the higher the proportion of workers that come from BAME groups, the higher the Covid-19 mortality rates.
“The ‘causes of the causes of the causes’ means that some ethnic groups are more likely to have adverse social conditions, in this case working in high-risk occupations.”
A spokesperson for the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities said: “The commission fully accepts the links between ethnicity, deprivation and ill health and the disproportionate impact that Covid-19 has had on south Asian and black groups. Our report recognises that there is a complex interplay of socio‑economic, behavioural, cultural and, in some cases, genetic risk factors which lead to disparities in health outcomes.
“However, we also pointed out that the picture is more complex than the commonly held view that ethnic minorities have universally worse health outcomes or that disparities seen in Covid-19 exacerbated existing health inequalities.
“Recent evidence showed that ethnic minorities had lower overall mortality in the years 2014-2018 and lower premature mortality for many of the leading causes of mortality in the UK, including most cancers. This was surprising as most ethnic minorities have higher levels of deprivation compared with the white population, and so would be expected to have worse health outcomes.”
source: Peter Walker
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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