Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons restrictions on advertising and promotional deals on unhealthy foods were not included in the Government’s childhood obesity plan.

Nicola Blackwood

In developing the plan we have been very open about the fact we considered a number of different policies and have focused on the ones that are likely to have the biggest impact on childhood obesity.

The policies in the plan are informed by the latest research and evidence, including from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report Carbohydrates and Health, Public Health England’s evidence package Sugar reduction: the evidence for action, other government departments, debates in this House and various reports from key stakeholders including the Health Select Committee.

Evidence shows that current restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink in the United Kingdom are amongst the toughest in the world.