Lords Committee questions Minister for Public Health on the Government’s approach to tackling obesity

The session will also focus on the need for cross-departmental collaboration, the role of the food industry in tackling obesity, Ultra-Processed Foods, school food, and the case for more robust measures on product reformulation and advertising.

The session will start at 3.00pm and will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster.

Giving evidence will be:

• Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) (Minister for Public Health, Start for Life and Primary Care);
• Tazeem Bhatia, Chief Nutritionist, DHSC and;
• Natasha Burgon, Director, Health Improvement, DHSC.

Questions will include:

• Can you set out the Government’s overarching strategy on enabling people to eat healthily and preventing obesity?
• The Committee has heard criticisms of cross-departmental collaboration on obesity prevention. Can you set out how you ensure that a coherent approach is taken across government?
• What role, if any, should the food industry play in the formulation of the Government’s policy on tackling obesity?
• Some witnesses to the Committee have suggested Government should issue guidelines warning against the consumption of ultra-processed foods. What is your position?
• You have acknowledged that the voluntary calorie reduction programme has been largely unsuccessful. Given the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy in sugar reduction, why has the Government not sought to introduce further mandatory or fiscal measures to encourage reformulation, as recommended for example by Defra’s independently commissioned National Food Strategy Plan?
• The Committee has heard that compliance with the school food standards is variable, with low quality food on offer at too many schools. What is your assessment of the impact of this on child nutrition? What is your strategy to ensure effective nationwide implementation of the school food standards?