Through our Health Mission, the Government has set a bold new ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history. Tackling the childhood obesity crisis is central to that commitment, and the King\u2019s Speech set out the immediate steps we will take in the first parliamentary session to ban the advertising of junk food to children. We are also considering ways in which the planning system can do more to support better access to healthy food for families, for instance through more consistent approaches to controlling hot food takeaways near schools.<\/p>
For families on low household incomes, Healthy Start, introduced in 2006, supports pregnant women and children up to four years old with the cost of healthy foods, as well as providing access to free Healthy Start vitamins. The NHS Business Services Authority is responsible for promoting uptake of the scheme.<\/p>
In addition, the Government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared for school and set-up to achieve, by providing a supportive start to the day.<\/p>
Approximately 2.1 million disadvantaged school-age pupils are eligible for, and claiming, a free school meal, on the basis of low income. This has increased by almost 1 million since 2015/16. Transitional protections are currently in place, ensuring pupils retain this entitlement even if their family\u2019s household income increases. An additional 1.3 million infants enjoy a free lunchtime meal under universal infant provision, with approximately 87% taking this up. We encourage all schools to promote healthy eating and provide healthy, tasty, and nutritious food and drink. Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies, and free schools.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gorton and Denton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-08-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-08-01T09:55:58.56Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Food: Nutrition"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve access to healthy food for families on low household incomes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"} ], "uin" : "1939"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723828", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723828/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to tackling obesity and creating the healthiest generation of children in our history, as a core part of our Health Mission. This means taking action to ensure healthy choices are the easy choice, reducing the consumption of the least healthy foods, making everyday food healthier, and promoting healthier eating.<\/p>
As suppliers of what we eat and drink, the food industry has a key role to play in supporting the health of the nation. Some action has already been taken under the voluntary reduction and reformulation programme which requires businesses in all sectors, including retailers, manufacturers, and the eating out of home sector, to reduce the level of salt, sugar, and calories in the everyday foods we buy. The broad remit of the programme ensures that many of the processed foods we eat are in scope, including cakes, biscuits, confectionary, pizzas, crisps, sandwiches, and ready meals.<\/p>
Reports that demonstrate the progress made by businesses are published on GOV.UK website. These reports show that salt reductions of up to 20% have been made in some products, and that levels of sugar have gone down in all products included in the programme, with the largest reductions of approximately 15% and 13% seen in breakfast cereals, and yogurts and fromage frais, respectively. For calorie reduction, the first progress report showed generally little change in calorie levels across all sectors and categories. It is clear that more needs to be done, and further action to tackle childhood obesity under the Government\u2019s Health Mission will be set out in due course.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gorton and Denton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-08-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-08-01T09:21:34.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Processed Food"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will stake steps to work with food producers to reduce (a) fat, (b) sugar and (c) salt in processed foods.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"} ], "uin" : "1943"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723855", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723855/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department is working to expand access to naloxone, to increase the availability of this life saving medicine. On 29 July 2024 we laid legislation which, subject to passage through Parliament, will enable more services and organisations to provide take-home supplies of naloxone without a prescription.<\/p>
As part of these changes, we will ensure appropriate training requirements are in place, so that naloxone supply across all services and professions is safe. We will require that new services and professionals supplying naloxone, other than armed forces personnel, meet specific training requirements, including understanding appropriate practice around storing and supplying naloxone, and ensuring they can properly support an individual being supplied with naloxone, including how to administer the medicine.<\/p>
Training in responding to an opioid overdose, including the use of available naloxone, is already very well established in most parts of the country, alongside naloxone provision. Operational guidance for providing take-home naloxone, including safe use and supply, is available at the following link:<\/p>
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/implementing-the-recommendations-of-the-neonatal-critical-care-transformation-review/<\/a><\/p> Information on the new training requirements will be updated after the legislation comes into force.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"}
}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-08-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-08-01T09:56:29.14Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Naloxone"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will roll out training on the use of naloxone.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "1945"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723856", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723856/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No discussions have taken place between my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Home Office on a harm reduction approach to substance misuse. The Department recognises that harm reduction is a core component in addressing substance misuse, and is committed to working with the Home Office on this issue.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gorton and Denton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-08-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-08-01T09:59:04.213Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Drugs: Misuse"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a harm reduction approach to substance misuse.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "1946"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723857", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1723857/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department is monitoring the threat that the synthetic opioids nitazenes and fentanyls pose, and is working with partners across Government to respond to this threat. Educating the drug using community of the risks these drugs pose is vital. In 2018, the Department issued Guidance for local areas on planning to deal with potent synthetic opioids, which was updated in 2023, and explains how local commissioners and service providers can prepare for and respond to incidents involving potent synthetic opioids, as well as how local areas can communicate this threat to drug users. The guidance includes specific messaging for people who use drugs, and was developed with people who use drugs. Further information is available at the following link:<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fentanyl-preparing-for-a-future-threat/guidance-for-local-areas-on-planning-to-deal-with-fentanyl-or-another-potent-opioid<\/a><\/p> The Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by providing awareness to young people and to parents. Information on synthetic opioids and the danger of their misuse is available at the following link:<\/p>