Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the monitoring and enforcement of school food standards to ensure that free breakfasts are nutritionally beneficial.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that primary schools have sufficient resources and staff time for free breakfast clubs to be delivered effectively.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that kitchen facilities in primary schools are sufficient for new breakfast clubs to provide healthy and nourishing breakfasts.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to update the school food standards to ensure that breakfasts served in free breakfast clubs are nutritionally beneficial.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure children that are from the most deprived households will be able to access free breakfast clubs.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to introduce free breakfast clubs in primary schools.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of voluntary sugar reduction programmes.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The effectiveness of the United Kingdom’s voluntary sugar reduction programme has been assessed. Four reports have been published to date, which are available on the GOV.UK website, reviewing the progress made by businesses in delivering the 20% reduction target set.
The most recent report, detailing progress between 2015 and 2020, showed that reductions had been delivered in all food categories included in the programme. The greatest reductions in sales weighted average sugar levels per 100 grams were made in breakfast cereals, with a 14.9% reduction in sugar, and yogurts and fromage frais, with a 13.5% reduction. Overall, a reduction of only 3.5% in sales weighted average sugar levels per 100 grams has been delivered by the programme. This is lower than the reductions made in individual categories because of substantial increases in sales in products with high sugar levels such as chocolate confectionary. Reductions were also seen in the calorie levels per single serving of some products. Mixed progress was seen across different companies and brands, and the out of home sector generally delivered less than retailers and manufacturers.
Juices and milk-based drinks are included in the voluntary programme, as they are excluded from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, and were required to deliver 5% and 20% reductions, respectively, in sugar levels per 100 millilitres. The most recent progress data shows that between 2017 and 2020, retailers and manufacturers had not met the 5% target reductions in juices, while out of home blended juices had delivered reductions of approximately 9%. The 20% reduction target has been achieved in three out of six categories for retailer and manufacturer milk-based drinks, with some reduction in calories. In the out of home sector, there has been a 10% sugar reduction in hot and cold drinks, but this category has also seen a 14% increase in calories. Out of home milkshakes have also seen an approximate 12% increase in both sugar and calories.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the lack of verifiable identification such as driving licences for 16-year-olds with regards to the introduction of a ban on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children under 16.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the King’s Speech, we plan to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to deliver on our commitment to end the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds in the first parliamentary session. We are developing plans which will take into account enforcement and other issues, and will set these out in a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timeline for banning the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children under 16.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the King’s Speech, we plan to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to deliver on our commitment to end the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds in the first parliamentary session. We are developing plans which will take into account enforcement and other issues, and will set these out in a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce an obesity strategy.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Supporting people in staying healthier for longer is at the heart of the Government’s health mission. We face a childhood obesity crisis, and the Government will take action to tackle it head on, easing the strain on the National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.
As set out in the King’s Speech, we will bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to ban junk food advertising to children, and stop the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. The Government recognises that prevention will always be better than a cure. Further action on obesity under the Government’s health mission will be set out in due course.