King’s Speech

Baroness Walmsley Excerpts

Wednesday 20th May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Walmsley (LD)]

My Lords, recently my work has focused on two aspects of prevention of ill health and health inequalities. In 2024, I chaired a one-year special inquiry into food, diet and obesity, and this year I am chairing one into childhood vaccination rates in England. Apart from clean water, these are two of the most effective measures for preventing ill health. Both are in line with the Government’s 10-year plan and determination to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, but there was little in the gracious Speech about implementing these commitments. However, many of the things we need to do will require secondary legislation rather than primary legislation, so I am looking forward to scrutinising a lot of regulations in the coming year.

On food policy, things are moving too slowly. Mandatory reporting of healthy food standards, promised last year, is still awaiting publication of consultation. The ban on less healthy food being advertised before the 9 pm TV watershed and online is having limited effect because of the watering down of the rules to allow brand advertising. This loophole is currently being imaginatively explored by the food industry. The new nutrient profiling model will require secondary legislation to detail how it will be applied. Consultation is under way on this too. We still await the technical consultation on strengthening the soft drinks industry levy—the sugar tax. The 10-year plan promised a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16 year-olds. However, progress on this has stalled, although it was announced in the previous King’s Speech and consultation was published in 2025.

I welcome the Government’s proposals on the review of the school food standards, and consultation has been launched, but I look forward to seeing the proposed changes to the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 as soon as possible this year.

Meanwhile, on our high streets, Action on Salt has found massive unnecessary amounts of salt in popular sandwiches—in one sandwich alone more than an adult’s daily limit. This is only one example of the unhealthy food which dominates our food system.

On all these matters the Government need to be bolder. My committee recognised that the food industry makes a lot of profit, some of which it spends on lobbying government, and we recommended that policy on food should always be made independently in the interests of public health, followed by consultation with industry about how to implement the Government’s policy. This has not been happening. Under the previous Government, good food policies were significantly watered down and delayed by up to four years. I urge the Government not to do a deal with supermarkets by delaying healthy food regulations in exchange for capping food prices, as is rumoured. It would be against public health and damage the NHS, and would be very short-sighted. Can the Minister confirm whether the rumour is true: yes or no?

I turn to the single patient record. Health data is currently a shambles, with numerous different systems that cannot talk to each other. This brings risk to patients and barriers to planning. There are undoubtedly issues about privacy, security and ownership of the data, which will be debated when we discuss the Bill.

My current committee has heard in public oral evidence that there are serious issues about vaccination data. Although most childhood vaccinations are delivered and recorded within GP practices, some take place elsewhere. This information is often not brought together into a single record. Some people may not be registered with a GP, or there can be difficulties transferring information from one GP to another. The information is vital for the care of that child and for national data and commission planning. Responsibility for commissioning vaccination services is now to be given to large-footprint, cash-strapped ICB clusters, but where will responsibility and accountability lie nationally?

The challenge will arise of how outreach to under-vaccinated local communities with different characteristics can be designed and managed far away in the headquarters of a large ICB—and whether it will be funded sustainably. However, there may also be a benefit. The ICBs may be able to smooth the transition of information across the life course, from maternal vaccination through early years and the secondary school-age programme and onwards to the adult offer. We shall see.