Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Statement by Baroness Merron on 22 May (HLWS662), whether the commitment by advertisers and broadcasters to implement the advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink in October 2025 is based on the February 2024 proposed guidance from the Advertising Standards Authority, or the updated guidance discussed in the consultation update on 13 January.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.

The Government received representations from a range of stakeholders in response to the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) revised implementation guidance and prior to the written statement on 22 May announcing a revised approach to implementing the advertising restrictions. This included written correspondence from the food and drink industry and the advertising industry, however, representations did not reference legal action against the Government or the ASA. We listened carefully to the concerns raised by all stakeholders and worked with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to find a successful resolution.

The resolution was agreed on the basis that advertisers and broadcasters, with the support of online platforms and publishers, have made a unique and public commitment to comply with the restrictions as though they would still come into force from 1 October 2025. The consistent position of the Government is that brand advertising is not in scope of the advertising restrictions, and this was clearly understood by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill. We have engaged with industry stakeholders and understand that businesses are using the implementation guidance the ASA consulted on between December 2023 and February 2024 as a guide to comply with the restrictions.

Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions, and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the ASA as the frontline regulator. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its non-statutory implementation guidance ahead of publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Merron on 22 May (HLWS662), what discussions they have had with OFCOM about the effectiveness of the Advertising Standards Authority in handling the non-statutory guidance for the regulations on the advertising of unhealthy food and drink on TV and online.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.

The Government received representations from a range of stakeholders in response to the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) revised implementation guidance and prior to the written statement on 22 May announcing a revised approach to implementing the advertising restrictions. This included written correspondence from the food and drink industry and the advertising industry, however, representations did not reference legal action against the Government or the ASA. We listened carefully to the concerns raised by all stakeholders and worked with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to find a successful resolution.

The resolution was agreed on the basis that advertisers and broadcasters, with the support of online platforms and publishers, have made a unique and public commitment to comply with the restrictions as though they would still come into force from 1 October 2025. The consistent position of the Government is that brand advertising is not in scope of the advertising restrictions, and this was clearly understood by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill. We have engaged with industry stakeholders and understand that businesses are using the implementation guidance the ASA consulted on between December 2023 and February 2024 as a guide to comply with the restrictions.

Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions, and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the ASA as the frontline regulator. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its non-statutory implementation guidance ahead of publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Merron on 22 May (HLWS662), what representations they received from (1) the food and drink industry, and (2) the advertising industry; and whether those representations contained references to legal action against (a) His Majesty's Government, or (b) the Advertising Standards Authority.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.

The Government received representations from a range of stakeholders in response to the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) revised implementation guidance and prior to the written statement on 22 May announcing a revised approach to implementing the advertising restrictions. This included written correspondence from the food and drink industry and the advertising industry, however, representations did not reference legal action against the Government or the ASA. We listened carefully to the concerns raised by all stakeholders and worked with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to find a successful resolution.

The resolution was agreed on the basis that advertisers and broadcasters, with the support of online platforms and publishers, have made a unique and public commitment to comply with the restrictions as though they would still come into force from 1 October 2025. The consistent position of the Government is that brand advertising is not in scope of the advertising restrictions, and this was clearly understood by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill. We have engaged with industry stakeholders and understand that businesses are using the implementation guidance the ASA consulted on between December 2023 and February 2024 as a guide to comply with the restrictions.

Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions, and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the ASA as the frontline regulator. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its non-statutory implementation guidance ahead of publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the national cancer plan for England will address alcohol consumption as a modifiable risk factor for cancer.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce alcohol consumption as a modifiable risk factor for cancer.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of public awareness levels of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of minimum unit pricing on alcohol-related cancer incidence.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local authorities (1) to reduce clutter on, and (2) to improve maintenance of, footways.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government allocates capital funding to local highways authorities to enable them to maintain and improve their road networks. This includes footways and the provision of street furniture such as benches, bins and cycle racks. In 2025/26, the Department has made a record investment of £1.6 billion which is a £500 million increase compared to 2024/25, and £24 billion of capital funding was committed at the Spending Review to maintain and improve motorways and local roads across the country between 2026/27 and 2029/30.

The Department also provides guidance to local authorities and encourages best practice. The “Inclusive Mobility” guidance document provides advice on designing an accessible public realm and includes recommendations on placing street furniture in a way that does not create obstructions for disabled people.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to classifying alcohol as an unhealthy product under high fat, sugar and salt marketing restrictions (1) to strengthen limits on alcohol advertising, and (2) to reduce alcohol exposure among vulnerable populations, including children and adolescents.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise the need for more action to address the impact of alcohol on health.

We are working across Government to determine the best ways to reduce alcohol-related harms. To strengthen the evidence base on the impact of alcohol marketing on levels of consumption, the Department has commissioned a study to examine the causal association between alcohol marketing and alcohol related attitudes and consumption. Further information on the study, Examining the causal association between alcohol marketing and alcohol-related attitudes and consumption: A longitudinal cohort study with adults in the United Kingdom, can be found on the University of Stirling’s website, in an online only format.

For this reason, there are no plans, currently, to reclassify alcohol as an unhealthy product under the existing high fat, sugar, and salt marketing restrictions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to include disabled people in policy making in (1) the Department for Transport, and (2) Active Travel England.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department is committed to delivering a transport network which puts passengers and their needs at its heart. A key facet to this is seeing disabled passengers able to make the journeys they want and need – doing this easily, confidently, with dignity and without extra cost.

The Department has created the People and Equalities Centre of Excellence to further drive the Department’s focus on delivering for every passenger, including those with protected characteristics, and utilises the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, as its statutory adviser on transport accessibility, to support and review transport policies.

We are committed to discharging our responsibility to give due regard to protected characteristics, set out in the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act more widely, when developing and delivering transport policy.

We regularly engage with disabled people’s organisation and other representatives covering visible and less visible disabilities. For example, in the development of the Department's Integrated Transport Strategy, the team have run ‘people’s panels’ for disabled people and neurodivergent people to allow their views to be heard, reviewed and included, as we prepare this key strategy. Similarly, in producing an Accessibility Roadmap for Rail (due to be published later this year), we have built on recent years research and engagement to ensure that it is focused on the right actions, and are engaging with accessibility organisations on the draft itself.

Active Travel England (ATE) does not set policy. ATE routinely works with Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and disabled representative organisations to improve its output.

Found: evidence include: • Lord Berkeley • Lord Hendy • Baroness Brown • Baroness Kramer • Lord Deben • Lord Krebs

Found: present: Baroness Sheehan (The Chair); Lord Ashcombe; Lord Duncan of Springbank; Lord Jay of Ewelme; Lord Krebs

Found: present: Baroness Sheehan (The Chair); Lord Ashcombe; Lord Duncan of Springbank; Lord Jay of Ewelme; Lord Krebs

Found: LORD KREBS BARONESS PARMINTER LORD WHITTY 265_ Clause 57, page 93, line 29, at end insert— “(10)

Found: LORD KREBS BARONESS PARMINTER LORD WHITTY 265_ Clause 57, page 93, line 29, at end insert— “(10)

Found: BARONESS PARMINTER BARONESS YOUNG OF OLD SCONE BARONESS BENNETT OF MANOR CASTLE LORD KREBS 164_ After

Found: LORD RAVENSDALE LORD HUNT OF KINGS HEATH LORD KREBS LORD GRANTCHESTER 127_ After Clause 51, insert

Found: Planning and Infrastructure Bill 18 LORD RAVENSDALE LORD HUNT OF KINGS HEATH LORD KREBS LORD GRANTCHESTER

Found: LORD RAVENSDALE LORD HUNT OF KINGS HEATH LORD KREBS LORD GRANTCHESTER 127_ After Clause 51, insert

Found: LORD KREBS BARONESS YOUNG OF OLD SCONE BARONESS BENNETT OF MANOR CASTLE EARL RUSSELL 93_ After Clause

Found: infrastructure projects provisions in the Planning Act 2008. 37 Planning and Infrastructure Bill LORD KREBS

Found: After Clause 9 LORD RAVENSDALE LORD KREBS 46★_ After Clause 9, insert the following new Clause— “

Found: LORD KREBS BARONESS PARMINTER LORD WHITTY _ Clause 57, page 93, line 29, at end insert— “(10) An

Found: LORD KREBS BARONESS PARMINTER LORD WHITTY ★_ Clause 57, page 93, line 29, at end insert— “(10) An

This short inquiry will consider waste crime, with a focus on serious and organised waste crime such as illegal waste sites and illegal dumping that pose a serious environmental risk. The inquiry will seek to understand the avenues for and prevalent forms of waste crime and their impacts. It will also aim to assess the efficacy of current regulatory, monitoring and enforcement regimes and consider the Government's plans to address the problem.