Health: Obesity

Baroness Howarth of Breckland Excerpts

Wednesday 19th October 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hussein-Ece]

My Lords—

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland]

My Lords—

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Strathclyde)]

My Lords, if both noble Baronesses are quick, we can get both in. Can my noble friend speak first, and then the noble Baroness?

[Earl Howe]

I agree with my noble friend that it is about educating both children and parents about healthy diets and healthy eating, and encouraging children at school to take up healthy diets.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland]

My Lords, I know that the Ministry is very keen on co-ordination, and I am sure that one of the reasons why the team from the Food Standards Agency was moved into the Department of Health was to ensure that it could work on these issues. The Minister will remember that this team was outstandingly successful in its work on the salt campaign and was moving on to work on fat and sugar, which would have helped with the obesity problem. I understand that the team is now being disbanded. Is that sensible in the light of the Question of the noble Lord, Lord McColl?

[Earl Howe]

I am not aware that the team is about to be disbanded but I will take that concern away and write to the noble Baroness about it.