Childhood Obesity Strategy

Baroness Jenkin of Kennington Excerpts

Monday 25th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

It is always a pleasure to debate issues in this House. This topic is worthy of that debate because there is a huge interest in it in this House.

The noble Baroness is quite right to talk about advertising. It states in the paper:

“Consult, before the end of 2018, on introducing a 9pm watershed on TV advertising of HFSS”—


high in fat, sugar and salt—

“products and similar protection for children viewing adverts online”.

I take that to mean across the board as opposed to those solely aimed at children, which are already subject to world-leading restrictions.

The noble Baroness asked about families. Much of this is about helping families to do the right things. We know how difficult it can be when you are with young children in a shop to resist this, that or the other. You talk about protecting your teeth or eating well, but it is not always obvious what is good for you and what is bad for you. Again, in the paper there is reference to calorie labelling and going much further in terms of restaurants and store promotions. The noble Baroness and her party are always keen to make sure that we can get the most out of Brexit, and going further than the European Union will allow us with food labelling and simple nutrition information is just one of the many opportunities we will enjoy after 2019.

[Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friend may be aware that I chaired a commission for the Centre for Social Justice last year, so I welcome the acknowledgement that this issue particularly affects children in the most deprived areas. Can my noble friend give more clarity about the consultation and when it will end? Although I have not read every word in it yet, can he also say whether the Government will look at the “eatwell plate”, which is carb heavy at the moment? I am not sure whether that advice is covered in the paper.

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I thank my noble friend for her questions. I salute the work she has done and the leadership she has shown on this issue. As to the content of the consultations, that will depend on when they are launched but it refers in the paper to consulting before the end of 2018 on a number of issues, so that will go through the normal process, I suppose, of a three-month consultation.

I shall look at the issue of the “eatwell plate”. It is worth pointing out that, under the “Schools” heading, there is a desire to update school food standards, reduce sugar consumption, strengthen nutrition standards and the government buying standards for food and catering services. So there is a desire to look at the official guidance that goes out and to make sure that it reflects the best science and enables any institution that is looking after children, families, schools, adults and others to give the best possible nutritional food that they can.