Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of PE and school sport on childhood obesity.

The Government is clear that physical education (PE) and school sport is important because it teaches pupils the importance of developing healthy habits from an early age that can have positive impacts on pupil health, mental wellbeing, character and childhood obesity. The first ever Active Lives Children and Young People Survey published by Sport England on 6 December showed that around 3 million children (43.3%) achieved at least an average of 60 minutes of physical activity a day, over the week. The survey report is attached.

Through both chapters of the Childhood Obesity Plan, the Government is supporting the delivery of the UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines that every child and young person aged 5 to 18 should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity a day. Chapter 2 of the plan promotes a national ambition for every primary school to adopt an active mile initiative, such as the Daily Mile, supported by £1.5 million investment recently announced by Sport England.

Since 2013, through the primary PE and sport premium the Government has invested over £1 billion of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve PE and sport. A further £100 million of revenue generated from the soft drinks industry levy has been used for the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund in 2018-19, which improves children’s access to facilities for physical activity.

In October the Government announced a new School Sport and Activity Action Plan to be published in spring 2019 which will help get more young people active and enjoying the benefits of sport.