Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Impact Assessment entitled Introducing a 2100-0530 watershed on TV advertising of food and drink that are high in fat, salt and sugar products and similar protection for children viewing adverts online, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of a ban on online advertising of products that are high in fat, salt and sugar with the finding by his Department that such a ban would reduce a child’s annual calorie intake by 700 calories a year.

The impact assessment for further advertising restrictions for products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) shows a positive net value, meaning the health benefits outweigh the costs to business and the Government. It also presents the number of calories removed from a child’s diet each day as a result of the restrictions. This is a population wide estimate and does not reflect that this policy could most benefit children from lower income households who are more exposed to HFSS advertising and those who are already overweight or obese.