Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to help reduce childhood obesity rates in Slough.

The prevention of ill health is a clear priority for the Government, and a cornerstone of this is supporting children, including those in Slough, to live healthier lives.

The 10 Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, sets out decisive action on the obesity crisis. In a world first, we will introduce mandatory healthy food sales reporting for large food businesses and using that reporting, we will set new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.

We will also fulfil our commitments to restrict junk food advertising and ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. We have given local councils stronger powers to limit school children’s access to fast-food.

Officials in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ South East team work closely with local partners, including local authorities and the National Health Service, to support them with local initiatives to promote a healthy lifestyle and tackle obesity.