Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy is being used to fund oral health improvement programmes.

The 2016 Budget announced funding for a number of programmes to support pupil health and wellbeing linked to the revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. These include doubling funding for the primary physical education and Sport Premium to £320 million a year from 2017, providing £100 million in 2018/19 for the healthy pupils capital fund, and providing up to £26 million to kick-start or improve breakfast club provision in over 1,700 schools.

Separately, Public Health England is leading a wide ranging multi-agency programme focusing on improving children’s oral health. NHS England’s ‘Starting Well’ programme is working in 13 high needs areas aiming to improve oral health in children under five years old who would not normally be regular dental attenders.