Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of (1) childhood obesity, and (2) childhood dental problems; and what assessment they have made of the role of milk in combating those health issues.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) collects data on the weight status of children aged four to five years old, in Reception, and 10 to 11 years old, in Year 6. Findings from the 2023 to 2024 NCMP annual report shows that the prevalence of obesity in children in Reception is not showing signs of decreasing, and remains in line with the stable pre-pandemic level. For Year 6 children, although the prevalence has decreased, it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels and is in line with the increasing pre-pandemic trend. Obesity prevalence also varies across ethnic groups, where a child lives continues to influence their weight status and health, and there remain large and persistent inequalities between the most and least deprived areas of England.
Data from the National Dental Epidemiology Programme oral health survey of five-year-old schoolchildren in England in 2024 showed that 22.4% of five-year-old children surveyed had experienced tooth decay. The most common reason children aged five to nine years old are admitted to hospital is for tooth decay.
Plain milk and water are the safest drinks for teeth. We have published the evidence base in support of this in Delivering Better Oral Health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention, which states that only plain milk or water should be provided between meals for young children. Young children should not be given drinks sweetened with sugar or sweeteners.
In 2023, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), published its report Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years, a comprehensive assessment of the scientific basis of recommendations for feeding young children aged up to five years old. The report found no evidence that milk consumption is related to tooth decay and some evidence that there is no link between milk consumption and body fatness. The SACN recommended that plain milk or water, in addition to breast milk, should constitute the majority of drinks given to children aged one to five years old, and that pasteurised whole and semi-skimmed cows’ milk can be given as a main drink from one years old. These recommendations have been accepted by Government.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of milk in enabling healthy development in children.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s dietary recommendations are based on robust assessments of the scientific evidence by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and its predecessor, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Nutrition Policy. Government advice on a healthy, balanced diet is encapsulated in the United Kingdom’s national food model, The Eatwell Guide.
In 2023, the SACN published its report Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years, a comprehensive assessment of the scientific basis of the recommendations for feeding young children aged up to five years old. The SACN found that milk is an important contributor to energy intake and intakes of calcium and other micronutrients in children aged one to five years old. The SACN also found some evidence that there is no link between milk consumption and body fatness. The SACN recommended that:
- plain milk or water, in addition to breast milk, should constitute the majority of drinks given to children aged one to five years old; and
- pasteurised whole and semi-skimmed cows’ milk can be given as a main drink from the age of one years old.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, as part of the reset of relations with the EU, they are seeking to remove the requirement for animal health certificates when travelling with pets to the EU.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is seeking to negotiate a SPS agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. As like-minded partners with similarly high standards, the Government has been clear that an SPS agreement that removes barriers and protects our collective biosecurity and public health will benefit both sides.
It is too early to comment on the outcome of discussions linked to the UK/EU Summit that takes place on 19 May.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether goods exported by UK companies to the EU containing components made in the USA will be subject to EU tariffs on USA imports either fully or partially.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
For goods from the UK to be eligible for tariff-free access upon import into the EU, they must originate from the UK or EU according to the rules of origin of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We will look closely at the details of the retaliatory tariffs announced by the EU (noting they are currently suspended) and any impact these might have on UK businesses.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage local authorities to improve disability accessibility on transport services which they provide.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The government is committed to delivering a transport network which allows disabled people to be able to travel easily and confidently, with dignity and without extra cost. The government expects local authorities and transport operators to make sure this happens, consistent with their legal equalities duties.
On 17th December, the government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill that will give local leaders in England the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities and ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including for disabled people. The Bill includes measures to make the design of bus and coach stations and stops safer and more accessible and sets requirements on training for staff on disability-assistance and disability awareness to ensure bus drivers and staff dealing directly with the travelling public are better informed of the rights and needs of disabled passengers.
The Bill has also been amended so it now provides duties to consult disabled people, to consider the impact of Enhanced Partnership (EP) scheme requirements on accessibility, and to publish Bus Network Accessibility Plans, as well as clarifying that EP scheme requirements can include requirements aiming to improve accessibility.