Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the supporting evidence base is for each measure set out in the consultation on an online advertising ban for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We published an evidence note alongside the consultation on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar. The evidence note is available at the following link:
The evidence note builds on the impact assessment that accompanied the 2019 consultation on further advertising restrictions on TV and online, which included estimates of the potential reduction in daily calories consumed by children. This is available at the following link:
In the consultations we have asked about the impact of the proposals on small businesses and are engaging with industry to understand these in more detail to factor in the final policy decision. Government departments work very closely on reducing obesity and share responsibility for delivering the measures set out in ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’.
The Competition Markets Authority has not been asked for an assessment of the potential effect on business competition of plans to restrict online advertising and the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the potential average reduction in personal calorie intake that will result from the proposed online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt or sugar; and how that estimate was calculated.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We published an evidence note alongside the consultation on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar. The evidence note is available at the following link:
The evidence note builds on the impact assessment that accompanied the 2019 consultation on further advertising restrictions on TV and online, which included estimates of the potential reduction in daily calories consumed by children. This is available at the following link:
In the consultations we have asked about the impact of the proposals on small businesses and are engaging with industry to understand these in more detail to factor in the final policy decision. Government departments work very closely on reducing obesity and share responsibility for delivering the measures set out in ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’.
The Competition Markets Authority has not been asked for an assessment of the potential effect on business competition of plans to restrict online advertising and the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what input his Department had in the policy-making process underpinning the public consultation on an online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt or sugar which will introduce commercial and marketing restrictions on large and small businesses.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We published an evidence note alongside the consultation on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar. The evidence note is available at the following link:
The evidence note builds on the impact assessment that accompanied the 2019 consultation on further advertising restrictions on TV and online, which included estimates of the potential reduction in daily calories consumed by children. This is available at the following link:
In the consultations we have asked about the impact of the proposals on small businesses and are engaging with industry to understand these in more detail to factor in the final policy decision. Government departments work very closely on reducing obesity and share responsibility for delivering the measures set out in ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’.
The Competition Markets Authority has not been asked for an assessment of the potential effect on business competition of plans to restrict online advertising and the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic effect on businesses of a reduction in calories as part of the policy-making process for the public consultation on online advertising restrictions for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We published an evidence note alongside the consultation on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar. The evidence note is available at the following link:
The evidence note builds on the impact assessment that accompanied the 2019 consultation on further advertising restrictions on TV and online, which included estimates of the potential reduction in daily calories consumed by children. This is available at the following link:
In the consultations we have asked about the impact of the proposals on small businesses and are engaging with industry to understand these in more detail to factor in the final policy decision. Government departments work very closely on reducing obesity and share responsibility for delivering the measures set out in ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’.
The Competition Markets Authority has not been asked for an assessment of the potential effect on business competition of plans to restrict online advertising and the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Competition Markets Authority has been asked for an assessment of the potential effect on business competition of plans to restrict (a) online advertising and (b) the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We published an evidence note alongside the consultation on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar. The evidence note is available at the following link:
The evidence note builds on the impact assessment that accompanied the 2019 consultation on further advertising restrictions on TV and online, which included estimates of the potential reduction in daily calories consumed by children. This is available at the following link:
In the consultations we have asked about the impact of the proposals on small businesses and are engaging with industry to understand these in more detail to factor in the final policy decision. Government departments work very closely on reducing obesity and share responsibility for delivering the measures set out in ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’.
The Competition Markets Authority has not been asked for an assessment of the potential effect on business competition of plans to restrict online advertising and the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prioritise the safe resumption of full care home visitation during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We want to bring an end to the pain of separation and help care homes bring families and loved ones together. The launch of visitor testing is a crucial step to making that happen.
Following a successful trial in 20 care homes, we have started the phased rollout of new rapid tests to all care homes across England to support visiting. The first 385 care homes are now able to begin testing visitors and we aim to roll this out to all care homes by Christmas.
Testing is only one way of minimising the risk of visiting a care home. If a visitor has a negative test, is wearing appropriate PPE, and following other infection control measures, then it will be possible for family and friends to have more meaningful visits to care homes.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what input his Department had in the policy-making process for the public consultation on an online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government’s commitment to consult on an online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt and sugar as part of the July obesity package, and the launch of the consultation on 10 November, were both subject to HM Treasury approval.
The Government is undertaking a full Regulatory Impact Assessment on the online ban to ensure the costs to business are captured and the benefits and the costs of all options are compared as per HM Treasury guidance. These assessments are independently assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee to ensure they are robust.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department was asked by (a) the Department for Health and Social Care and (b) Public Health England to undertake an (i) economic impact assessment and (ii) cost-benefit analysis of each proposal in the consultation on an online advertising ban for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is undertaking a full Regulatory Impact Assessment on the proposal to introduce a total restriction of online advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt to ensure the costs to business are captured and the benefits and the costs of all options are compared as per HM Treasury guidance. This assessments is undertaken jointly by the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department of Culture Media and Sport, and is independently assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee to ensure it is robust.
The Department for Health and Social Care and the Department of Culture Media and Sport jointly published an evidence note alongside the consultation on this proposal. The evidence note is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/total-restriction-of-online-advertising-for-products-high-in-fat-sugar-and-salt-hfss/evidence-note.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what input she has had in the policy-making process for the public consultation on the online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt or sugar; and whether she has made an assessment of the legal implications of introducing proposals to restrict the commercial and marketing activities of large and small companies.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Reducing obesity levels is a key priority for this Government and our ambition is to halve childhood obesity by 2030. That is why in the Tackling Obesity strategy, published in July, restrictions to advertising of foods high in fat, salt or sugar were announced.
This policy is led by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC), and they are now consulting on how a total online advertising restriction would be introduced. This consultation is ongoing and will close on 22 December 2020.
The Law Officers regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss important issues of common interest.
However, it is a fundamental and longstanding principle of our system of government that the fact that the Law Officers have advised (or not advised) and the content of any such advice is, by convention, not disclosed outside Government, without their consent.
Asked by: John Stevenson (Conservative - Carlisle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support (a) employed and (b) self-employed people in the travel industry during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Following the implementation of further national restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, the Government has announced additional economic measures to provide financial support to employed and self-employed individuals, including those working in the travel industry.
The Government has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until March 2021 which will provide employees with 80 per cent of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The Government is providing broadly comparable support for the self-employed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, with grants raised to 80 per cent of average trading profits, up to £7,500 for 3 months.
These schemes are part of a £200bn package of support offered to businesses, including billions of pounds worth of loans, grants and tax deferrals, which will help protect jobs throughout the UK and across all sectors through the winter.