Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the health benefits of the daily mile.

In March 2020, the former Public Health England assessed the health benefits of schools’ active mile initiatives, which included the Daily Mile. The review indicated that the initiatives provide a simple, inclusive physical activity opportunity suitable for all school age children and are appealing as a means of providing regular physical activity. It can make a contribution to the in-school delivery of 30 Active Minutes and the Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation of an average of at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day and can contribute to children’s health and wellbeing if implemented as part of a whole school approach to physical activity. These activities should provide an additional opportunity to be active during the school day and are not equivalent to and should not replace physical education.