Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help integrate public health objectives into local (a) licensing and (b) planning policies for (i) food, (ii) alcohol and (iii) other businesses.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on improving health and wellbeing. This includes contributions to the Levelling Up missions and in other forums where policy is of mutual interest, including integrating public health and planning and licensing.

The planning and licensing systems are administered by local Government and informed by national guidance and frameworks. ‘Promoting healthy and safe communities’ is an explicit target in the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities’ National Planning Policy Framework. This framework sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied, including explicit recommendations for local authorities to foster a well-designed and safe built environment, with accessible services, open spaces, access to healthier food and appropriate facilities to encourage healthy lifestyles. The Government has also introduced cumulative impact assessments as a tool for licensing authorities to limit the growth of licensed premises in a problem area.