Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to address the problem of obesity arising from the over-concentration of hot-food outlets.

The location and number of fast food takeaways is a matter for each local planning authority to determine under their local plans. The Health and Wellbeing Planning Practice Guidance states that promoting access to healthy food is one of the issues that could be considered when making planning decisions.

In March 2014, Public Health England issued a briefing “Obesity and the environment: regulating the growth of fast food outlets” which addresses the opportunities to limit the number of fast food outlets, especially near schools, and gives practical advice to local planners and public health professionals. This briefing has been attached.