Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made on agreeing a collective target with industry on the responsible promotion of food under the Responsibility Deal.

Under the Responsibility Deal we have not agreed a collective industry target on the promotion of food. However, we are encouraged by the progress some companies are making under the voluntary partnership, for example in removing sweets and confectionery from checkouts. We encourage all businesses to go further.

Under the code of the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice there is a total ban on the advertising of food high in fat, sugar and salt during children’s TV programmes, on dedicated children’s broadcast channels and in programmes of particular appeal to children under the age of 16.