Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Government’s Impact Assessment for Restricting checkout, end-of-aisle, and store entrance sales of food and drinks high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS), what assessment he has made of the reasons for the discrepancy between the (a) Government's impact assessment of a net cost to business of £1.1 billion per year and (b) food and drink industry's estimate of a £3 billion reduction in revenue as a result of a ban on the promotion of HFSS foods.

There has been no such direct assessment. We have engaged with industry throughout impact assessment’s consultation period and believe the values quoted in the impact assessment are robust.

Both the costs to business and health benefits gained from restricting placement of products high in fat, salt and sugar were modelled by Department analysts and publicly consulted on. The final impact assessment was revised in light of evidence and responses submitted through consultation. The impact assessment has gone through a rigorous review process including receiving a ‘fit for purpose’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, an independent committee sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who ensure that costs to business have been considered appropriately.