Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the King's Fund report Tackling obesity: the role of the NHS in a whole-system approach, published on 4 July 2021, what (a) assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policy of the findings of that report on the comparative rates of hospital admission due to obesity in the most and least deprived areas; and (b) steps he is taking to tackle the discrepancy of hospital admissions due to obesity between the most and least deprived areas.

‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’ sets out a range of measures to reduce the prevalence of obesity, improve diets and promote healthier lifestyle behaviours, including addressing inactivity and preventing ill-health.

To target areas with higher levels of deprivation and obesity prevalence, we have introduced a £30.5 million grant for local authorities in England to commission adult behavioural weight management services in 2021/22, with funding allocated based on population size, obesity prevalence and deprivation. An additional £4.3 million has also been allocated based on need to 11 local authorities to support the expansion of child weight management services in 2021/22.