Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the World Health Organization guideline on the use of non-sugar sweeteners, published on 15 May 2023, for dietary guidelines in England.

No assessment has been made. Policy officials have noted the report, its findings and the evidence used by World Health Organization (WHO) to inform their conclusions.

The United Kingdom’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition keeps a watching brief on the evidence around non-sugar sweeteners and health. The Government continues to recommend that the population’s average sugars intake should be reduced to no more than 5% of daily energy intake.