Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help encourage the consumption of healthy foods by children.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government advice on a healthy, balanced diet is encapsulated in the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The Department promotes the Eatwell Guide principles through platforms such as the National Health Service website and social marketing campaigns including Healthier Families and Better Health. More information on the marketing campaigns is available at the following links:
https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/
We have taken action to empower people to make healthier food choices, which includes implementing regulations in 2022 on out of home calorie labelling for food sold in large businesses including restaurants, cafes and takeaways and restricting the placement of less healthy products in key selling locations in store and online. We are committed to bringing forward further measures by 2025, restricting adverts on television for less healthy foods and drinks before the 9pm watershed, as well as paid-for adverts online and restricting volume price promotions of less healthy foods such as buy-one-get-one-free offers.
Measures to restrict advertising are underpinned by evidence which suggests that exposure to high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) advertising can affect what and when children eat, shaping children’s food preferences from a young age. Over time, excess consumption can lead to children becoming overweight or obese, all of which puts their future health at risk. This evidence is referenced in the recent consultation from December 2022, Introducing further advertising restrictions on TV and online for products high in fat, salt or sugar: consultation on secondary legislation. We will publish the response to the consultation in due course. More information on the consultation is available at the following link:
Through our Healthy Food Schemes, the Government provides a nutritional safety net to those who need it the most. Healthy Start, Nursery Milk and the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme together help more than three million children. Over £200 million is devoted to the Healthy Food Schemes each year to reflect this commitment.
The School Food Standards are set in legislation and require school caterers to serve healthy and nutritious food and drinks to ensure children get the energy and nutrition they need throughout the school day. The standards define the foods and drinks that must be provided, those which are restricted to a minimum, and those which must not be provided. HFSS foods are restricted.
Education around healthy eating is also covered through several curriculum subjects including design and technology, science and health education. The relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance states that by the end of primary school, pupils should know what constitutes a healthy diet; the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals; the characteristics of a poor diet; and risks associated with unhealthy eating.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS figures showing a recent increase in hospital admissions for cases of (a) malnutrition and (b) nutritional deficiencies, published in The Guardian on 21 December 2023, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to (i) affordable and (ii) nutritious food.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Malnutrition is a complex condition, and it is unclear from hospital admissions data what the underlying causes are. Through our Healthy Food Schemes, the Government provides a nutritional safety net to those who need it the most. Healthy Start, Nursery Milk and the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme together help more than three million children.
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to conserve UK agrobiodiversity to prevent (a) genetic erosion and (b) species extinction.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are already implementing a set of targeted schemes to improve the environment and productivity. Investing in the natural environment will help us reduce future risks related to the loss of biodiversity. In 2024 in our combined Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Scheme offer we are introducing new and updated actions to further support species recovery and management.
We are addressing conserving agrobiodiversity through our commitments to conserve genetic resources on under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Activities to protect and conserve livestock genetic resources also include encouraging sustainable breeding programmes through Zootechnical legislation, monitoring populations of pedigree livestock including native breeds which are published in an annual UK National Breed inventory and protecting eligible native breeds at risk from culling during notifiable disease outbreaks.
The Government recognises the important role local abattoirs play in supporting native breed farmers and the wider rural economy. In December 2023 Defra launched the £4 million Smaller Abattoir Fund to boost the sustainability and efficiency of red meat and poultry smaller abattoirs across England.
To conserve plant genetic resources for food and agriculture Defra funds three plant gene banks, the national collections for fruit, vegetables and peas, which conserve and provide access to plant genetic material.
In situ conservation of forest genetic resources has started to be delivered by voluntary designation of 17 gene conservation units by the Woodland Trust. Ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources has been achieved through both seed banking and by clone banks. The UK National Tree Seed Project, led by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew has conserved seed collections of the UK native trees from populations across the UK. Forest Research and the Future Trees Trust have set up and mange clone banks for improved forestry material.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote healthy eating in schools.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department encourages a healthy balanced diet and healthy life choices through school funding, legislation and guidance.
The standards for school food are set out in the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. These regulations are designed to ensure that schools provide pupils with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that pupils have the energy and nutrition they need throughout the school day.
Under the benefits-based criteria, over 2 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal. An additional 1.3 million infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime following the introduction of Universal Infant Free School Meals.
The School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme also provides over 2.2 million children in Reception and key stage 1 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables each day at school. Schools are encouraged to use it as an opportunity to educate children and to assist a healthy, balanced diet.
The importance of a healthy diet is also included in the science curriculum for both primary and secondary school. Healthy eating is covered through topics relating to nutrition and digestion, which cover the content of a healthy diet and the impact of diet on how the body functions.
The Relationships, Sex and Health Education statutory guidance states that by the end of primary school, pupils should know what constitutes a healthy diet; the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals; the characteristics of a poor diet; and risks associated with unhealthy eating and other behaviours. By the end of secondary school pupils should know how to maintain healthy eating and the links between a poor diet and health risks.
Healthy eating and opportunities to develop pupils’ cooking skills are covered in the design and technology (D&T) curriculum. Cooking and nutrition are a discrete strand of the D&T curriculum and is compulsory in maintained schools for key stages 1 to 3. The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. The department has also introduced a new food preparation and nutrition GCSE to provide pupils with practical cookery experience and teach them the underlying scientific concepts of nutrition and healthy eating.
The Healthy Schools Rating Scheme celebrates the positive actions that schools are delivering in terms of healthy living, healthy eating and physical activity. This voluntary rating scheme is available for both primary and secondary schools.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help protect farmers from competition from countries with lower animal welfare standards; and what steps she is taking to help ensure that food labelling accurately reflects the origin of produce.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
HM Government is committed to uphold our high standards of food in any trade deal. All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with our import requirements and regulatory standards for food safety.
Country of origin information is already required for a range of fresh and frozen meat products, as well as for uncut fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil and wine.
At the Oxford Farming Conference, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced a rapid consultation to gather views on how we can make packaging information clearer. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will announce more details on this in due course.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure free movement of cultivated plant biodiversity.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
UK plant health controls take a risk-based approach informed by the evidence and balance ensuring robust biosecurity with the facilitation of trade. The threat from plant pests and diseases is significant and growing due to globalisation and climate change.
High plant health and biosecurity standards keep harmful pests and diseases, like Xylella fastidiosa, out of the UK, benefiting both the horticultural trade and the environment in the long term. The UK has some of the highest plant health and biosecurity standards in the world, and we have been clear we will not compromise on these standards. They are integral to supporting and protecting the horticultural industry as well as sustaining our food supply and natural environment.
The UK Plant Health Risk Group is continuously reviewing risks to plant biosecurity and identifying actions needed to mitigate the most significant threats. These include keeping our regulatory regime up to date, carrying out focused surveillance and inspections, contingency planning, research, and awareness raising, as well as identifying areas where intervention would not be helpful or justified.
Further, the UK is a member of both:
The EU has granted equivalence to the UK for agricultural seed (excluding production of vegetable seed), fruit and vegetable propagating material, and FRM, ensuring these commodities may be marketed in the EU.
The UK Plant Health Information Portal has published Defra guidance to importers and exporters of plant material to support trade facilitation.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she takes to monitor the number of schools pupils that are malnourished.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government supports the provision of nutritious food in schools. The Requirements for School Food Regulations (2014) require schools to provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day. These regulations are accessible at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made.
The school food standards restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. Compliance with the school food standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools.
The department spends over a £1 billion a year on school food, including £600 million for universal infant free school meals (FSM). Under the benefits-based criteria, 2 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for, and claiming, a FSM. Almost 1.3 million additional infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime following the introduction of the universal infant FSM policy in 2014. In addition, the school fruit and vegetables scheme provides over 2.2 million children in reception and key stage 1 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables each day at school.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities collect data on child weight through the National Child Measurement Programme. The latest data from October 2023 shows that among reception children (aged 4-5 years), prevalence of underweight remained at 1.2% in 2022/23, which is higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019/20 (0.9%). In year 6 pupils (aged 10-11 years), underweight prevalence went up from 1.2% to 1.5%, but is similar to pre-pandemic levels in the 2019/20 data (1.4%). Although the increase in the proportion of underweight children is statistically significant, this is below the 2% level expected in a healthy population, and therefore does not raise concerns.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the diet of pupils in schools.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government supports the provision of nutritious food in schools. The Requirements for School Food Regulations (2014) require schools to provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day. These regulations are accessible at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/contents/made.
The school food standards restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. Compliance with the school food standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools.
The department spends over a £1 billion a year on school food, including £600 million for universal infant free school meals (FSM). Under the benefits-based criteria, 2 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for, and claiming, a FSM. Almost 1.3 million additional infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime following the introduction of the universal infant FSM policy in 2014. In addition, the school fruit and vegetables scheme provides over 2.2 million children in reception and key stage 1 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables each day at school.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities collect data on child weight through the National Child Measurement Programme. The latest data from October 2023 shows that among reception children (aged 4-5 years), prevalence of underweight remained at 1.2% in 2022/23, which is higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019/20 (0.9%). In year 6 pupils (aged 10-11 years), underweight prevalence went up from 1.2% to 1.5%, but is similar to pre-pandemic levels in the 2019/20 data (1.4%). Although the increase in the proportion of underweight children is statistically significant, this is below the 2% level expected in a healthy population, and therefore does not raise concerns.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the value of Healthy Start vouchers for the purchase of baby formula.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The value of the Healthy Start is kept under continuous review. From April 2021, the value of the Healthy Start increased from £3.10 to £4.25, providing additional support to pregnant women and families on lower incomes to make healthy food choices.
Healthy Start can be used to buy, or be put towards the cost of, fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried and tinned pulses, milk and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries are also eligible for free Healthy Start Vitamins.
There are currently no plans to increase the value of Healthy Start.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether negotiating objectives for a trade deal with Canada include the option of retaining an entry price system which could require certain types of fruit and vegetables to have a pre-determined import price or have a tariff applied.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The EU’s Entry Price System was removed by the UK with the introduction of the UK Global Tariff in 2021. Market access negotiations between Canada and the UK are ongoing.