Last Thursday a written question was submitted by Caroline Lucas, the Brighton Pavilion MP for Green Party to the Government and it was responded by Neil O’Brien the Minister for the Department of Health and Social Care. The focus is what is taking place to help reduce the obesity for children with a call to achieve the change within the next 7 years. The response claimed in the final sentence was “The Department has ongoing discussions with stakeholders, including health charities, on measures to reduce obesity.” and so there is a very good reason for Health based Charities to respond to the Health and Social Care Department and also Caroline Lucas to explain if they are being corresponded and are being provided with the assistance that Neil O’Brien is claiming. The full question and answer which can be obtained from here is listed below.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2023 to Question 117480, for what reasons he has not conducted an assessment on the potential impact of delaying the implementation of the junk food advertising restrictions to October 2025 on (a) rates of childhood obesity and (b) meeting the 2030 ambition to halve childhood obesity; if he has held discussions with health charities concerned with childhood obesity and other health impacts of junk food advertising on health on the potential consequences of the delay; and if he will make a statement.

Neil O’Brien: An impact assessment has not been conducted because the policy has not been amended, it has only had its implementation delayed. We do not expect a short-term delay to the implementation to have a significant impact in the longer term. The Department has ongoing discussions with stakeholders, including health charities, on measures to reduce obesity.