§ 13. Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the health of schoolchildren. [169835]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Miss Melanie Johnson)My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Health and for Education and Skills meet regularly to discuss a wide range of issues about the health, social care and education of children.
§ Bob RussellWill the Minister confirm that for the first time in 100 years life expectancy is falling, because today's schoolchildren are less fit and healthy than their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were at the same age? With that in mind, if we are to have a national health service rather than a national sickness service, will she work better with the Department for Education and Skills to ensure that our children have a minimum of two hours' physical education in the school curriculum?
§ Miss JohnsonThe hon. Gentleman has got that wrong. First, life expectancy is continuing to extend and, secondly, we work very closely with the Department for Education and Skills on all sorts of aspects of health in schools and matters that relate to the health of young children. In addition, I point out to the hon. Gentleman that we have a major consultation 1208 under way. I agree with him that obesity is a major issue, but that is why we are having the consultation, with a view to publishing a White Paper on public health during the summer. That consultation is open until 28 May. and I look forward to receiving the hon. Gentleman's remarks.
§ Mr. Mark Todd (South Derbyshire) (Lab)I am sure that the Minister agrees with me that one critical aspect of improving the health of schoolchildren is encouraging the eating of fresh fruit. I am sure that she shares my constituency experience of encountering widespread enthusiasm for the adoption of the fruit in schools programme, which this Government have pushed forward. However, does she share my wish that the current programme, which is confined to key stage I except where a school chooses to extend it, should be extended to key stage 2 children, many of whom are very envious of what is being offered to key stage 1 children?
§ Miss JohnsonI obviously share my hon. Friend's enthusiasm for the fruit in schools programme, which is encouraging infant children to eat more fruit both in and out of school. It has been shown that 25 per cent. more of them are eating fruit outside school and that 50 per cent. of families are recognising the value of fruit and vegetables in a healthy diet. That is why we are rolling out the programme across the country, at a cost of £77 million. We will evaluate the programme, and I will bear my hon. Friend's remarks in mind when we do that.
§ Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell) (Con)Central to that issue is childhood obesity. On Thursday, the Minister will chair a summit on obesity, a sure sign if ever there was one of Government policy failure. Can she tell us what her plans for that summit are, whether the Department for Education and Skills is involved in it and why, if it is a serious event, she needs a television presenter to chair it?
§ Miss JohnsonWe have been discussing all those matters widely with the DFES, and part of Thursday's event is to ensure that we are feeding the views of a wide range of people into the public health consultation that I mentioned a moment ago.