Diet (Hansard, 8 September 2003)

§ Dr. Fox
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will measure the success of the Five-A-Day scheme. [127373]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
Consumption of fruit and vegetables is monitored in national surveys, including the annual Health Survey for England, the annual Expenditure on Food Survey, and the periodic National Diet and Nutrition Survey.
The New Opportunities Fund has commissioned evaluations of the two elements of the Five-a-Day programme that it is funding at present—the 66 primary care trust-based community initiatives and the regional scaling up of the National School Fruit Scheme. Each evaluation will use a dedicated dietary assessment tool, the development of which was commissioned by the Department of Health at the time of its original pilots.
Awareness and usage of the Five-d-Day logo launched in March will also be monitored nationally.

§ Dr. Evan Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government plans to increase the funding for Five-a-Day Local Community Initiatives available through the National Lottery New Opportunities Fund; and if he will make a statement. [128231]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
The lottery-funded New Opportunities Fund is providing £10 million over two years to 2005 to support Five-a-Day community initiatives based in 66 primary care trusts (PCTs). These PCTs, like all PCTs in England, have a duty to improve the health of their communities which requires them to lead on public health issues such as healthy eating. By 2004 PCTs will be managing up to 75 per cent. of the total national health service budget for England to 181W commission services to meet the needs of their population, which may include Five-a-Day projects to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. The Department of Health continues to fund the production of Five-a-Day resources which are available, free, to all PCTs but it does not ring fence funds for Five-a-Day within PCTs' allocations.

§ Mr. Burns
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to improve people's diets, with special reference to people living in socially deprived areas. [127453]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
The Department of Health, working with the Food Standards Agency and other partners, is taking a range of measures to improve people's diets. The following measures specifically relate to deprivation.
The lottery-funded New Opportunities Fund is providing £10 million over two years to support "Five-a Day" community initiatives led in 66 of the most deprived primary care trusts. These aim to increase access to fruit and vegetables and awareness of the health benefits of eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day.
The "NHS Priorities and Planning Framework 2003–06" sets a target to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by two percentage points a year, focussing especially on women from disadvantaged groups.
The Welfare Food Scheme provides free milk and vitamins to over 700,000 pregnant women, mothers and young children. It is primarily targeted at low income families. The Department plans to reform the scheme by 2004 by broadening its nutritional basis, strengthening links with the national health service and providing increased support for breastfeeding mothers.