§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures his Department has taken to combat obesity in children; [45002]
(2) what initiatives his Department has taken to encourage children to eat healthy food. [45001]
§ Yvette CooperWe are committed to tackling the rising trend in childhood obesity and action to encourage children to eat a balanced diet. We have put in place major cross-Government programmes of work to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity. This includes
The National School Fruit Scheme where over 80,000 children in 27 areas and over 500 schools now receive a free piece of fruit each school day. Additional funding of £42 million from the new opportunities fund will enable the scheme to expand to cover over 1 million children from 2002 to 2004. From 2004 all 4 to 6-year-olds will be entitled to a free piece of fruit each school day.We already have a National Healthy School Programme, a joint initiative between the Department and the Department for Education and Skills, which has as one of its themes healthy eating. Schools are encouraged to provide, promote and monitor healthier food at lunch and break times and in any breakfast clubs. This will be complemented by the food in schools programme, 783W which aims to bring together under one umbrella all food-related initiatives in schools and after school clubs to improve health and learning.Work to ensure that children have opportunities to participate in a wide range of physical and sporting activities. The Government's White Paper "Schools——achieving success" gave a commitment that all children will be entitled to two hours of high quality physical education (PE) and school sport a week, within and outside the curriculum. Significant funding is also being provided to enhance PE and sports facilities in schools including £541 million from the new opportunities fund for a PE and Sports Programme.