At her first outing at Health Questions as Labour’s new Shadow Minister for Public Health, Sharon raised the need for action to be taken on preventative measures to help change behaviours when it comes to the issue of rising obesity levels.

Image copyright Parliamentary Recording Unit 2016

During her exchange, Sharon highlighted the delayed and downgraded Childhood Obesity Plan as a policy which didn’t go far enough and quizzed the Public Health Minister on the need for assurances that the promised preventative strategy would be fully realised so that the next generation would be healthier than the last.

Following Health Questions, Sharon said:

“When the Childhood Obesity Strategy was published over the summer recess, I was dismayed to see it had been downgraded from the promised world-first strategy to a 13-page plan that rehashed many of the already announced policies the Government had come forward with.

“This is why it was important, especially on World Obesity Day, that I used my first outing at Health Questions as Shadow Minister for Public Health to seek assurances from the Government that they would do more to ensure that preventative measures were implemented to ensure that the next generation is healthier than the last.

“I welcomed what the Public Health Minister had to say, however, the time for warm rhetoric is over and what we need now is action to address rising obesity levels. Scrutiny of the Government’s actions will be paramount in the coming weeks and months ahead, to make sure any progress that is made will have a serious and positive impact on the health of the nation.”  

ENDS 

You can read Sharon’s exchange with the Public Health Minister here.