Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 7 December 2016.
Well, I’m pleased that you have recognised the success that we have made in terms of driving down smoking levels, which are at their lowest level since records began. And we’re making really good progress towards our target of 16 per cent by 2020.
You’re absolutely correct that tackling obesity is a very complex issue, and it does involve things such as taxation and advertising. We’re very pleased that the UK Government is committed to the sugar levy, for example. However, we are concerned that there doesn’t seem to be any demonstrable progress in that area. So, this is something we continue to push on, as we do with pushing for further and stronger action in terms of advertising as well. And, again, this is something that we make regular representations to the UK Government on. There is work here for Government to do, both at Welsh Government level and UK Government level. There are also things that the industry itself can do; for example, the work that the industry has done on a voluntary basis in terms of reducing salt levels in food is actually held up as a global example of good practice. So, there’s a role there for the industry to see what more it can do in terms of sugar and fat content too.