Part of 6. 6. Debate on Stage 3 of the Public Health (Wales) Bill – in the Senedd at 3:52 pm on 9 May 2017.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Tackling obesity is a major challenge to all Governments in the developed world. It requires joint action from a wide range of organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors, as well as from individuals themselves. I am grateful to Rhun ap Iorwerth for bringing forward proposals for a national obesity strategy at Stage 2 of the Bill’s consideration, and for the revised amendments being considered today. When the original amendments were tabled at Stage 2, I indicated that I could see the value in bringing a range of measures together through a coherent national obesity strategy. However, due to some concerns about the detail of the proposals, I was unable to support the amendments in their original form. I therefore thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for agreeing to work with the Government to consider the issue further, and for the revised amendments before the Assembly today. I am confident that the amendments now achieve both our objectives to the benefit of the people of Wales. I am pleased to now be able to support all of the amendments in this group. I am grateful to the Member for taking on board the points I made, and for working collaboratively to further refine the details of the proposals. I am particularly pleased that the revised amendments allow for broad stakeholder engagement and for a focus on prevention. I am confident these amendments will strengthen the Bill by placing the work of the Welsh Government to tackle this major public health challenge on a statutory footing. I am confident the amendments will deliver positive change for the people of Wales, and therefore ask Members to support them.