8. Will the First Minister outline how the Welsh Government is working to improve child health in Wales? OAQ51964

We are working to improve child health through a range of plans and actions. Our programme for government includes implementation of our Healthy Child Wales programme, a universal health programme for all families with children up to the age of seven.

Thank you, First Minister. One of the biggest health challenges children face in Wales is that of childhood obesity, where Wales has some of the worst rates in the UK and, indeed, in western Europe. So, it's absolutely vital that we start to tackle that issue. Now, it has come to my attention that, over the next three years, Wales will receive £57 million as a result of the soft drinks industry levy that is being introduced next month, and in other parts of the UK that funding is going to be directed to initiatives to tackle obesity and improve activity among children. You will be aware that the Assembly's health committee is undertaking an inquiry into the physical activity of children, and I know that the Welsh Government is working up an obesity strategy that is unlikely to be cost-neutral. What assurances can you give that some of that substantial amount of funding will be redirected to tackle childhood obesity in Wales and that the strategy itself will match the scale of the challenge that we face here?

Well, it is something that we are considering. I can say that we've received a modest amount of funding so far, because of the UK Government's expenditure in areas in England relating to school sports and breakfast clubs. That money has been allocated for maintaining free school breakfasts, new funding for summer holiday clubs, investing more in childhood immunisation and, of course, looking at taking forward a transformation fund in health. Now, when that money arrives, of course, consideration will be given to how it's best spent. But I do recognise, of course, that we have an issue that is not unique to Wales, but it's something that we face in Wales, namely childhood obesity, where extra resources would certainly be useful in terms of addressing that.

And finally, question 9—Angela Burns.