Health Inequalities

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:45 pm on 3 July 2019.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 2:45, 3 July 2019

Well, this is, of course, something that we're actively considering with our healthy weight strategy across Wales, and how we use the powers that we have across the Welsh Government in all devolved areas to try to make a real difference—the environment that we live in, the advertising and, indeed, what we can do not just to make unhealthier choices about food and drink more difficult, but actually to positively promote more healthy choices. And I would just say that, given the times that we're in and the leadership contest that I'm not participating in that's taking place at present, one of the candidates is suggesting getting rid of the sugar tax. I don't always agree with what the Conservative Government does—and most of the time I don't—but I actually think introducing the sugar tax was a good thing to do. I do not think there is any evidence to support scrapping the sugar tax being a good thing for helping us to tackle obesity across the United Kingdom. And I hope that those Conservative Members who have a vote in the contest will consider that and the impact of any other future choices that will be made, because it will have a real impact on our families and children here in Wales and not just in other parts of the United Kingdom.