4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: 'Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales'

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:29 pm on 22 October 2019.

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Photo of Lynne Neagle Lynne Neagle Labour 3:29, 22 October 2019

Thank you, acting Deputy Presiding Officer. As you've acknowledged today, Minister, and as other Members have referred to, we have got a situation where one in four of our children starts school either overweight or obese. And, as you know, the Children, Young People and Education Committee was very keen to influence Welsh Government's thinking in this area and to make sure that children and young people are at the centre of this all-age strategy. And to inform our contribution to the consultation, we conducted a round-table with key stakeholders and took evidence from the chief medical officer, and I would like to take this opportunity to place on record our thanks to them.

As you'll have seen, in April, we published our detailed response to the consultation and highlighted the issues that we thought needed to be addressed, and I do welcome the steps taken to address some of those issues. However, we also identified accountability as a key area that would need to be addressed if we are to guard against a situation where the strategy becomes everybody's role but nobody's responsibility. And we also called for an ambitious target for reducing obesity, and clarity on who will lead on this complex and cross-cutting issue within Government.

Now, I hear what you said in response to Jenny Rathbone, and I note that the strategy states that, instead of specific targets, we will have built-in milestones for each of the four themes of the strategy to test what progress is being made. Can you provide more information on how that measurement of the milestones will work, and also tell us what leadership and accountability is going to be in place across Government to ensure that this strategy is delivered? Because, clearly, it's not just an issue for yourself as health Minister. So, what assurances can you give that, across the whole of the Government, there is going to be appropriate leadership to drive this forward?