Sugar tax should be spent on Blackpool kids

Calls for all councils to receive £500,000 of government cash to help improve children’s diets have been backed by Blackpool’s director of public health.
A sugar tax should go towards improving children's diets, say doctorsA sugar tax should go towards improving children's diets, say doctors
A sugar tax should go towards improving children's diets, say doctors

Dr Arif Rajpura has signed a letter, co-ordinated by the food and farming charity Sustain, asking ministers to make access to healthy food a priority in future spending plans.

It sets out five key proposals including ensuring a levy from the soft drinks industry is spent on a healthy food scheme for schools.

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The campaign says at least half of the revenue annually (about £170m) from the Sugary Drinks Industry Levy should go into a new Healthy Food Innovation Fund which could mean approximately £500,000 for every local authority.

The letter also calls for all primary age children to be given free fruit and vegetables, which at the moment is only available for four to six-year-olds.

In addition the campaign wants to extend free school meals and free meals during school holidays.

Dr Arif Rajpura said: “In Blackpool we are passionate about improving the health of our children and giving them the best start in Life.

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“A lot of work has been undertaken in Blackpool to improve obesity levels and we have campaigns in partnership with Food Active such as Give Up Loving Pop and Be Kind to our Teeth.

“We have recognised the problems of holiday hunger and for the last two years we have developed a partnership with the Opportunity Area, third sector and council departments to deliver a holiday activity programme which includes a food provision.

“The provision has been delivered in the summer holidays, but in Blackpool we want to deliver this in all the school holidays, but the lack of funding is restricting what we can deliver, and having to continually bid for funding makes it difficult to plan.

“Additionally, Blackpool has delivered a free school breakfast scheme to all primary school aged children, as we have recognised that children are attending school without having breakfast at home.

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“It is important that funding is allocated to improve the health of our children in Blackpool.”

Dr Rajpura is among 29 directors of public health nationally to sign the letter.

Vera Zakharov, of Sustain, said: “Government has a unique opportunity this year to show leadership on safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the next generation by championing fiscal policies that provide a nutritional safety net to some of the most vulnerable children and families. “

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