Skip to main content

Proceeding contribution from Mike Penning (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 13 November 2008. It occurred during Topical debate on Combating Obesity.


Combating Obesity

I look forward to looking at the Health Committee’s evidence. I had the honour of being a member of that Committee. I too had meetings with officials of the FSA recently, but they indicated to me that European law was a concern. If there is a concern, we need to go for the best possible option. I agree that the guideline daily allowance system is not perfect, but at least it means that information for people who are willing to look for it is on the front rather than the back of packs. Perhaps a voluntary traffic light code would be the way forward. I should like to comment on some of the excellent comments that have been made in the debate. I believe that my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) referred in an intervention to the fact that it would be much better if fewer of our constituents drove their pupils to school. I agree with him. There were some excellent community-based ideas, such as walking buses and so on. When I ask my constituents why they drive their children to school, they say, ““Fear.”” They do not feel that it is safe to let their youngsters walk to school any more, either with a friend or with another parent. We must address that. People in all parties are worried about that, and rightly so. Before the hon. Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh) was cut short—I am sure that he will learn from that crisis—he was absolutely right to say that interaction with youth is very important. I am conscious of the fact that, as my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) said, when school facilities are not being used, when schools are closed in the evenings, clubs and other sporting people should have the opportunity to use them.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
482 c1002 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Health education Food Standards Agency Nutrition Obesity Young people Sports Food technology
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk