I thank my hon. Friend for that very good point. I am about to come on to that issue, so I shall just pause my response, but I will cover it.

To return to the school sports partnership, there was the worry that after the £150 million had been spent year...

I thank my hon. Friend for that very good point. I am about to come on to that issue, so I shall just pause my response, but I will cover it.

To return to the school sports partnership, there was the worry that after the £150 million had been spent year...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Weir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate on an important subject on which I know he has been campaigning for many years. Many of us have taken the opportunity to come to...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Weir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate on an important subject on which I know he has been campaigning for many years. Many of us have taken the opportunity to come to...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate. I do not want to repeat too much of what has been said. As people will know, I have had an active interest in public health for a number of my years in the...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate. I do not want to repeat too much of what has been said. As people will know, I have had an active interest in public health for a number of my years in the...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on bringing this issue forward for consideration.

When we look at the figures for physical inactivity, some of them are horrendous. In a world where we are so image and health conscious, it makes me wonder why we have not moved...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on bringing this issue forward for consideration.

When we look at the figures for physical inactivity, some of them are horrendous. In a world where we are so image and health conscious, it makes me wonder why we have not moved...

Thank you, Mr Weir, for calling me to speak. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this important debate, because we are very aware that inactivity has a direct impact on health, as we...

Thank you, Mr Weir, for calling me to speak. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this important debate, because we are very aware that inactivity has a direct impact on health, as we...

I will move on to that point in a second. I was interested in the remarks made by the hon. Member for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson). I have seen first hand some young people in my constituency who have taken part in the national citizen service, but that is just...

I will move on to that point in a second. I was interested in the remarks made by the hon. Member for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson). I have seen first hand some young people in my constituency who have taken part in the national citizen service, but that is just...

It is a pleasure both to serve under your chairmanship today, Mr Weir, and to introduce today’s debate. I would like to put my thanks on the record to the Backbench Business Committee for allocating us this time, and I particularly thank the hon. Members for Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey...

It is a pleasure both to serve under your chairmanship today, Mr Weir, and to introduce today’s debate. I would like to put my thanks on the record to the Backbench Business Committee for allocating us this time, and I particularly thank the hon. Members for Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey...

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It is an absolute pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith), who made a very good, thoughtful speech on a very important topic. I have highlighted it a number of times previously in Westminster Hall and the main Chamber.

I am speaking partly as a vice-chair of...

It is an absolute pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith), who made a very good, thoughtful speech on a very important topic. I have highlighted it a number of times previously in Westminster Hall and the main Chamber.

I am speaking partly as a vice-chair of...

Does my hon. Friend agree that competitive sport, whatever sport it might be, in school leagues and various competitions is beneficial in getting young people involved and stopping some of the obesity problems that this country has?

Does my hon. Friend agree that competitive sport, whatever sport it might be, in school leagues and various competitions is beneficial in getting young people involved and stopping some of the obesity problems that this country has?

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Weir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this important debate. I feel somewhat daunted to be following the hon. Member for Worsley and Eccles South (Barbara Keeley), who is something of an expert on...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Weir. I congratulate the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this important debate. I feel somewhat daunted to be following the hon. Member for Worsley and Eccles South (Barbara Keeley), who is something of an expert on...

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I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate, and I congratulate the Backbench Business Committee on allocating time for a subject whose importance is increasingly being recognised. The Select Committee on Health, of which my good and hon. Friend the Member...

I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate, and I congratulate the Backbench Business Committee on allocating time for a subject whose importance is increasingly being recognised. The Select Committee on Health, of which my good and hon. Friend the Member...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr Weir. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate

and all colleagues across the House who supported the application for it. We have heard some important contributions by hon. Members from...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr Weir. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) on securing this debate

and all colleagues across the House who supported the application for it. We have heard some important contributions by hon. Members from...

Will my hon. Friend acknowledge the impact that cuts in local government have had, particularly on youth services? In national youth week last week, a number of youth clubs, including in Peterlee in my area, were reporting that they may have to close because of funding cuts.

Will my hon. Friend acknowledge the impact that cuts in local government have had, particularly on youth services? In national youth week last week, a number of youth clubs, including in Peterlee in my area, were reporting that they may have to close because of funding cuts.

First, I thank the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) for securing this debate on such an important topic. It is one of my personal passions, particularly while I have been in this job. It is evident from the contributions of so many colleagues, who made so many thoughtful...

First, I thank the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Nick Smith) for securing this debate on such an important topic. It is one of my personal passions, particularly while I have been in this job. It is evident from the contributions of so many colleagues, who made so many thoughtful...

Will the Minister acknowledge that it is important for overweight people and large people to take exercise, because they will be healthier, whatever size they are, if they do that? There is a danger in focusing just on weight loss, instead of exercise. If people take exercise, it is likely...

Will the Minister acknowledge that it is important for overweight people and large people to take exercise, because they will be healthier, whatever size they are, if they do that? There is a danger in focusing just on weight loss, instead of exercise. If people take exercise, it is likely...

I have little time to respond, so I unfortunately cannot comment on all the cracking contributions made in the debate, but I did particularly like the point raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Inverclyde (Mr McKenzie), who talked about our spending all day in front of a screen...

I have little time to respond, so I unfortunately cannot comment on all the cracking contributions made in the debate, but I did particularly like the point raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Inverclyde (Mr McKenzie), who talked about our spending all day in front of a screen...

Absolutely. I could not agree more with the hon. Lady. It is exactly why we should not just link obesity and physical activity together. It is better for everyone to move. I will come on to some of the conditions that are helped by that, but she is right that...

Absolutely. I could not agree more with the hon. Lady. It is exactly why we should not just link obesity and physical activity together. It is better for everyone to move. I will come on to some of the conditions that are helped by that, but she is right that...