The Government remains committed to delivering the moonshot to end the obesity epidemic. I refer the Noble Baroness to the prevention chapter of the 10-Year Health Plan that sets out our package of policies to improve the healthiness of the food environment and reduce obesity rates.

I also refer the Noble Baroness to Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report. The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Work and Pension and the Department of Business and Trade on the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase, focused on tackling health-related economic inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces. No discussions have taken place between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and HM Treasury on addressing the £4.9 billion annual loss in workplace productivity associated with obesity-related absence.

After the initial wave of modern service frameworks (MSFs) is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Proposals for new MSFs will be assessed by the National Quality Board against a clear set of criteria, including: the strength of the case for change; the presence of consensus around a genuinely ambitious, long term outcome goal; the existence of a strong coalition of cross-system partners; and the potential for digital by default models and service transformation.

The Government remains committed to delivering the moonshot to end the obesity epidemic. I refer the Noble Baroness to the prevention chapter of the 10-Year Health Plan that sets out our package of policies to improve the healthiness of the food environment and reduce obesity rates.

I also refer the Noble Baroness to Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report. The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Work and Pension and the Department of Business and Trade on the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase, focused on tackling health-related economic inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces. No discussions have taken place between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and HM Treasury on addressing the £4.9 billion annual loss in workplace productivity associated with obesity-related absence.

After the initial wave of modern service frameworks (MSFs) is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Proposals for new MSFs will be assessed by the National Quality Board against a clear set of criteria, including: the strength of the case for change; the presence of consensus around a genuinely ambitious, long term outcome goal; the existence of a strong coalition of cross-system partners; and the potential for digital by default models and service transformation.

The Government remains committed to delivering the moonshot to end the obesity epidemic. I refer the Noble Baroness to the prevention chapter of the 10-Year Health Plan that sets out our package of policies to improve the healthiness of the food environment and reduce obesity rates.

I also refer the Noble Baroness to Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report. The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Work and Pension and the Department of Business and Trade on the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase, focused on tackling health-related economic inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces. No discussions have taken place between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and HM Treasury on addressing the £4.9 billion annual loss in workplace productivity associated with obesity-related absence.

After the initial wave of modern service frameworks (MSFs) is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Proposals for new MSFs will be assessed by the National Quality Board against a clear set of criteria, including: the strength of the case for change; the presence of consensus around a genuinely ambitious, long term outcome goal; the existence of a strong coalition of cross-system partners; and the potential for digital by default models and service transformation.

The Government remains committed to delivering the moonshot to end the obesity epidemic. I refer the Noble Baroness to the prevention chapter of the 10-Year Health Plan that sets out our package of policies to improve the healthiness of the food environment and reduce obesity rates.

I also refer the Noble Baroness to Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report. The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Work and Pension and the Department of Business and Trade on the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase, focused on tackling health-related economic inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces. No discussions have taken place between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Work and Pensions, and HM Treasury on addressing the £4.9 billion annual loss in workplace productivity associated with obesity-related absence.

After the initial wave of modern service frameworks (MSFs) is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Proposals for new MSFs will be assessed by the National Quality Board against a clear set of criteria, including: the strength of the case for change; the presence of consensus around a genuinely ambitious, long term outcome goal; the existence of a strong coalition of cross-system partners; and the potential for digital by default models and service transformation.

The Government recognises that children’s play supports health, wellbeing, learning and social development, and can strengthen community cohesion by bringing children, families and residents together in shared local spaces. This is why the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is investing £18 million through the Playground Fund to support 66 local authorities in England to create, improve or enhance up to 200 playgrounds in areas of greatest need. The fund targets places with higher levels of income deprivation affecting children and weaker existing playground provision, and supports high-quality, accessible and inclusive places to play.

Public playgrounds complement wider Government action to help children be healthier and more active by providing free, local opportunities for outdoor physical activity. The Department will monitor the Playground Fund to build evidence on best practice and interventions.

I refer the Hon. Member to the supporting documentation published at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-the-sale-of-high-caffeine-energy-drinks-to-children

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 2 June 2026 in response to Question 2751 which, for ease of reference, is reproduced below.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are legally required to make funding available for medicines recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in line with NICE guidance and the NICE Funding Variation for tirzepatide.

NHS England is supporting ICBs to implement local pathways for the assessment, prescribing, and management of tirzepatide, and has centrally commissioned wraparound support for eligible patients. It has also provided additional funding in 2025/26 and 2026/27 to support towards the cost of prescribing weight loss medicines. From 2026/27, NHS England has introduced new Quality and Outcomes Framework indicators, with additional funding to support implementation of obesity medicine pathways in primary care.

NHS England monitors implementation through routine engagement with systems. There are currently no plans for NHS England to review the methodology used to allocate funding to ICBs for these services.

In December 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro, for managing obesity.

In anticipation of the expected demand and the need to deliver treatment safely in primary care, NICE agreed a phased implementation approach, which meant access being prioritised first for people with the greatest clinical need. NHS England subsequently supported all integrated care boards to put in place access routes for the nationally prioritised groups, through which approximately 220,000 eligible patients across England are expected to gain access to tirzepatide to by the end of 2027/28.

NHS England has provided over £85 million in 2026/27 to support the obesity pharmacotherapy programme. This covers both the medicines and the clinical support needed to provide treatment safely and effectively. NHS England is also committed to further investment in 2027/28 to support the phased rollout. In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, all general practices can prescribe tirzepatide to eligible patients in line with NHS England’s interim commissioning guidance. NHS England continues to work with integrated care boards to support consistent and equitable access across England.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources.

Semaglutide (Wegovy) is recommended by NICE for both managing overweight and obesity and reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity.

The requested information is not held centrally. However, available data on the total number of patients prescribed with semaglutide for all purposes, and the cost of dispensing it to them, is maintained by the NHS Business Services Authority and is available at the following link:

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk

Studies currently underway in the United Kingdom are examining outcomes which include employment status, work productivity, and sickness absence. For example, the industry funded SURMOUNT-REAL study will examine employment status and work productivity outcomes alongside other factors. The Government funded Scotland CardioMetabolic Impact Study will include an assessment of how improved health through weight loss may help people remain in work and reduce sick leave.

The Government recognises that obesity is associated with significant labour market challenges, including reduced workforce participation and increased sickness absence. The Government remains committed to monitoring emerging evidence to better understand the full range of health and economic benefits associated with obesity treatments. Indeed, the evidence base for the impact of health interventions on employment outcomes is rapidly growing, with very robust evidence on the impact of bariatric surgery and Talking Therapies.

Supporting people to achieve and maintain weight loss over the long term is a core principle of National Health Service weight management services. National, integrated care board, and local authority commissioned services combine behavioural support, healthier eating, physical activity, and relapse prevention to help people sustain weight loss and improve their long-term health.

Nationally commissioned services, such as the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme and the suite of Healthier You programmes, such as the NHS Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing, the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, and the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission, all place a strong emphasis on supporting long term weight maintenance. These services are designed not only to help people achieve and sustain weight loss and a healthy weight, but also to prevent, improve, or manage obesity related long-term conditions, including reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and supporting remission for those already living with the condition.

The NHS continues to evaluate and develop its weight management services to ensure they reflect the latest clinical evidence and support people to achieve sustainable improvements in their health and reduce future demand on NHS services.

NHS England has established the National Obesity Audit (NOA) to improve understanding of weight management services across England. The audit analyses data collected from hospitals, community settings, and general practices on weight management services and interventions commissioned, or funded, by local authorities and the National Health Service. The NOA currently publishes information on specialist weight management services and bariatric surgery and is continuing to work towards a comprehensive picture of obesity care, including service access, outcomes, and inequalities, to support service improvement and development.

The Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme evaluation has been commissioned independently through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and is entirely independent of Eli Lilly and Company. The evaluation team is currently working with funded projects to understand service delivery models and planned data collection, with the final evaluation framework being developed by Autumn 2026. The findings of this independent evaluation will inform national decision-making, including future evidence requirements, and the outputs of the independent evaluation will be disseminated and made publicly available as appropriate.