David Cameron blasted for ‘selling the health of millions down the river’ by delaying publishing obesity strategy
Document has been delayed since the end of last year and may now not be published before MPs go on their summer holidays
DAVID CAMERON was today accused of selling the health of millions of children “down the river” because of another delays in publishing No.10’s obesity strategy.
Sources claimed the document initially expected by the end of 2015 may not now be ready before Parliament rises for the summer holidays in three weeks.
Health experts fear it could now be January 2017 before measures to tackle the ballooning weight in Britain’s schoolkids are released by Government because of the backlash over the Chancellor’s soft drinks levy.
Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum told The Sun the delay defied belief – and demanded action. He stormed: “If Cameron does not publish his childhood obesity strategy before Parliament’s recess in mid-July it will be unforgiveable.
“In February he promised he would launch the document after the Referendum and has not done so despite there already having been many opportunities.
“How long does it take him to act against what has been described by his Secretary for Health as a great scandal? For a year he has sold the health of millions down the river.”
David Cameron last year spoke of his concern that while 10 per cent of kids start primary school obese, this number doubles to 20 per cent by the time the children leave.
Last year, Government sources blamed “disagreement between departments” for the delays in the obesity strategy.
Eventually it was one of the many policies put back until after the June 23 Referendum vote.
But the Chancellor George Osborne then infuriated the Department of Health by unveiling his plans for a Sugar Tax – a levy on soft drinks – in the March Budget.
At the time, he declined to give any other details of a wider anti-obesity programme.
Officials are thought to want food and drink firms to reformulate their products to cut sugar content by up to 20 per cent and restrict advertising to kids.
No.10 today declined to comment and the Department for Health would only say “we expect to publish it in the summer”.
Today’s outburst came amid claims the Chancellor’s controversial Sugar Tax could cost corner shops around £8,000 – or 15 per cent –in their annual soft drink sales.
The tax could slap an extra 48p onto a two-litre bottle of own-brand Coke when introduced in 2018. Lawyers are convinced the planned tax will breach EU competition law.