Sugar Tax not a silver bullet say MPs
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- Published: Wednesday, 02 December 2015 07:50
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MPs have debated an e-petition signed by over 150,000 people calling for a tax on sugary drinks. At the same time they considered a report by the Health Select Committee on childhood obesity. Committee chair Dr Sarah Wollaston MP endorsed the proposal, but said such a tax was not a ‘silver bullet’ but should be part of a package of measures.
The debate, in Westminster Hall, was led by Helen Jones Labour MP for Warrington North who said: ‘we are now in danger of raising a generation who will have a lower life expectancy than that of their parents. The reason for that is down to diet, with too much fat and too much sugar—combined with too little exercise, yes, but it is mostly about diet.’
She was interrupted many times by Mark Field Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster who believed that diet was a matter for parents and voluntary action by food companies. His was a lone voice opposing the sugar tax, with most MPs who spoke supporting it albeit some with reluctance.
Although the debate was focussed on childhood obesity and the Health Committee’s report, which had been published earlier in the day, some speakers made reference to the effect of sugar on children’s teeth.
Helen Jones: “The biggest cause of childhood admissions to hospital is dental decay. If we talk to people who operate on those children, we hear horrific stories of young children having all their teeth removed because of decay.
Dr Wollaston: “In our (the Health Committee’s) report, we highlight that the single biggest cause of admission to hospital for five to nine-year-olds is the need to have rotten teeth removed. Are any of us happy with that situation? It is absolutely woeful that we are not doing more to tackle it.”
Liz McInnes Labour MP for Heywood and Middleton: “Many hon. Members mentioned tooth decay. Unfortunately, tooth decay caused by sugar is the most common reason why children aged five to nine are admitted to hospital. We really need to do something about that. If we do not encourage good dental hygiene in our children’s younger years, we are just storing up a load of problems for their teenage and adult years.
“I want to wind up by saying that I recently saw a film called “That Sugar Film”, which explores the problem of hidden sugars in our food. Among other things, the film highlighted a drink that I had previously never heard of called Mountain Dew, a half-litre bottle of which contains an astounding 17 teaspoons of sugar. The film referred to a condition in America known as “Mountain Dew teeth” and showed a young man of about 20 whose teeth were completely rotten as a result of his Mountain Dew habit. Sadly, now that I am aware of the drink and its lurid green bottle, I have actually seen it for sale in my local supermarkets. We really should be imposing some kind of tax on these high-sugar drinks to hopefully make them far less desirable and affordable.”
Dr Rupa Huq Labour MP forEaling Central and Acton: “Apparently today is the first day of Sugar Awareness Week. According to Mick Armstrong, chair of the British Dental Association: ‘Britain is addicted to sugar, and inaction can no longer be justified, either morally or financially.’
Replying to the debate on behalf of the Government, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Jane Ellison MP acknowledged the strength of public feeling about the issue. She said it was no secret that the Government have no plans to introduce a tax on sugar. She added that all taxes are kept under review but such decisions are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Several Members had suggested that food and drink labels should show teaspoons of sugar, as an indication of how much was in the product. The Minister said that labelling was the responsibility of the European Union, so the UK Governmemt could not act unilaterally. She added however that under EU legislation, it would be possible for companies to represent sugar content in the form of spoons of sugar or sugar cubes but only on a voluntary basis.
Much of the Minister’s speech was about the steps the Government are already taking to improve children’s health, particularly in relation to food and diet. She promised that a childhood obesity strategy would be published in the New Year.
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