Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-07-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment on the cumulative effect of introducing a general sugar tax in addition to the soft drinks industry levy.

Jane Ellison

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy is a bold step towards tackling childhood obesity. It is a signal to the food and drink industry that the Government is willing to take action to help cut sugar intakes.

Public health experts have widely identified sugar-sweetened soft drinks as a specific, major factor in childhood obesity. There are no current plans to extend the levy to other foods or drinks, or introduce a general sugar tax.