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Children’s Health 2025-07-10
10 July 2025
Lead MP
Simon Opher
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
NHS
Other Contributors: 21
At a Glance
Simon Opher raised concerns about children’s health 2025-07-10 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
The Government's ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever through the 'Fit for the Future' 10-year plan is noted with excitement. Emphasis on obesity prevention, including better diets during pregnancy and addressing junk food advertising, fast-food outlets near schools, and school food standards. Praises initiatives like free school meals, reducing processed meat in school foods, mandatory health food sales in supermarkets, and investments into physical exercise opportunities through Sports England. Mentions the importance of clean air for asthma prevention, early years support programmes, mental healthcare crisis with long waiting lists, need for creative social prescriptions, and improving paediatric care in community settings.
Rachel Taylor
Lab
North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Agrees that the previous Government’s lack of investment in vital leisure facilities such as swimming pools is contributing to obesity problems. Highlights the importance of physical education, safe places for children to play and be active, and the need for adequate funding for sports facilities.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Praises campaigners in Newcastle-under-Lyme for their efforts to clean the air around schools. Calls on the Government to adopt World Health Organisation levels for particulate matter 2.5 to improve air quality.
Sarah Hall
Lab/Co-op
Warrington South
Calls for better integration of children’s health into policy, noting long waiting lists for CAMHS and gaps in support services such as speech and language therapy and school-based special educational needs co-ordinator support. Highlights issues with narrow criteria limiting access to care and rising mental health needs leading to longer waiting lists.
Susan Murray
LD
Mid Dunbartonshire
The hon. Member highlights the impact of poor diet on children's future health and educational outcomes, citing research that shows parents are uncertain about what constitutes a healthy diet for their children. She emphasises the need for clear guidance and practical support to improve dietary habits among families.
Mitcham and Morden
The Member focuses on end-of-life care for seriously ill children, emphasising the importance of ringfenced funding for children’s hospices. She questions the Government about maintaining and increasing the children’s hospice grant beyond 2025-26, launching a proper review of how palliative care is funded and held accountable.
Jess Asato
Lab
Lowestoft
The hon. Member raises issues regarding dentistry for children, the link between poverty and health problems, and mental health services. She welcomes government initiatives but calls for clearer targets to tackle child poverty and better regulation of advertising unhealthy food.
Tom Hayes
Lab
Bournemouth East
The Member discusses solutions such as youth hubs, recruiting more mental health workers, revamping Sure Start centres. He argues that children's social care should not be concentrated at the local authority level and proposes considering a different delivery model.
Jas Athwal
Lab
Ilford South
Athwal discusses the crisis of childhood obesity in London, citing statistics such as 20% of reception age children being overweight or obese. He highlights factors like a lack of after-school activities and the concentration of fast food chains near schools, and welcomes new national planning policy framework empowering local councils to block fast food outlets near schools.
Steve Yemm
Lab
Mansfield
Yemm speaks about young people with cancer in the UK, stating that seven young people are diagnosed every day. He calls for faster diagnosis, increased access to clinical trials, and addressing mental health needs of these patients.
Leigh Ingham
Lab
Stafford
Ingham discusses the importance of physical activity in children's daily lives, highlighting issues such as rising mental health struggles among young people. He supports multi-year funding settlements for school sports and inclusive public play places for disabled and neurodivergent children.
Mid Sussex
Bennett pays tribute to Group B Strep Support charity, asking the Minister to meet with them. She highlights a Children’s Commissioner report indicating 'Dickensian levels' of poverty for children in England and criticises the deterioration of healthcare services during Conservative rule.
Opher
Lib Dem
Stroud
The Liberal Democrat Member argued that every child deserves the best start in life regardless of background. They proposed fixing the NHS by ensuring everyone can see a GP within seven days, ending dental neglect for children, and rebuilding primary care services. The member also called for reversing cuts to public health programmes, expanding free school meals, and transforming mental healthcare systems.
Caroline Johnson
Con
Sleaford and North Hykeham
The Conservative Member highlighted the importance of early childhood care and the need to address social and environmental factors that affect children's health. She raised concerns about obesity, tooth decay, mental health pressures from social media, neglect, and community versus acute healthcare balance. The member asked several questions regarding these issues and advocated for better support for families.
Sarah Hall
Lab
Warrington South
Highlighted links between children’s health, education and poverty.
Susan Murray
SNP
Mid Dunbartonshire
Made a contribution on diet and nutrition which was insightful.
Mitcham and Morden
Spoke about children with life-limiting illnesses and end-of-life care, emphasising the role of palliative care for children.
Jess Asato
Con
Lowestoft
Talked about junk food advertising and dentistry.
Tom Hayes
Con
Bournemouth East
Talked about family hubs, Best Start programme, children’s health and social care infrastructure, third sector involvement.
Jas Athwal
Con
Ilford South
Raised the issue of fast food outlets and junk food advertising.
Steve Yemm
Lab
Mansfield
Talked about children, young people and cancer, mentioning the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Leigh Ingham
Con
Stafford
Spoke about how important play and sport are for children’s health.
Government Response
The Minister acknowledged the complexity of children's health, paying tribute to the lead MP’s campaigning efforts on social prescribing. They mentioned issues such as active travel, air pollution, access to green spaces, and the need to address poverty-related factors affecting child health. Emphasised the Government's commitment to raise the healthiest generation ever through various initiatives such as mental health support teams in schools, free breakfast clubs, investment in supervised tooth brushing programmes, funding for children’s hospices, involving young people in policy development, fixing the special educational needs and disability system, shifting from treatment to prevention with Best Start family hubs, taking firm action on obesity including restricting junk food advertising, improving nutrition standards for baby foods, digital health information through NHS app, rolling out neighbourhood health centres, reviewing funding distribution based on need, and increasing Healthy Start payments.
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