Labour plans to ban junk food ads on prime time TV

Junk food adverts will be banned from prime time TV shows under Labour plans to tackle childhood obesity.

A £250 million a year fund aimed at making children in the UK the healthiest in the world would also see investment in school nurses.

In an effort to tackle child mental health problems the plan would support counselling services in primary and secondary schools.

Adverts for unhealthy products high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) are already banned on children's television, but Labour's plans would extend the prohibition to cover all programmes before the 9pm watershed.

Campaigners have argued that the existing ban does not cover many TV programmes which are popular with youngsters but not specifically aimed at children.

Labour highlighted figures suggesting the move would reduce children's viewing of junk food adverts by 82%.

The move is part of a strategy to halve the number of overweight children within 10 years in an effort to curb the £6 billion annual cost to the NHS of obesity.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "The scandal of child ill-health is a long-standing, growing and urgent challenge. It should be matter of shame that a child's health is so closely linked to poverty and that where and in what circumstances you grow up can dramatically affect your life chances.

"Evidence shows the link between deprivation and poor health in childhood, so with child poverty on the rise, the need for action becomes more acute.

"The UK has one of the worst childhood obesity rates in Western Europe. Tooth decay is the single most common reason why children aged five to nine require admission to hospital. Around 13% of boys and 10% of girls aged 11-15 have mental health problems.

"When it comes to our children we should be ambitious. It's time we invested properly in the health of the next generation. That means the sort of bold action we are outlining today to tackle obesity and invest in mental health provision.

"Labour will put children at the heart of our health strategy and put measures in place to make Britain's children the healthiest in the world."

The £250 million child health fund would be paid for by halving the amount the NHS spends on management consultants each year, Labour claimed.

Within 100 days of a victory for Jeremy Corbyn on June 8, Labour would produce a plan to halve childhood obesity within a decade.