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Powers to levy taxes on foods high in fat, salt and sugar are reserved to the UK Government. As such, the Scottish Government has not conducted any impact assessment that such additional taxes would have on the types of establishments mentioned in the question.

I would welcome a response from the Committee to the consultation and would be happy to discuss our proposals and hear the views of all its members. This follows my attendance at the Committee’s evidence session on 16 December, where I encouraged the Committee to contribution to shaping our new strategy.

The consultation document 'A Healthier Future - Action and Ambitions on Diet, Activity and Healthy Weight' was published on 26 October 2017, with consultation running until 31 January 2018.

In addition to our on-line process, we will engage directly with a wide range of stakeholders including through regional workshops with the health and third sector; activities with young people; and a series of meetings with industry bodies and others.

We will be considering our spending priorities as part of the forthcoming Scottish budget considerations following the Chancellors Autumn Budget Statement.

We are however concerned about the transparency of the Soft Drinks lndustry Levy. To ensure Scotland gets its fair share, we plan to engage with the UK Government and seek further clarification on how the levy is allocated to the Scottish Government.

I welcome the findings of the ScotPulse poll and am encouraged that 59% of respondents back the idea of a ban on junk food adverts. We are currently consulting on action to restrict non-broadcast advertising on products high in fat, sugar and salt.

We will also continue to call on the UK Government to ban junk food advertising before the 9pm watershed.

The Best Start recommends that "NHS Boards should ensure all neonatal staff can refer parents of babies in neonatal care to local psychological services" and we will work with NHS Boards to ensure that this is taken forward. We are unable to give data on the number of psychologists that offer services in neonatal units because psychologists may offer support across a number of areas.

The Best Start launched in January 2017 and shortly after this Jane Grant was appointed Chair of the Implementation Programme Board (IPB). I met Jane Grant on 31st October to discuss progress of the IPB. An update on the progress has been lodged in SPICe Bib number 59286.

The Scottish Government considered advice and views from a wide variety of sources in preparing the consultation document. From within the public sector that included advice from Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and supporting evidence in 3 papers (January 2016, October 2016 and March 2017) which are available on the FSS website http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/.

The Scottish Government also commissioned Health Scotland to carry out a rapid evidence review, and this was published on the NHS Health Scotland website on 30 October 2017 http://www.healthscotland.scot/publications/rapid-evidence-review-restriction-of-price-promotions.

Further views will be provided as part of the consultation, following which the Scottish Government will as always seek any advice necessary as it shapes its policy and to ensure that any legislation would be within legislative competence when introduced to the parliament.

This information is not held centrally.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12026 on
1 November 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx