A new sugar levy will be imposed on soft drinks to help raise millions for primary school sports, chancellor George Osborne has announced.
Using his Budget speech, Mr Osborne said the new tax would help double the amount of money dedicated to primary school sports. The new tax will be introduced in two years’ time and will be based on the total sugar content in drinks.
The money will be used to double the primary school PE and sport premium funding from £160m per year to £320m per year.
It will also be used to provide up to £285m a year to give 25% of secondary schools increased opportunity to extend their school day to offer a wider range of activities for pupils, including more sport, and £10m funding a year to expand breakfast clubs in up to 1,600 schools starting from September 2017.
Mr Osborne said: ‘We’re introducing the levy on the industry which means they can reduce the sugar content of their products – as many already do.
‘It means they can promote low-sugar or no sugar brands – as many already are. They can take these perfectly reasonable steps to help with children’s health.’
Mr Osborne warned that most five-year old children are consuming their body weight in sugar every year, with some fizzy drinks containing up to 13 teaspoons of sugar.
His Budget announcement also included plans to fund longer school days for a quarter of secondary schools, to help them provide extra-curricular activities.
‘There will be enough resources for a quarter of secondary schools to take part – but that’s just a start,’ he said.
‘The devolved administrations will receive equivalent funding through the Barnett formula – and I hope they spend it on the next generation too.’
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