Latest news with #InstituteofEconomicAffairs
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Freedoms in Britain declining at a faster rate than almost anywhere in Europe as UK jumps up the rankings in 'nanny state' league... with Germany last in 29-nation table
Freedoms in Britain are declining at a faster rate than almost anywhere else in Europe, according to research which ranks the UK seventh in a 'nanny state' index. Britain has moved four spots to become the seventh worst place in the continent to eat, drink, smoke and vape, according to the analysis. Germany, Luxembourg and Italy were deemed the most liberal – while Turkey, Lithuania and Finland top the table for nannying. The index, published by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre (EPICENTER), scores countries on how they regulate lifestyle choices. Britain climbed the rankings due to high tobacco duty, the tax on sugary drinks and the indoor smoking ban. It has the 'worst score for tobacco in the index'. Other measures that count against it include alcohol duty, plain packaging rules for tobacco products, and new restrictions on product placement for 'less healthy' foods. The IEA warns Britain could climb even higher when the next index is published in 2027 due to the forthcoming junk food ad ban and tougher vaping rules. From next month, it will be illegal for businesses to sell single-use or 'disposable' vapes – whether or not they contain nicotine. And from October, adverts for 'less healthy' food and drink will be banned before the watershed on TV, along with a total ban on paid-for online ads for junk food. Legislation is also making its way through Parliament which will ban tobacco sales to anybody born on or after January 1, 2009. The report states there is 'no correlation whatsoever between Nanny State Index scores and life expectancy' nor lower smoking rates or reduced alcohol consumption. But it argued that 'sin taxes' raise the cost of living and 'hurt the poor'. Christopher Snowdon, report author and head of lifestyle economics at the IEA, said: 'The UK is sinking ever deeper into the quicksand of heavy-handed government paternalism. The idea that adults should be free to choose is fading away and there will be politicians who see the UK's position on the Nanny State Index as a badge of pride rather than a mark of shame. 'As in other areas of the economy, high taxes and draconian regulation are impoverishing us all and benefiting nobody.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'The British public wants bold action to tackle the root causes of ill health, but for too long there has been an unwillingness to lead on issues like smoking, obesity and alcohol harm – we are turning the tide.' He added: 'We are shifting the focus from sickness to prevention to save taxpayers' money through our ambitious 10 Year Health Plan.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UK has one Europe's biggest nanny states
The UK has one of the biggest nanny states in Europe, a new study has found. The report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre, titled the Nanny State Index 2025, said that the UK has the 7th biggest nanny state in Europe. Edited by Dr Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the think tank, it gives 29 European countries a score out of 100 according to how they regulate lifestyle choices. The country has moved up four places since the report was last published in 2023, from 11th place. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre said the UK's 'heavy-handed measures' including anti-smoking rules, sugar tax, and strict alcohol advertising laws, all impacted the ranking. The report noted the UK has the second highest taxes on cigarettes when adjusted for income in Europe and the fourth highest taxes on alcohol when adjusted for income. It added that the UK could climb even further up the rankings when the index is next published in 2027. A ban on disposable e-cigarettes, a generational tobacco sales ban, a new vape tax, and an unprecedented ban on 'less healthy' food advertising are all set to drive the country up the rankings when they come into force over the coming years. Despite the increased nanny state approach, the report found no correlation between stricter regulation and better health outcomes like life expectancy, lower smoking rates, or reduced alcohol consumption. A higher score on the Nanny State Index does not correlate with higher life expectancy. The IEA argues that these policies 'squeeze' consumers 'in the name of 'public health''. It also says that '[e]xcessive regulation creates excessive bureaucracy.' Despite the report's findings, Lord James Bethell, previously health minister under Boris Johnson's government, has advocated for what the IEA calls 'sin taxes'. In response to the report's findings, Bethell told City AM: 'Britain is slipping down the health rankings according to many sources, including the Legatum Prosperity Index where the UK ranked 34th in the health category in 2023, down from 23rd in 2019.' 'I agree with the IEA that pettifogging red-tape and the treacle of tiresome regulation is a huge drag-anchor on enterprise. 'That's why I support clear cut guardrails that give industry certainty and protect our national human capital, such as the 'Smoking Extinction 2040' measure in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and banning social media for under-16s,' he added. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'Spy scales' rolled out by NHS to remotely monitor weight of severely obese kids
Families told to get kids to stand on the scales at home which they cannot see a reading from - and if they're too heavy then the NHS will be in touch The NHS is rolling out "spy scales" which remotely monitor children at home so medics can get in touch if they put on too much weight. The scales are given to parents of severely obese children and have 'hidden digits' so that they can not see the reading of how much they weigh. Instead families are sent graphs showing weight trends and text messages of encouragement. They have been trialled by 350 families and NHS England is now rolling them out to thousands more. Messages sent out by the specialist doctors and nurses include those saluting families for 'continuing to make great progress' or advising children who are not losing weight to make changes to their eating habits. Health campaigners said some would see the measures as ' Big Brother ' and 'nanny state' but insist Britain's obesity crisis is so bad that such actions were necessary. Professor Simon Kenny, NHS England's Clinical Director for Children and Young People, said: 'This game-changing tool is helping our specialists support and keep track of children's weight loss progress without them needing to leave home, while offering regular advice to them and their parents to help build healthy habits.' Children under 13 years of age are recommended to have the app on the parent's mobile. If patients are older than 13 years a discussion can take place between patient, parents and clinicians. NHS England said it's an option for the young person but not required whereas parents should always have the app. Christopher Snowden, from the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'Handing out spy scales without the numbers on them seems insane. The whole thing sounds like a patronising waste of money - sending people banal advice to eat less, as if they don't know that already.' Families enrolled in the programmes for children aged from 3 to 18 sign up to an app, which tracks weight patterns, and sends tailored messages of encouragement. For young children, the messages are aimed at parents. Parents are also sent graphs showing weight trends, which experts said are more useful, in guiding parents into what the right trends should be for growing children. Prof Kenny said: 'Living with excess weight can cause problems affecting every organ system and long-term complications such type 2 diabetes, stroke, early joint replacements and mental health difficulties. We also know that children living with health problems have poorer school attendance which can affect their future employment and life opportunities – and the NHS won't just sit by and let children and young people become ill adults." The programme is being rolled out to 19 specialist clinics, targeting thousands of children who are classed as 'severely obese'. Having a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 40 means someone is obese, whereas above 40 is classed as severely obese. Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said: 'I think there is a worry that some people will think this is nanny state or Big Brother but I think actually people are so confused about weight and BMI, especially when it comes to children, that I think this might be a better way to go. We have to find ways to help families to change their habits, and if it's about nudge and going a bit softly but keeping people under close surveillance that may be the way to do it.' It comes as new analysis, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, revealed that many children attending NHS specialist weight clinics are suffering from multiple problems. Patients being treated at 'Complications from Excess Weight' (CEW) clinics get access to specialist NHS doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and dietitians, who assess their complications, provide tailored help with diet and lifestyle changes, and deliver mental health support and coaching. The analysis by Leeds Beckett University, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Leeds and University of Bristol included 4,784 children and young people, aged two to 18, being treated. It found widespread health complications being suffered by the patients with 30% suffering liver disease and 21% having high blood pressure. Prof Kenny said: 'This important research on the life-changing impact that our NHS clinics are having highlights the complexities of the challenges facing so many young people and reaffirms our belief that early intervention can help limit excess weight gain and prevent the onset of associated long-term health complications.' The criteria for a child or young person to be referred to a clinic is that they have a body mass index (BMI) above the 99.6 percentile and a complication of excess weight.
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Business Standard
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Raisina Chronicles: A public square for global dialogue and debate
In their editors' note to Raisina Chronicles: India's Global Public Square, S Jaishankar and Samir Saran write: 'The imperative of dialogue in polarised times is self-evident. And it has gained salience precisely because the promise of globalisation has been visibly broken.' The publication of the book celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Raisina Dialogue, an international conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics that has been convened in Delhi since 2016. This platform, which brings together heads of state, government officials, policymakers, diplomats and leaders of intergovernmental organisations, along with business leaders, media persons, experts from the development sector and members of civil society, is a collaboration between the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Government of India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Therefore, it is fitting that the volume is edited by Rajya Sabha member Mr Jaishankar, who has been India's External Affairs Minister since May 2019, and ORF President Mr Saran, who is the Curator of the Raisina Dialogue. The book is valuable for readers interested in international relations and public policy as fields of study and practice. The language used here seems accessible enough for seasoned and early-career professionals, as well as students. Moreover, it is a useful resource for people who watch television shows like Barbara Hall's Madam Secretary, David Guggenheim's Designated Survivor and Deborah Kahn's The Diplomat for the high-octane drama and are curious about how politicians and diplomats build alliances and resolve conflicts in real life. It is divided into seven sections: (1) Changing Realities: Shifts in the World Order; (2) Shared Visions: Unbreakable Bilateral Ties; (3) New Opportunities: European Future in the Indo-Pacific; (4) Guards of Honour: Forging a More Secure World; (5) Viral World: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control; (6) Unblurred Vision: Development with a Difference; and (7) At the Helm of Power: India, Raisina and the New Way Forward. Each section features reflections by speakers from various countries who have participated in the Raisina Dialogue and have rich insights to offer about key priorities in specific geographies and across the world. Rosa Balfour (Director, Carnegie Europe) and Zakaria Al Shmaly (Research Analyst, Carnegie Europe) acknowledge the European Union's 'blind spots', particularly its limited engagement with the 'Global South', and the need to understand critiques of its migration and asylum policy that treats white Christian and brown Muslim refugees differently. Kwame Owino (CEO, Institute of Economic Affairs) and Jackline Kagume (constitution, law and economy programme head at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Kenya) point out that Sub-Saharan Africa is 'the least embedded in global economic affairs and commerce' and advocate for 'access to regional and global markets' to ensure prosperity for countries represented by the African Union. The book addresses subjects such as democracy, climate finance, maritime security, gender equality, soft power, vaccine equity, public-private partnerships, and terrorism. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, for instance, calls terrorism 'a cancer that needs to be faced through wide international cooperation'. With Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announcing his readiness for a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, it remains to be seen how this international cooperation pans out, and whether it amounts to more than lip service. Mohammed Soliman (director, strategic technologies and cyber security program at the Middle East Institute, Washington, DC) compliments 'India's growing voice in world affairs' for making the Raisina Dialogue 'a critical pathway for conflicting parties to utilise'. He writes, 'Not many global capitals have the diplomatic pull to host Israel, Iran, the Palestinians, and the Arab states under one roof to debate the most contentious regional and global issues'. Amrita Narlikar (president and professor, German Institute for Global and Area Studies) points out that the Raisina Dialogue 'is more inclusive and more diverse' than the Munich Security Conference and the World Economic Forum. What makes it stand out is not only 'its location in a democratic nation in the Global South' but also the decision to 'enable the participation of the interested public' rather than having closed-door meetings. This congratulatory tone pervades the book. While it reinforces the significance and impact of the Raisina Dialogue for multiple stakeholders, there is hardly any reflection on challenges encountered over the last 10 years and areas of improvement that have been identified either by the organisers or the participants. Introspection and feedback are crucial for growth. The other contributors to the volume range from United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen J Harper, Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director David Petraeus, and Mexican Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard. The absence of voices from India's own neighbourhood — Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, China, and the Maldives — is quite conspicuous. Since the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has failed to help members settle disputes, the Raisina Dialogue could serve as a forum to have some of those conversations.
Telegraph
28-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Reeves plans milkshake tax
Rachel Reeves is preparing to tax milkshakes in an attempt to reduce obesity levels. The Chancellor has drawn up plans to impose a sugar tax on milk and yoghurt-based beverages for the first time, after concluding that they are damaging public health. The levy will drive prices up by as much as 24p a litre, with officials expecting 93 per cent of drinks on the market to be affected unless they change their recipes. This would force the makers of drinks such as Irn-Bru and Ribena to cut sugar content or face having to pay the tax. Ms Reeves also intends to make an existing tax on fizzy drinks more onerous. The Treasury, which disclosed the plans in a consultation published on Monday, insisted that the anti- obesity move was needed because its current levy had not reduced the nation's sugar intake, which is still twice the recommended levels. However, experts accused Sir Keir Starmer of another breach of his election pledge not to raise taxes on working people. 'Sugar taxes have never worked' Dr Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: 'The sugar tax has been such a dramatic failure that it should be repealed, not expanded. 'It has been costing consumers £300 million a year while childhood obesity rates have continued to rise. 'To claim it has been a success on the basis of a hypothetical reduction of one calorie a day is absurd. Sugar taxes have never worked anywhere. What happened to Starmer's promise to not raise taxes on working people?' The sugar tax – officially the 'soft drinks industry levy (SDIL)' – is set at 18p per litre, or 24p for higher-sugar drinks. It was introduced in 2018 and Ms Reeves announced in October that she planned to extend it. However, she did not give details. At present, only fizzy drinks with more than 5g of sugar per 100ml qualify for the tax, but the document said the Government is proposing to reduce this to 4g: a more 'ambitious target'. Milk-based beverages have also been excluded until now, because of fears that taxing them would reduce children's calcium intake, with teenage girls in particular not getting enough of the mineral. However, a Treasury spokesman said these concerns had proven to be misguided. He said: 'Whilst young people still do not consume the recommended level of calcium, milk-based drinks are not a significant contributor to intakes. Milk-based drinks only provide up to 3.5 per cent of calcium intakes for children aged 11 to 18 years, he said compared with 25 per cent from plain milk, and 38 per cent from cereal products such as fortified white bread. Although the exemption will be removed, a 'lactose allowance' will be introduced to take into account the natural sugars in the milk component of these drinks. In the document, James Murray, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: 'We recognise that many products have been reformulated to just below the 5g sugar per 100ml threshold. 'Nearly a decade on, we believe it is time to set a more ambitious target. In addition, while there is no doubt about the nutritional benefits of plain milk, it remains an anomaly that sugary pre-packaged milkshakes and other milk-based drinks are exempt from the levy. 'This consultation outlines pragmatic steps to extend the SDIL's reach and amplify its impact. 'We propose measures that could save thousands more from becoming overweight or living with obesity, ensuring the levy remains fair, robust, and effective while minimising burdens on businesses.' A spokesman said that the existing 5g boundary had forced many companies to reduce the amount of sugar, but by only a small amount below the boundary. It has led to a clustering effect, where some 16 per cent of soft drinks now have between 4 and 5g per 100ml of sugar. The Treasury said the level had been decided following a series of round tables with industry figures, health groups and academic experts. Previous plans to introduce a third rate for drinks with the highest sugar content have been dropped.
