To ask the Minister of Health how he is going to harness the increase in people walking for leisure and exercise during the COVID-19 lockdown, given its links to better mental and physical health; and whether he is going to bring forward a walking strategy.

“A Fitter Future for All”, the obesity prevention strategy for Northern Ireland, seeks to promote greater participation in all forms physical activity, including walking and cycling, as physical activity plays a key role in improving population health and well-being. Through this strategy my Department works closely with Department for Infrastructure and Department for Communities on wider strategies to promote active travel, and sport and physical activity.

In support of “A Fitter Future for All”, the Public Health Agency (PHA) commissions a suite of programmes to increase participation in physical activity. In respect of walking, during 19/20 the PHA and Sport NI funded the development of an Economic Appraisal with a view to creating a single co-ordinated and better resourced led-walking programme in Northern Ireland, the “Walking for All” programme. It is anticipated that the programme will operate across Northern Ireland and supersede both Walking for Health and Walking in Your Community (developed by Outdoor Recreation NI) but enabling the activity of these programmes to continue. A key aspiration of the proposed programme is that all areas of NI are served by a regular led walk.