HL Deb 08 March 1955 vol 191 cc799-801

4.17 p.m.

Debate resumed.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH moved to add to subsection (2): and the addition of synthetic substances which are not proved to the satisfaction of the Ministers to be not injurious to health. The noble Lord said: My Lords, this clause deals with the making of regulations for the protection of the food supply. Subsection (2), which embodies a suggestion which I made upon the English Bill, lays down that: In the exercise of their functions under this section the Ministers shall have regard to the desirability of restricting, so far as practicable, the use of substances of no nutritional value. … By this Amendment I suggest that that provision should be strengthened a little by the inclusion of a provision that, in making regulations, the Ministers shall also have regard to the desirability of restricting the addition to food of synthetic substances which are not proved to the satisfaction of the Ministers to be not injurious to health. I feel that this is a simple and desirable provision, because it will automatically prevent the addition of substances the effects and nature of which are unknown; and, of course, substances which are known to be detrimental—that part of it is perfectly simple.

The real trouble in this matter is that there are such a large number of chemical additives to foodstuffs of which nobody knows anything at all. I am therefore inviting the Government to direct themselves, in considering this matter, towards having a bias against allowing such articles to be added to foods unless it has been proved to the satisfaction of the responsible Ministers that the substances in question are innocuous. The Amendment is so simple that I do not propose to elaborate it any further. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 4, line 2, at end insert the said words.—(Lord Douglas of Barloch.)

THE EARL OF HOME

I hope the noble Lord will not press me to accept this Amendment. An identical subsection was put into the English Act on the instigation of the noble Lord. We have taken it from the English Act and included it in the Scottish Bill because it is felt to be a reasonable direction to Ministers. But the whole object of this Bill, and our reason for introducing it, is that we wish to protect the public against the use of substances which are injurious to health. We shall naturally do what the Amendment requires. The inclusion of these words would almost seem to suggest that Ministers have no intention of using the powers with which they are arming themselves, which is somewhat absurd. I hope the noble Lord will not insist upon this Amendment. If he wishes to strengthen the hand of Ministers I will undertake to ask my right honourable friend to watch this point when the Bill comes to another place.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

It the noble Earl is saying that it is the intention of Ministers to act in the spirit of my Amendment I shall be perfectly satisfied. I do not stand with great pertinacity on the wording of this Amendment. On one interpretation, the subsection as it stands already includes the purpose of this Amendment, because it would certainly be difficult to prove that synthetic colouring and flavouring substances and other things added to foodstuffs have any nutritional value. But there has been a suggestion in discussions which took place, I believe during the passage of the English Act, that, so long as a substance added to a foodstuff made it attractive to the consumer, that was, of itself, sufficient proof of the desirability of what was done. On that basis it would be easy to argue that, because a certain colouring put into a sweetstuff was very bright and attractive to children, and children were thereby induced to buy it, this colouring was a justifiable addition to such articles of food. I had considerations of that kind in mind in wishing to strengthen this subsection. If I correctly understand from the noble Earl that it is the intention of Ministers to act in the spirit of my Amendment, and to discourage the use of substances of this kind unless they are satisfied that such substances are innocuous, then I am quite content and shall be happy to withdraw my Amendment.

THE EARL OF HOME

I can give the noble Lord an assurance that action will be in the spirit of his Amendment; but his Amendment would be an additive which would be injurious to the whole Bill, and therefore we will leave it out.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

THE EARL OF HOME

My Lords, this is purely a drafting Amendment. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 10, line 47, leave out ("the foregoing subsection") and insert ("subsection (2) of this section").—(The Earl of Home.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Amendments (privilege) made. Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.