§ LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount was expended from public funds on the testing of food additives and food containments in order to ascertain whether they are toxic.]
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, separate figures are not available. The Medical Research Council support some fundamental research on food additives and food contaminants as part of their ordinary research programme, but this does not include routine testing for such substances. The Food Research Associations which operate under the ægis of, and with the support of, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research occasionally assist their members on problems of toxicity. Little direct toxicological testing is, however, carried out by these organisations themselves.
§ LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCHMy Lords, would it not be a fair inference, therefore, that food additives ought to be prohibited unless they are positively proved to be safe?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, that might be the noble Lord's opinion, but I do not know how many other people would agree with him.
§ THE EARL OF SWINTONMy Lords, in the absence of my noble friend Lord Conesford, might I ask the Minister for Science when the noun or adjective"additive" was added to the English language?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I am obliged to my noble friend. I must plead guilty, apparently, to using it in my Answer. I found it extremely imprecise—indeed, I asked what the Question meant. But apparently those advising me were wiser than I am, and both knew the meaning of the word and were able to provide an answer; which only shows what an advantage it is to be a Minister for Science.
§ THE EARL OF SWINTONWhat does it mean?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, that is a terrible question.
§ LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCHIt is perfectly simple; it means an unnatural substance which is added to natural foods.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMI must say that the word"unnatural" seems to me to be one of the most difficult words in the English language.