HL Deb 04 November 1959 vol 219 cc329-30

2.36 p.m.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what research has been carried out by the Medical Research Council on the long-term effects on human health of the continuous ingestion of small doses of sodium fluoride or other fluorides, and where and when the results of such research have been published.]

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)

My Lords, a study of the long-term effects on human health of the continuous ingestion of fluorides was carried out by the Medical Research Council in 1945 on groups of workers employed in factories manufacturing aluminium in Inverness-shire and on those living in the neighbourhood of such factories where the process resulted in the emission of fluorine compounds. The results were published in 1949 as Number 22 in the Council's series of White Memoranda.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, did that investigation have any bearing on the matter on which the Medical Research Council has made a pronouncement recently, the effect on teeth?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I am not sure that I have a very close knowledge of the pronouncement to which the noble Lord refers. The trials in North America demonstrated, I understand, that dental caries could be substantially reduced by adding fluorides to drinking water to a level of one part per million. A commission of experts went to the United States in 1952 to study this work and their report, which was generally favourable to fluoridation, recommended that before it was adopted in this country demonstrations should be carried out in a few selected areas to illustrate the results likely to be obtained here. But those demonstrations, of course, are not the responsibility of the Medical Research Council.

LORD DOUGLAS OF BARLOCH

My Lords, would it not be as well that the Medical Research Council should make it clear that their views were based not upon research of their own but upon opinions of other people?

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, I am still not sure to what pronouncement the noble Lord is referring. If he will write and tell me I will investigate what truth lies behind it. I thought perhaps I had helped him by my supplementary answer, but I do not seem to have struck oil.